XXII International Racquetball Federation World Championships Daily Blog
by Jonathan Greenberg
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #9
Saturday, August 29, 2024
Greetings! Here’s one last Daily Blog to wrap up the IRF XXII World Racquetball Championships that concluded in San Antonio on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Saturday’s Results – Men’s Team Competition Final
USA def. Canada, 2-1
Samuel Murray def. Jake Bredenbeck, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa d. Coby Iwaasa, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla d. Samuel Murray / Coby Iwaasa, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9
(See overall individual and team competition results below)
Assistant Coach Jen Meyer wraps up this Daily Blog series on behalf of herself and Coach Pablo Fajre:
“What an unbelievable week! From Opening Ceremonies to the Awards Ceremony and all the days in between, every Team USA athlete gave their all, played their hearts out, and represented us so well. The Men’s Team was in the final against Canada on Saturday, and it came down to Adam and Sebastian needing to beat a tough and long-partnered team in Coby Iwaasa and Sam Murray. It was a fantastic match with USA coming out on top! We waited with anticipation for the overall results of the team competition…Bronze for the Women’s Team, Gold for the Men’s Team, and Silver for the Overall Combined Team! We were one match short of the Gold as we are seeing the start of a new era. Don’t ever count the USA out! This was a fantastic way to end the week!
“As we get ready to sign off our last blog, a big thank you goes out to Pablo Fajre for his commitment to the athletes, Jonathan Greenberg for being our go-to for everything, Brent Huff for keeping everyone able to compete through the tournament, Cheryl Kirk for all of the behind the scenes help, and most importantly, all of the athletes for sacrificing so much in regular life to represent Team USA in the very best way possible. It paid off, and we can’t wait for what the future holds! It was a true pleasure to work with everyone on this team and help them on their way to success. Congratulations on a fabulous tournament!”
Athlete of the Day – Daniel De La Rosa
What does it mean to you to compete for Team USA? “It is my second year with Team USA, but this year was more special because the Worlds were in my hometown and my home gym.”
Age started playing racquetball? 5 years old
Sponsors: Pro Kennex, Alien Sports, Williams Accounting
Anybody you’d like to thank? “Yes, first of all to my girlfriend Hollie for playing with me and carrying over to the gold medal and being a pain in my butt about training every morning lol! My kids, I’m sure they’re very proud that their dad is a world champion, they're my motivation. George Bustos for those early mornings of training, Sandy Rios for a great event. the USA Coaches and Staff. My friends and family back at home in Mexico, and of course, to all the San Antonio people who came to watch us play. Also thank you to Kelani and Sam for making it a fun weekend.”
Staff Members of the Day (Jen Meyer and Jonathan Greenberg)
Jen Meyer (Assistant Coach)
Hometown: Fruita, Colorado
What does it mean to you to coach Team USA? “I have been fortunate enough to help coach the USA Junior Team for the last 21 years and this last year had the incredible opportunity to help coach the adult team as well. Representing your country is an honor that I don’t believe can accurately be described unless experienced. Those three letters on your back mean so much for so many reasons! Even after all of this time, every event is still special. One of the amazing parts I love about coaching this long is that the Adult Team members are all former members from the Junior Team. It is amazing to continue to be a part of their journey on and off the court. I look forward to making many more memories!”
Age started playing racquetball? 12
Anybody you’d like to thank? “I would like to thank my family because they are my biggest supporters and understand my love of the game and the people who play! Carolyn Berry for taking care of my school kiddos for the last 15 years when I am on international trips. My school kiddos and administrators who continually support me living out my dreams and realizing the value of inspiring others to do the same. I would also like to give a shoutout to USA Racquetball, the IRF, Cheryl Kirk, Pablo Fajre, Jonathan Greenberg, Brent Huff, and all of the athletes for trusting me to be in their corner and allowing me to learn from them as well. I appreciate you all!!
Jonathan Greenberg (Team Leader)
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
What does it mean to you to be a part of Team USA? “It is awesome to see all the athletes come together as a team in such an individual sport and have one common goal, to represent the USA in a sport they love. I was honored to have supported this team in any way I could.”
Age started playing racquetball: 15
Anybody you’d like to thank? “I would like to thank Cheryl Kirk, Dean Schear, Sandy Rios, and all of the IRF staff members for making this such a smooth and great event. I would also like to thank my parents and sisters for helping me get through these long weeks with texts and phone calls. Thank you to everyone at USA Racquetball and Team USA!”
Overall Individual and Team Results
Team USA Medalists
Singles
Daniel De La Rosa – Gold
Jake Bredenbeck – Silver
Doubles
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott – Gold
Adam Manilla / Sebastian Fernandez – Bronze
Team Competition Results
Overall Combined Team
1 - Mexico
2 - USA
3 - Canada
4 - Argentina
Men's Team
1 - USA
2 - Canada
3 - Mexico
3 - Costa Rica
Women's Team
1 - Mexico
2 - Argentina
3 - USA
3 - Bolivia
Division Champions – Individual Competition
Men's Singles – Daniel De La Rosa (USA)
Women's Singles -- Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Men's Doubles – Coby Iwaasa / Samuel Murray (Canada)
Women's Doubles – Alexandra Herrera / Montserrat Mejia (Mexico)
Mixed Doubles – Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott (USA)
To view the preliminary rounds, main draws, and overall results, visit www.internationalracquetball.com or r2sports.com.
