2005 Blogs

12/13/05 New Year's Resolution...Back to the Gym!
Now that I'm playing racquetball less intensely and only about twice a week for two hours. I see noticeable loses in my consistency and endurance. At Hillsborough recently Gloria, the tournament director, did a bad thing and added another round to her round robin! After the first round, I totally tanked and had single digit scores in all my games except my last one, which I won.Doubles followed a similar path. I was also somewhat injured. My first thought, I never get injured! What's going on?

I've been practicing whenever I get the chance and it's starting to pay off again. I'm gaining my control and some consistency back, but I need to hit the weights again to increase my endurance and output. I also need to concentrate on my core. I plan to attack States this season and to do that I need a solid plan.

11/20/05 What's this Daddy?
I don't know, I came home late from racquetball on Friday to see my Son, Jason, wearing a Head headband upside down. I also just got my Team Head Sponsorship Clothes, so I was already excited. One things leads to another and we wind up with racquets for a picture. Yes I asked my wife to fix the headband first. My thanks to her for inspiring this picture, it'll be one that I'll treasure forever. I can't wait to get him on a court and playing with his old man. My greatest love with my greatest sport!

11/08/05 Roundtable is not Dead!
My Palm Pilot reminded me to tune into the Round Table. Someone told me they went off the air, but when I went to their website. They are back in business. The news that they went offline and problems with their website had me worried. So I'm glad they are still around.

10/23/05 Mourning the Racquetball Roundtable
I wasn't a faithful listener, but whenever Jason was asleep and I had a moment to work on the computer I tuned in just to listen. I even thought that Bill Serafin and I could go on the show. He can do most of the talking since I'm just a web guy and trying to learn from Bill how he runs tournaments, etc. But last week or so Bill told me that the racquetball round table is no more.

I just came off getting destroyed in Open Doubles with John Patric from Fairfield, so to hear that one of the only media avenues for racquetball in New Jersey is gone. Well I started to think what kind of sinking ship am I trying to save here? Well we do what we can with what we have right?

10/23/05 Busch Racquetball Ladder revs up Posters
I went to Busch to drop off a racquet a couple of weeks ago and I was floored before I went walked into the courts by a nice color sign describing the ladder and even with the Dick's Sporting Goods logo as a sponsor. It was also advertised in the Targum (Rutgers Student Paper) so kudos to Tony Doody who made it up. Had no idea he was a desktop publisher. Anyway just looked for the poster in my work email and couldn't find it. I think it brings a level of much needed professionalism.

10/23/05 Lack of Programming at Cook/Douglas
Ever argue with someone and it starts out as a friendly disagreement, but in the back of your mind you feel at any moment it could turn ugly? I think I've gotten there a couple of times talking about the lack of racquetball programming at Cook/Douglas (my home club). What irks me is they get new people every year for Racquetball Intramurals. I know what the hell is wrong with that!? It's great that new people are coming to the sport to have fun, but they are also new to the sport. Most have no idea about the rules, mechanics, or anything else. I was explaining the rules to a mixed doubles pair a couple of days ago right before their first intramurals match against the Advanced Doubles Champs (Dave Evans and George Carmen). I think you can predict what happened.

After the match, I asked if they wanted to continue their lesson and they said no. Will they play racquetball next year or even the next day? Well the odds are against them. I've answered the argument that people only play for fun, that people need to learn from more advanced players. People don't play for fun when there's no chance of winning. What's fun getting beaten 15-0, 15-0? Nothing. Especially when you're brand new to the sport. Anyway I'll keep plugging away.

I will always remember something Wise Young, a researcher/professor at Rutgers, said during a meeting I was lucky to be at. It was advice passed on to him when he started at the University. "Be like water." There was more to the story, but here's what I walked away with.

When water from a river reaches an obstacle it'll flow around, under, over, or through it. All it needs is force and time. My objective is always the same grow racquetball. My obstacles many, I have surpassed many. I will continue to be like water.

10/23/05 Welcome to my Blog
I know my whole website can be one giant blog (personal playground, diary, etc.) sometimes, but I try to work within the context of my pages. Here I can break those rules and write about whatever I want and within in the definition of a blog that's perfectly acceptable.

I know it's been a while since I had any pictures of Jason up. Here's one I took last week when he turned five months. Think he's pretty close to mastering the Intelitainer he's sitting in. He's learning the stacking rings now. Think my life is pretty balanced. I get to play racquetball about twice a week, get to play tournaments when they come up on weekends. I know I need to practice more in order to get better, but in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty happy. I know other people who have had children and have disappeared from racquetball, so for the moment I'm here and I'm doing something that I love, while taking care of the people I love as well.