Ireland juniors fourth at World Championships

IRELAND, in case you hadn’t heard, is on the verge of becoming a racquetball superpower.

An Irish selection has just returned from an outstanding fourth place finish at the 22nd World Junior Racquetball Championships in Los Angeles. The result caught few in the national association by surprise as 12 months earlier, a team backboned by some of the same youngsters, finished fifth when the event was hosted in the Dominican Republic.

The tyros were coached by Christy Slattery and Eithne Skekan and the former is adamant that more glory is on the horizon.

Slattery explained: “Racquetball is a minority sport but it is very strong in certain areas. The team featured players from Mayo, Cavan, Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford.

“We had a team of 20 and we nearly had as many again travelling with us to support us in Los Angeles.

“We, as a country, finished fourth of 17 nations while we had some exceptional individual winners as well, especially Moira Kinane and Aisling Carey who won silver in the Girls 10 & Under Doubles event.

“We were hoping to go one better this time,” he explained of last year’s fifth place. “USA, Mexico and Bolivia are the three strongest countries and were the one, two three in LA. But what was pleasing was that we enjoyed wins against players from these countries in some of the individual grades.”

Slattery has credited Racquetball Ireland for the development of the sports at grassroots level.

“There is a massive junior programme, we are always looking at developing new clubs and new players and now the plan is to try to keep those going.”

However Slattery is fearful that the national financial crisis may work against the development of exciting talent in sports such as racquetball at underage level across the country.

“Our national association contributes towards gear and equipment but the kids and their families have to fundraise for the flights and accommodation. It is a very costly business. Last year the finals were in the Dominican Republic, this year it was LA and it is in the Dominican Republic again next year.

“But yes the Budget and the impacts of it are a huge worry. Down the line we could be worried that people will be effected by it and we too will be impacted.”

Of the 13 medals won, three came in the gold divisions, Moira Kinane and Aisling Carey claimed silver in the Girls 10 and Under Doubles while Katie Kenny and Aisling Hickey took bronze in the Girls 16 and Under Doubles and Conor Looby and Matt Ryan winners of bronze in the Boys 10 & Under Doubles.

Other Medal winners were Aisling Carey, gold in the Red Division of the Girls 10 and Under Singles; Mike Kearns, silver in the Red Division of the Boys 12 and Under Singles; Moira Kinane, silver in the Blue Division of the Girls 10 and Under Singles; Conor Looby, bronze in the Red Division of the Boys 10 and Under Singles; Matt Ryan, silver in the White Division of the Boys 10 and Under Singles; Edel Coonan, bronze in Red Division of Girls 12 and under Singles; Darragh Carey, gold in White Division of Boys 12 and Under Singles.