Thank You’s
USA Racquetball and the San Antonio Local Organizing Committee wish to deliver our heartfelt gratitude to those who made this event so truly memorable. On behalf of Board President Stewart Solomon, the USA Racquetball Board of Directors, Executive Director Mike Grisz, Jonathan Greenberg, and Karen Grisz, we will strive not to leave anyone out! Thank you to:
Sandy Rios, Dean Schear, and Cheryl Kirk. The work behind the scenes to host a tournament of this magnitude is extensive. From hotel arrangements, to transportation, to the awards, to the coordination of so many moving parts and pieces, it’s mission accomplished.
Thanks to the International Racquetball Federation team under the leadership of President Osvaldo Maggi and Secretary General Mauro Grandio that included the broadcast team, desk staff, and referees from nine countries. See Blogs 3 and 4 in this series for the names of these excellent staff members!
IRF sponsors Gearbox, Pro Kennex, and Splathead, who contribute significantly to IRF competitions. You are so very much appreciated!
Joe Hall of Splathead provided shirts for the delegations and the IRF referees/staff. He also designed the fabulous event logo that made its way onto the shirts, pins, and bag tags.
In-kind sponsors and contributors PowerShot Strings, UT Health Center San Antonio, Pinnacle Sign Team, Inc., and BR Bleacher Rentals. Also, the Playa Bowl food truck who put more healthy ingredients into our bodies than we (okay, some of us) thought was even possible.
James Perez, Gloria Escobar, and Five Star Driver Networks staff members for the friendly and reliable shuttle transportation between the club and the four host hotels. The schedule smoothed out nicely as competition began, and the drivers enjoyed getting to know the athletes (and vice versa).
The staffs of the four host hotels – Staybridge Suites, Fairfield Inn, Home2Suites, and Hampton Inn. Thank you for your hospitality!
The Thousand Oaks YMCA staff members, the volunteers at the club, and the local families who were on hand to pitch in and to enjoy the matches and the international atmosphere created by the 19 country delegations in attendance.
Sam Hojat, Marcus Zuniga, Luis Garza, and Pedro Garza who helped immeasurably with behind-the-scenes tasks and systems at the YMCA. A specific shout-out to Pedro (aka El Hombre) who designed and constructed the beautiful medals stand for the awards ceremony!
Yali Gonzalez, Delia Gutierrez, Nidia Funes, and Megan Barrington were the dream team who assembled 200 welcome bags and organized 400 tournament shirts into categories and sizes.
Alamo City Racquetball Association President Mike Cantu did a great job as emcee (MC!) at the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, August 23rd.
Megan Barrington deserves a very special thank you for the many things she did to make a huge difference. She is the epitome of “Yes! Now, what’s the question?” Megan coordinated key aspects of Opening Ceremonies and also operated a sale table throughout the event time period to assist USA Racquetball with souvenir shirt sales. In addition, she sold other items (keychains and popsicles!) that she herself provided to help raise funds for Texas members of the U.S. Junior Team (including her own son Noah Jackola) who will be traveling to the IRF World Junior Championships in Guatemala City in December. And, cupcakes turned up at just the right time for Sandy Rios’s birthday on 8/28!
Every team needs its cheerleaders! Team USA family members were on hand to encourage and support our athletes: Rhys Andersen, Sam Bredenbeck, Darold Key, Sam Lawrence, Jules Lowe, Nancy Manilla, and Victor Manilla.
Nidia Funes and Cindy Tilbury both flew in from California to assist with logistical tasks and to cheer on Team USA.
The San Antonio Sports Commission (Tony Benke and crew) sent local volunteers to assist with opening ceremonies and closing awards set-up, teardown, and logistics. Such hard workers, so gracious.
To Adult Team uniform sponsor Nike APS’s Kevin Cowley (a true friend and a pleasure to work with) and his team including Shane, thanks for the outstanding assistance! Teaming up with Nike APS were Lynn and Kevin Yeazell and their staff members at Response Graphics & Embroidery of Plainfield, Illinois, who supported the U.S. Team’s uniform needs in the days leading up to departure for San Antonio.
Sudsy Monchik, Leo Vasquez, and Jason Sauer who provided a first-class experience for the players who competed in the Frank Hotels & KWM Gutterman Centurion Doubles Fundraiser on Wednesday and Thursday of tournament. It was a nice addition to the week’s festivities to have these players here with us, and they couldn’t have been more gracious and friendly, even in the heat of intense competition! USA Racquetball appreciates your support more than you will ever know.
