March - April 1998
Vol. 9, No. 2

JR! Team News

New Junior Team Qualifying System
Following almost a full year of deliberation and fine-tuning by the Junior Council and the U.S. Junior Team coaching staff, the USRA Board of Directors approved a proposal to change the qualifying procedures for the Junior Team, effective this year. Preliminary revisions (which more closely align the junior selection process with its adult counterpart) were announced at last summer’s Junior Olympic National Championships, and are based solely on athlete performance. Beginning with the first team qualifier of the season — the Wilson National High School Championships in March — players will automatically earn a one-year appointment to the Junior Team on the basis of their finishes in specific divisions at two national championships, as shown below:

  • Semi-finalists in 18- from Junior Nationals (8)
  • Semi-finalists in 16- from Junior Nationals (8)
  • Finalists in 14- from Junior Nationals (4)
  • Winners of High School Nationals (2)

Junior Team Fundraising
by Harvey Brannigan
The United States Junior Racquetball Team was established in 1990 by the United States Racquetball Association, with the intent of providing a vehicle to assist in the worldwide growth of the sport and its “Olympic Dream.” Annual junior team trials are held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and the team competes in the IRF Junior World Championships each year. This past December, this year’s team successfully defended its Junior World Team title in Fountain Valley, California.

The U.S. Junior Team coaching staff emphasizes the development of both athletic potential and leadership, with additional focus on academics, deportment, teaching skills, community service and dedication to the growth of racquetball. The coaching staff is molding athletes who are great racquetball players and also exemplary ambassadors for the United States Olympic Program.

Training and competing is a full-time, year-round commitment for each and every member of the team. Next summer the U.S. Junior Team will be making its annual international goodwill trip — most probably to Ireland — and each athlete needs to raise approximately $2,000 in order to take part. These athletes are looking for corporate sponsors and/or private donations to aid in this project. The USRA is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 corporation, recognized as the national governing body of the sport by the U.S. Olympic Committee — making all cash or in-kind contributions tax deductible. If you are interested in helping the junior team in this international effort, please make your checks payable to “USRA/US Junior National Racquetball Team” and send them to the USRA/U.S. Junior Team Fund, 1685 West Uintah, Colorado Springs, CO 80904-2921.

So far this year, Courtesy Sports has donated $5,000 worth of products to help team members raise money for the international trip. If you’d like to find out how to become a major sponsor, please contact a member of the following U.S. Junior Team staff for details!

  • Harvey Brannigan, Junior Team Fundraising Chairperson — 1170 Comeback Bay; Sagle, ID 83860 (phone) 208-265-4774
  • Eric Muller, U.S. Junior Team Head Coach — 825 Harvard Business School Student Mail Center, Boston, MA 02138 — (phone) 617-384-0447
  • Jim Hiser, USRA Assoc. ED/Programs, 1685 Uintah, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904-2921 (phone) 719-635-5396

Fly Fishing for Racquetball ??
In another creative effort to raise funds for the Junior Team, proud U.S. Junior Team Dads Mike Ford and Harvey Brannigan have come up with an unusual opportunity to win an exclusive Wilderness Guided Fishing Trip to Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

All entrants must be in good physical condition to be able to complete the special backwoods trip in July — and only 100 tickets for the drawing will be sold (at $75.00/per) so your chances are pretty good! On May 31, a winner will be chosen at random to take part in a five-day pack-in drop camp where the average fish caught should be in the 1.5 - 2 pound range! Ten additional winners will receive Courtesy Sport products, and all proceeds will go to the USRA Junior Team to help defray the costs of their promotional tour to Ireland in August.

To purchase a ticket for the drawing, send your check made out to “Junior Team Trip” to: Harvey Brannigan, 1170 Comeback Bay, Sagle, Idaho 83860. Questions? Contact Harvey at: 208-265-4774.

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