March - April 1998
Vol. 9, No. 2

Luke St. Onge

CHANGING TIMES
by Luke St. Onge

Having been with the USRA for a number of years, I have had the opportunity to attend over 14 state leadership conferences here at the Olympic Training Center. This year’s conference was very special, not only to the USRA, but to the sport. Over 35 states were present to take part in a jam-packed and highly-intense agenda. Sessions were offered on liability issues, junior development, rebates, sanctioning compliance, organic documents, media, RACQUETBALL, Internet and web sites, tournaments, sponsorship, the dynamic upgrading of AmPRO, a report on the new vibrant relationship with court club owners through IHRSA, as well as Olympic and Pan Am updates, and full presentations by virtually all of the industry’s leaders.

Basically, this annual conference has become the USRA’s national sales meeting and this year’s presentation was different from those in the past. There was a notable absence of doomsayers ... no “apocalypse now” types, who have permeated our sport over the past 10 years. And why not? New blood, for the most part. Many current state leaders have grown up with the sport and understand it in a whole new light, quite possibly better than those in the past. The optimism, energy, and excitement shown by these leaders ‘in the now’ are driven by the USRA’s new look and accomplishments, such as the broader focus of RACQUETBALL magazine, upgrading of premier national events, the unification of the manufacturers in promoting the sport, the U.S. Open, ESPN television coverage, 600,000 new players in 1996, the PAL program, and the agreement between the IRT and the USRA.

Our vision and our dreams for the sport are becoming a reality. New energy generated in the trenches gives racquetball a jump on its “competition.” We have said many, many times that our volunteers are second to none. What they need is the leadership and tools to make it happen. That opportunity is now upon us ... where do you fit in? Are you a doomsayer, an apocalypse now person? Are you a complainer who only looks at the negative? Or are you part of the new energy, willing to help bring racquetball into the mainstream of sport in the Americas? It’s your choice to become active and involved at a crucial time, and ... “lead, follow, or get out of the way!”


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