Aimee Roehler who posted the Daily Blogs and photos as they were sent over as well as the numerous social media updates covering the event. Great job, Aimee!
Last but not least, warm thanks go to the delegations and athletes of the 19 countries who attended this IRF World Championships. It has been an honor and a pleasure to welcome and serve them in San Antonio, Texas, USA!
By the time you’re reading this, all members of Team USA are safely back home. Thanks for reading the blogs and for being fans of Team USA. The next set of Daily Blogs will begin on Thursday, December 5th as Junior Team USA takes the world stage at the IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships in Guatemala City!
Signing off now from San Antonio, and all that’s left to say is...
WELL DONE, TEAM USA!!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #8
Friday, August 29, 2024
Wrapping up this penultimate day of competition, Coaches Pablo and Jen recap the day:
The second and third rounds of team competition took place today and it was exciting! This format is slightly different in that you have to win the best two out of three matches (2 singles and 1 doubles, rotated each round) against a country to move to the next round.
The women’s team played Guatemala while the men played Ecuador in the quarterfinals to start off the day. You can tell the amount of wear and tear on the athletes’ bodies at this stage of the competition! It is A LOT of racquetball over the course of this tournament.
Both the men and women advanced to the semifinals in the afternoon. The women were up against a very strong Mexican team and unfortunately fell short of moving into the finals. Michelle, Kelani, and Hollie played their hearts out for every point to earn the women’s team bronze medal!
The men faced Costa Rica in the semifinals and through tough play made it to the finals against Canada tomorrow! Watching matches throughout the day has a different feeling knowing you are not playing one specific athlete from the country, but the entire team. It gives a different perspective from that lens. This portion of the tournament is so much fun because you will hear a countries’ chants and cheers for players, see high fives, and witness big hugs afterwards! We are looking forward to doing the same tomorrow as our men’s team has one more round of digging deep, fighting hard, and leaving it all on the court for the gold medal!
Men’s Team Results
USA def. Ecuador, 2-0
Jake Bredenbeck def. Juan Francisco Cueva, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5
Daniel De La Rosa def. Esteban De Janon, 11-1, 11-7, 11-4
USA def. Costa Rica, 2-0
Jake Bredenbeck def. Gabriel Garcia, 13-15, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Adam Manilla / Sebastian Fernandez def. Andres Acuña / Gabriel Garcia, 6-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6
The men will play Canada in the team competition final tomorrow!
Women’s Team Results:
USA def. Guatemala, 2-1
Michelle Key def. Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9
Gabriela Martinez def. Kelani Lawrence 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7
Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott def. Gabriela Martinez / Maria Renee Rodriguez, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8
Mexico def. USA, 2-0
Montserrat Mejia def. Michelle Key, 11-3, 11-6, 12-10
Montserrat Mejia / Alexandra Herrera def. Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6
Athlete of the Day – Michelle Key
Home State: Arizona
What does it mean to you to compete for Team USA? “Being able to represent Team USA has always been a lifetime dream and honor.”
Age started playing racquetball? “Born into racquetball. My parents met playing racquetball, and I’ve been around it my entire life.”
Sponsors: 3WB, OVRWATCH, Gearbox
Anybody you’d like to thank? “I would really like to thank my family and friends for always being there for me. Love and miss you tons!”
It’s Super Saturday – The Finals!
Good luck to our Men’s Team today as they go for the Gold!
USA vs. Canada
Jake Bredenbeck v. Samuel Murray, 9:00 a.m.
Daniel De La Rosa v. Coby Iwaasa, 10:30 a.m.
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Coby Iwaasa / Samuel Murray (if necessary), 12:00 p.m.
Soon after the last match is completed on Saturday afternoon, the Awards Ceremony will begin. The targeted time (plus or minus a few minutes) will be 4:00 p.m. CT. Live streaming will be available, so tune in to grab your front row seat!
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
My final blog (#9) will provide a recap, full results, and a long, long list of thank you’s! So many efforts have gone into this event, and we couldn’t be more grateful!
GO TEAM USA!!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #7
Thusday, August 29, 2024
Thursday’s Finals Results:
Daniel De La Rosa def. Jake Bredenbeck, 11-9, 11-9, 1-11, 11-4
A gold and a silver for Team USA!
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott def. Javier Mar / Montserrat Mejia (Mexico), 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 14-12
And another gold as well!
Two Gold medals and a Silver are staying on home soil!
Thursday’s Team Competition Results
USA Men’s Team def. Germany, 2-0
USA Women’s def. Japan, 2-0
Coaches Pablo Fajre and Jen Meyer comment on an exciting day at the IRF World Championships:
“We started off the day with Daniel and Jake competing against each other for the World Championship Men’s Singles title! Having USA vs. USA in the finals is always the hope, but it is also hard because you have two teammates playing against each other. As a rule, when USA plays USA at any point in the draw, we do not coach the match. That being said, it was a hard-fought match with Daniel coming out on top.
“Daniel then turned around a short time later and played in the Mixed Doubles final with Hollie against the very strong Mexican team of Javier Mar/Montserrat Mejia. Daniel and Hollie controlled the match from the first point. They had a solid game plan going in and executed their way to the World Championship Mixed Doubles title!
“This concluded the individual portion of the tournament, and those results established the men’s and women’s seeding in the team competition draws that began in the late afternoon. Team USA had a fantastic beginning of the day with two golds and a silver and ended our day with both the men and women winning the first round of team competition! Hollie and Kelani bested Japan in doubles; Adam and Sebastian prevailed over Germany in doubles; Michelle defeated Japan in singles; and Jake won against Germany. All in all, that is a fantastic day for Team USA!
Congratulations to our two newest World Champions!”
Athlete of the Day – Sebastian Fernandez and Adam Manilla
Sebastian Fernandez
What does it mean to you to play for Team USA?: “It’s a privilege to represent my country once again and especially on the adult team, which was a goal of mine when representing the Junior USA Team.”
Age started playing racquetball?: 10
Anyone you’d like to thank?: “I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported, motivated, and encouraged me to keep working hard and sacrificing whatever’s needed to be in the place I am today, representing the USA! I wouldn’t be here without them. Special thanks to Pablo and Jen for the amazing attention prior to and during this competition.”
Adam Manilla
Thoughts on today’s finals?: “Great day for Team USA today, congrats to Daniel and Hollie for bringing home gold medals for team USA. Pretty cool to have two USA players in the men’s finals, and winning mixed. Lots of people talk about how strong other countries are, but today we proved how strong the U.S. still is! “
What does it mean to you to play for Team USA?: “Playing for Team USA has been a dream of mine since I was a young kid. To be able to represent my country at this level is one of the biggest honors I have had in my life.”
Age started playing racquetball?: 8
Sponsors: Head, Manilla Athletics, R&B Sales, Host Homes Management
Anybody you’d like to thank?: “I’d like to thank my family, my village back at home, USA Racquetball for making this event happen in the U.S., and all my teammates for giving it their all this week/end.
Staff Member of the Day – Team USA Head Coach Pablo Fajre
Pablo brings years of experience in Racquetball and fitness coaching. Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, he was a junior tennis player in his youth, a track and field sprinter in college, and later became a racquetball player competing in the Pan American Games, IRF World Championships, and many international events. Since then, in the last 30 years he has been training athletes in various sports, including Racquetball, from junior to professional.
City/State: Tracy, California
Age when started playing Racquetball: 25
What does it mean to you to coach Team USA? “It’s a great honor to coach these incredible athletes. I am very grateful.”
Anybody you’d like to thank?: “I want to thank my wife, Angela. She always supports my racquetball adventures.”
On to Friday...Worlds is Winding Down, but Team USA is Still Gearing Up!
Friday we continue the team competition, in the quarterfinals, when the women will face Guatemala beginning at 9:00 a.m., and the men will take on Ecuador beginning at 9:45 a.m.
Friday’s Schedule
(All times Central)
Michelle Key v. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 9:00 a.m.
Jake Bredenbeck v. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 9:45 a.m.
Kelani Lawrence v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10:30 a.m.
Daniel De La Rosa v. Esteban De Janon (Ecuador), 11:15 a.m.
Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott v. Maria Renee Rodriguez / Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 12:00 p.m.
Adam Manilla / Sebastian Fernandez v. Juan Francisco Cueva / Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 12:45 p.m.
If Team USA advances to the semifinals, it will be later in the day on Friday, beginning at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Visit www.internationalracquetball.com, or R2 Sports to keep up with the results and review the live streaming schedule each day. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42436
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
Before signing off, so much gratitude goes once again to Sudsy Monchik and Leo Vasquez for running the Frank Hotels & KWM Gutterman Centurion Doubles Fundraiser and helping to make this event possible. From all of us at USA Racquetball, thank you!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #6
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
"WOW! Today was a day of many ups and a few downs. The losses we had were extremely close and could have gone either way. The level of competition between countries is so tight that every single point is crucial. We were extremely impressed with the heart, composure, mental toughness, and class of all of our athletes. It was great to see Hollie and Daniel win decisively against Guatemala! They will play Mar/Mejia (Mexico) in tomorrow’s finals at 12:45! Another fantastic celebration for Team USA is that Jake and Daniel won their semifinal matches against Edwardo Portillo (Mexico) and Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia) respectively to make it to the finals! This was after they played their quarterfinal matches in the morning. That’s a lot of court time in a short period of time. We have an all-Team USA final for the Men’s Singles division tomorrow for the first time in years! The Men’s Singles finals and Mixed Doubles finals will be Thursday late morning/early afternoon with the Team Competition starting afterwards. Good luck to everyone in the Finals and Team competition! Go USA!”
Wednesday’s Match Results
Jake Bredenbeck def. Diego Garcia (Argentina), 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9
Daniel De La Rosa def. Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-3, 13-11
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) def. Kelani Lawrence, 8-11, 12-14, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8
Jake Bredenbeck def. Eduardo Portillo Torres (Mexico), 11-8, 12-10, 14-12
Daniel De La Rosa def. Carlos Keller Vargas (Bolivia), 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
Eduardo Portillo Torres / Andree Parrilla (Mexico) def. Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla, 11-4, 2-11, 11-7, 12-10
Hollie Scott / Daniel De La Rosa def. Gabriela Martinez / Edwin Galicia (GUA), 10-12, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8
Staff Profile: Athletic Trainer Brent Huff Returns to Team USA!
Brent has joined the U.S. Team many times to lend his valuable expertise for the benefit of the athletes.
Education & Training: Bachelors in Biology and Masters in Sports Medicine; Certified Athletic Trainer (24 years); Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (20 years); Licensed Massage Therapist (8 years)
When did you start playing racquetball? I was 6 years old.
What does it mean to be a part of Team USA? It’s an honor to represent my country while doing my profession with a sport that I have loved for so long.
Thursday: The Finals!
There is only one country represented in the Men’s Singles final -- the United States of America!
Thursday's Schedule (all times Central):
Jake Bredenbeck v. Daniel De La Rosa (Men’s Final), 10:30 a.m.
Hollie Scott / Daniel De La Rosa v. Javier Mar / Montserrat Mejia (Mexico), 12:45 p.m.
A little more about team competition:
As the individual portion of the event concludes, we now head to the team competition that is separately competed by each country’s men’s and women’s teams. Each is made up of two singles players and a doubles team. The team competition is how countries will qualify for The World Games 2025 next year in Chengdu, China.
**Team competition match times will be set after the end of the individual competition Thursday afternoon.
GO TEAM USA!!
Links to the Live Stream and R2 tournament site:
Visit www.internationalracquetball.com, or R2 Sports to keep up with the results and review the live streaming schedule each day. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42436
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
Before signing off for the evening, I want to mention how great it was to have the Frank Hotels & KWM Gutterman Centurion Doubles Fundraiser kick off today on Court 5. Sudsy Monchik and Leo Vasquez generously organized this event-within-an-event to help USA Racquetball with expenses in bringing the IRF Worlds to the USA. Heartfelt thanks go to the organizers, the sponsors, and of course the players themselves!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #5
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Assistant Coach Jen Meyer offers her thoughts on this first day of bracket play: “We had mostly wins and a few tough losses in our first day of straight medal draws. The competition continues to be fierce from every country as everyone has had a chance to get acclimated to the courts during pool play and is bringing their A game. The matches we are heading into tomorrow will be challenging, but this team has the skill and determination to succeed!”
Tuesday’s Match Results
Daniel De La Rosa def. Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 13-11
Jake Bredenbeck def. Kurtis Cullen (Canada), 11-8, 11-1, 11-4
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) def. Michelle Key, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2
Kelani Lawrence def. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia), 11-6, 12-10, 3-11, 15-13
Gabriela Martinez / Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) def. Hollie Scott / Kelani Lawrence, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla def. Namwoo Lee & Gunhee Lee (Korea), 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott def. Sumin Lee / Gunhee Lee (Korea), 11-7, 11-5, 11-7
Athlete of the Day – Hollie Scott
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
What does it mean to play for Team USA: “It’s been fun, and I’m just happy that I have the best partners to be around on and off the court.”
Age started playing racquetball: 5 years old
Sponsors: ProKennex & Alien Court Sports
Anyone you’d like to thank?: “Thanks so much to all my friends and family that have come out to support us. Thank you to George Bustos for all the early morning trainings, and of course Daniel as well as Kelani and Sam Lawrence for being the best support team.”
On to Wednesday...
We now move to Day 5 of competition with tomorrow being the semifinals of doubles and the quarterfinals and semifinals of singles. All times Central*
Jake Bredenbeck v. Diego Garcia (Argentina), 9:45 a.m.
Daniel De La Rosa v. Gabriel Garcia ( Costa Rica), 9:45 a.m.
Kelani Lawrence v. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 11:15 a.m.
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Eduardo Portillo Torres / Andree Parrilla (Mexico), 2:15 p.m.
Hollie Scott / Daniel De La Rosa v. Gabriela Martinez / Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) 4:30 p.m.
Links to the Live Stream & R2 tournament site:
Be sure to visit www.internationalracquetball.com, or R2 Sports to keep up with the results and review the live streaming schedule each day. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42436
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
Tomorrow also marks the first of two days of the Frank Hotels/KWM Gutterman Centurion Doubles Invitational, a concurrent fundraiser event hosted by Sudsy Monchik and Leo Vasquez at the YMCA. This is a unique fundraiser to assist USA Racquetball with event hosting expenses. Twelve centurion doubles teams will compete in a knockout format. Thanks and good luck to Sudsy, Leo, and all of the players!
See you tomorrow, and GO TEAM USA!
- Jonathan Greenberg
P.S. Wednesday is Sandy Rios’s birthday! This event could not have been done without her. She was the nucleus to Operation World Games 2024! A special Happy Birthday goes out to you, Sandy, from USA Racquetball & Team USA!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #4
Monday, August 26, 2024
What a day! Out of the seven matches, four went to five games! Team USA’s effort level is at 120 percent. It is now time for the moment of truth: the single elimination main draws.
Head Coach Pablo Fajre shares his thoughts, short and to the point, heading into the main draws: “The moment of truth is here! It’s time to dig deep and play simple and smart racquetball.”
Monday’s Results
Jake Bredenbeck d. Trevor Webb (Canada), 11-6, 11-4, 11-9
Daniel De La Rosa d. Michimune Kono (Japan), 11-3, 11-7, 11-1
Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Michelle Key 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Kelani Lawrence 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-14, 11-9
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla d. Juan Francisco Cueva / Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) 10-12, 9-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4
Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott d. Jenny Daza Navia / Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) 7-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott d. Valeria Centellas / Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) 6-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9
Athlete of the Day – Kelani Lawrence
Age started playing racquetball: 10
Ranking on Tour: 6th
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite Color: Green to wear, orange in general
Favorite Racquetball Accomplishment: Winning National Singles the same weekend my mom was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
What does it mean to you to represent Team USA: “It means being able to showcase my racquetball game at an international level, more than at a pro stop.”
Sponsors: Citywide Truck & Auto Sales RVA, Pro Kennex, Nike APS
Anybody you’d like to thank?: “My amazing husband of six years, Sam Lawrence; my parents; my sparring partners back home Rich Benderoth and Justin Carpenter (the latter of whom is having a baby girl tomorrow!), and my family and friends who are always by my side.”
Referees Rule!
The referees (in Spanish, arbitros) met after the Coaches meeting last Friday and swung into action on Saturday. They are the unsung heroes of each event, officiating many hours a day to ensure that athletes get experienced referees and never have to think about being referees themselves. Thanks to:
María Paz Muñoz (Ecuador), Jaime Martell (Mexico), Brenda Laime (Bolivia), Diana Aguilar (Mexico), Ricardo Gonzalez (Mexico), Iván Valdéz (Mexico), Fabián Torres (Colombia), Francisco Gómez (Colombia), Germán Coppolecchia (Argentina), Roland Keller (Bolivia), Glenn Martineau (USA), and DJ Mendoza (USA).
Tuesday’s Match Schedule
Now we’re into the main draws as of Tuesday morning. These draws will look different from the ones you may have been viewing over the past several days. No longer a round robin/pool play competition, the draws have become single elimination, now through the Thursday morning individual phase finals.
Michelle Key v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10:30 a.m. CT
Kelani Lawrence v. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia), 11 a.m. CT
Daniel De La Rosa v. Japan or Argentina (TBD), 12:00 p.m. CT
Jake Bredenbeck v. Kurtis Cullen (Canada), 12:45 p.m. CT
Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott v. Gabriela Martinez / Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 1:30 p.m. CT
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Namwoo Lee / Gunhee Lee (Korea), 2:15 p.m. CT
Hollie Scott / Daniel De La Rosa v. Sumin Lee / Gunhee Lee (Korea, ) 4:30 p.m. CT
Be sure to visit www.internationalracquetball.com, or R2 Sports to keep up with the results and review the live streaming schedule each day. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42436
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #3
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Team USA is off to a hot start with another undefeated day, going 7-0 on the day and 13-0 in the event so far! Going into Monday and determined to produce more of the same, our athletes will strive to be seeded well in the main draw for the Tuesday-Thursday conclusion of the individual competition phase.
Day 2 Results
Daniel De La Rosa def. Mario Andrés Huyke (Colombia), 11-7, 11-2, 11-1
Jake Bredenbeck def. Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-6, 11-3, 11-4
Kelani Lawrence def. Danielle Ramsay (Canada), 11-7, 11-5, 14-12
Michelle Key def. Sumin Lee (Korea), 6-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5
Sebestian Fernandez / Adam Manilla def. Hiroshi Shimizu / Yuki Nakano (Japan), 11-9, 11-4, 11-5
Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott def. Haeok Jeong / Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-3, 11-5, 11-1
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott def. Larissa Faeth / Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6
Athlete of the Day
Hey, let’s learn more about Team USA, one athlete at a time, over the next several days. First up is Jake Bredenbeck. Jake is competing in the Men’s Singles division. If the team voted for best facial hair, Jake would be the winner (with yours truly a close second)!
Age: 32
Hometown: Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
Age Started Playing Racquetball: 4-½ years old
Sponsors: Odisi, Gearbox, and Keith Minor/KWMGutterman
What does it mean to you to compete for the USA? “I always love the opportunity to play with USA on my back. It is the greatest honor in our sport. It is, truly, a special feeling.”
Anyone you’d like to thank? “I wouldn't be here without my family. My parents and my brother Sam always have supported me in my racquetball journey. I'm thankful for them always giving me the opportunity to follow the dream of playing racquetball. They are the reason I can and do play racquetball. Thanks to my sponsors for helping me continue to travel and giving me the best gear to play with. There are so many people who have helped me along the way, whether it be games, donating for me to travel to international events, helping my game in all kinds of ways...I wouldn't be here without them. Thank you to Cliff Swain and to Joe and Sam Kelley for coaching/supporting my growth and knowledge of the game.”
IRF Staff
Dedicated staff members are here in support of the event and its athletes. The operations staff, including those who are providing live streaming, are a dedicated and talented team who do a magnificent job and continue to raise the bar at each and every IRF Event:
Osvaldo Maggi (Argentina), Mauro Grandio Buzeleh (Argentina), Pablo Berriel (Argentina), Adrián Macrino (Argentina), Sebastian Digón (Argentina), Veronique Guillemette (Argentina), Nicolas Florio (Argentina), Dean Schear (USA), Gary Mazaroff (USA), Gustavo Farell (USA/Uruguay), and Samuel Schulze (USA).
Monday’s Match Schedule
The matches on Monday are the last of the round robin seeding rounds. Results from these past three days will now be used to create the main draws that will be played out in the next phase of the tournament.
Jake Bredenbeck v. Trevor Webb (Canada) 9:00 a.m. CT
Daniel De La Rosa v. Michimune Kono (Japan) 9:45 a.m. CT
Michelle Key v. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) 11:15 a.m. CT
Kelani Lawrence v. Carla Muñoz (Chile) 12:00 p.m. CT
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) 2:15 p.m. CT
Kelani Lawrence / Hollie Scott v. Jenny Daza Navia / Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) 3:45 p.m CT
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott v. Valeria Centellas / Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) 6:00 p.m. CT
Be sure to visit www.internationalracquetball.com, or R2 Sports to keep up with the results and review the live streaming schedule each day. https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=42436
To view livestreamed matches, go to International Racquetball Federation – IRF on Facebook: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
We’ve had a special guest arrive! USA Team member Sam Bredenbeck arrived on Sunday afternoon to support brother Jake and the rest of the team. We’re so excited that Sam has joined us here In San Antonio!
Tune back in tomorrow, and...
GO TEAM USA!!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #2
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Coaches Pablo and Jen share thoughts after Day 1 of competition:
“We had a great first day with everyone winning their first round of pool play (Hollie and Kelani will have their first match tomorrow). Even though we have had practice leading up to today, players are continuing to work on feeling more comfortable, finding their rhythm, and getting used to the courts each point. Every match is an opportunity to feel more solid with their serves, shot selection, and court positioning. It has been fantastic to see so many countries and players we don’t typically have the privilege of competing against! We look forward to more of the same during the rest of the round robin phase on Sunday and Monday and as we move into the straight draws on Tuesday.”
Day 1 Results
Daniel De La Rosa def. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), 11-7, 11-5, 11-0
Jake Bredenbeck def. Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-2, 11-2, 11-1
Kelani Lawrence def. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-3, 11-4, 11-3
Michelle Key def. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla def. Scott Young / Johnny O'Keeney (Ireland), 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott def. Aisling Hickey / Patrick Hanley (Ireland) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7
Format of the Event
All IRF matches are rally scoring, best of 5 games to 11 (win by 2). We are currently in the round robin/pool play stage of the event -- everyone will compete against everyone else in the pool, and the top two players/teams will advance to the main draws. The bottom two teams will advance to the elite draw. After the individual portion of the event concludes, we will head to the team competition that is separately competed by each country’s men’s and women’s teams. Each is made up of two singles players and a doubles team. The team competition is how countries will qualify for The World Games 2025 next year in Chengdu, China.
Sunday’s Schedule – Day 2
Kelani Lawrence v. Danielle Ramsay ( Canada), 9:00 am CT
Michelle Key v. Sumin Lee (Korea), 9:45 am CT
Daniel De La Rosa v. Mario Andrés Huyke (Colombia), 10:30 am CT
Jake Bredenbeck v. Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11:15 am CT
Hollie Scott / Kelani Lawrence v. Haeok Jeong / Sumin Lee (Korea), 2:15 PM CT
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Hiroshi Shimizu / Yuki Nakano (Japan), 3:45 PM CT
Daniel De La Rosa / Hollie Scott v. Larissa Faeth / Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 5:15PM CT
Live streaming has begun! The IRF will be streaming matches until the conclusion of the event on Saturday, August 31st. Streaming can be viewed on the IRF YouTube Channel as well as on their Facebook page. Thanks in advance to Gary Mazaroff, Gustavo Farell, and Samuel Schulze for the many hours they will put in providing great commentary on the matches. Links are: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook.
Be sure to visit www.internationalracquetball.com or R2 Sports to keep current with the results and see how your favorite players are doing.
Sunday, here we come!
P.S. We all hope Darold Key had a very Happy Birthday on Saturday! Darold is here with us cheering on Team USA. He has also been pitching in, in various ways, to make logistics as easy as possible. A rental car in his possession makes a big difference, and he’s so appreciated for having the attitude: “Yes! Now, what’s the question?”
GO TEAM USA!!
IRF World Racquetball Championships – San Antonio, Texas
Blog #1
Friday, August 23, 2024
Hello to everyone from VERY!!!! warm San Antonio, Texas, where the temperature was a balmy 105 degrees F. upon touchdown. The athletes, Head Coach Pablo, and Team Leader Jonathan Greenberg arrived safely into San Antonio on Wednesday with Assistant Coach Jen Meyer and Athletic Trainer Brent Huff arriving on Thursday. Over the next week, Team USA will be competing in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles along with 18 other countries as they battle for the Gold.
Introducing the U.S. Team Delegation:
Men’s Singles #1: Daniel De La Rosa (Texas)
Men’s Singles #2: Jake Bredenbeck (Minnesota)
Men’s Doubles: Adam Manilla (California) & Sebastian Fernandez (California)
Women’s Singles #1: Kelani Lawrence (Virginia)
Women’s Singles #2 Michelle Key (Arizona)
Women's Doubles: Hollie Scott (Texas) & Kelani Lawrence
Mixed Doubles: Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott
Supporting our U.S. Team Athletes:
Head Coach: Pablo Fajre (California)
Assistant Coach: Jen Meyer (Colorado)
Team Trainer: Brent Huff (Florida)
Team Leader: Jonathan Greenberg (Missouri)
Recapping Wednesday
Wednesday right after landing it was time to get some tournament supplies at Costco and Office Depot in the 107 degree sun. As the host country, we had the privilege of putting together this event's player bags. We had amazing volunteers Nidia Funes, Megan Williams, Yali Gonzalez, and shirt-folder extraordinaire Delia efficiently assembling the player bags and organizing shirts. Thank you to everyone for making this a smooth process! (What went into that player bag, you might wonder? Well, there were snacks, an event pin and bag tag, a magnet, a souvenir shirt, and flyers for 3WallBall, laundry service, Visit San Antonio with QR code, and a local restaurant menu.)
Thursday Dawned Hot Again
The team got in an afternoon practice session at the Thousand Oaks YMCA. After that it was a big Walmart run, picking up essential staples like a “pack of ramen” (inside joke, who knew a pack meant more than one?), peanut butter and jelly, and healthy snacks like trail mix and Rice Krispie treats.
Friday was a Packed Agenda
Early morning practice, followed by the coaches meeting at noon. Pablo, Jen, and Jonathan attended along with all other 18 countries’ coaches.
A lightning-quick turnaround converted the basketball court to an opening ceremonies as local volunteers showed up at the YMCA to help set up for our Opening Ceremonies. Thank you again to the tournament referees and other very appreciated volunteers* who jumped in and to many local junior players who carried country signs and lead the countries as they made their entrances as part of the Parade of Nations. The ceremonies, MC’d by Alamo City Racquetball Association President Mike Cantu, were a hit and a great start to this World Championships. Speakers included Cheryl Kirk; Dean Schear; IRF President Osvaldo Maggi; City of San Antonio Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran, and YMCA of Greater Santonio Chief Operations Officer Doug Desbein. Athletes and Officials Oaths were taken, then Mariachi Espuelas de Plata, a local group, provided an entertaining local culture performance.
If you missed it, here is a link to the stream: Watch HERE
*A special thank you goes to Tony Benke and his volunteer group at the San Antonio Sport Commission for helping with set-up and teardown of the ceremonies.
Saturday – Here We Go!
After a three-day whirlwind of activity, now it’s time for competition!
Here is a link to the draws: Racquetball Divisions - XXII IRF World Racquetball Championships (r2sports.com)
How to watch: International Racquetball Federation YouTube & International Racquetball Federation Facebook
Team USA’s Match Schedule, Saturday, August 24th:
Daniel De La Rosa v. Allan Kristensen/ Denmark 9:00 am CT
Jake Bredenbeck v. Carlo Papini (Italy) 9:45 am CT
Kelani Lawrence v. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica) 11:15 am CT
Michelle Key v. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) 12:00 pm CT
Sebastian Fernandez / Adam Manilla v. Scott Young / Johnny O'Keeney (Ireland) 3:00 PM CT
Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott v. Aisling Hickey / Patrick Hanley (Ireland) 6:00 PM CT
Closing out Blog 1, a big thank you to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC): Dean Schear, Sandy Rios, and Cheryl Kirk, for their leadership. A thank you isn’t enough for the hard work and preparation they have put into planning and executing this event.
Lastly & as always, Go Team USA!!!
Jonathan Greenberg