AUBURN - The Auburn YMCA has been hosting an annual junior racquetball tournament for five years, but this year's version had special meaning.
Kevin Rogers keeps his eyes on the ball during a match at the YMCA. Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
The newly named Auburn YMCA-WEIU Terry Dautrich "Forever Young" Juniors Racquetball Tournament was held on Saturday morning, with 25 youths competing ranging in age from 7-18.
The tournament was renamed to honor Dautrich, a longtime YMCA member - and fixture on its racquetball courts - who passed away last fall.
"He (Terry) was a real mentor to kids and adults on the court," said Dorothea Hughes, the YMCA's associate executive director and tournament organizer. "He was a very good player, but he always had time to take a new player and show them the game.
"He made the game fun. The tournament is called "Forever Young", and when you think of Terry, that's how you think of him. He was young at heart."
The tournament is broken into four divisions based on skill level: platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. The first-fourth place finishers in each division received plaques.
The format is round robin, with each competitor playing for four or five matches.
"The Y logo is that we build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities," Hughes said. "This tournament supports that theme, and that's what we're trying to do, make it fun and encourage the kids."
Jeff Hanno, a racquetball instructor for the YMCA's youth program, is also affiliated with the tournament and was responsible for setting up the draw in each division.
Hanno, who's been an instructor for over 25 years, comes all the way from Watertown every Thursday for the program.
"I love working with the kids," Hanno said. "That's my No. 1 concern. We've built a good program. When we first started (six years ago), we had six kids here. Now we've got a group of between 75 and 100 kids."
Hanno said that the tournament, in addition to being fun, is a nice teaching tool.
"It's always good, because it teaches them about life," he said. "Someone thinks that they're a better player than they are, and they found out that there's someone else a little bit better out there."
For Hughes, attracting interest in racquetball is important to ensure the future health of the sport.
"A lot of the players playing now are 30 and 40," she said. "You won't have any racquetball players left if you don't teach the kids."
In addition to the tournament, the YMCA holds clinics, lessons, and leagues in an attempt to promote the sport.
If yesterday was any indication, the strategy is working.
"This is my first time ever in a tournament," said Cory Heller, 13. "It was really fun. I won two out of three games."
"My friends really got me into it," said Kevin Rogers, 15. "It's really fun. It's like an exercise."
Staff writer Ben Guzalak can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 257 or citizensports@lee.net
The tournament was renamed to honor Dautrich, a longtime YMCA member - and fixture on its racquetball courts - who passed away last fall.
"He (Terry) was a real mentor to kids and adults on the court," said Dorothea Hughes, the YMCA's associate executive director and tournament organizer. "He was a very good player, but he always had time to take a new player and show them the game.
"He made the game fun. The tournament is called "Forever Young", and when you think of Terry, that's how you think of him. He was young at heart."
The tournament is broken into four divisions based on skill level: platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. The first-fourth place finishers in each division received plaques.
The format is round robin, with each competitor playing for four or five matches.
"The Y logo is that we build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities," Hughes said. "This tournament supports that theme, and that's what we're trying to do, make it fun and encourage the kids."
Jeff Hanno, a racquetball instructor for the YMCA's youth program, is also affiliated with the tournament and was responsible for setting up the draw in each division.
Hanno, who's been an instructor for over 25 years, comes all the way from Watertown every Thursday for the program.
"I love working with the kids," Hanno said. "That's my No. 1 concern. We've built a good program. When we first started (six years ago), we had six kids here. Now we've got a group of between 75 and 100 kids."
Hanno said that the tournament, in addition to being fun, is a nice teaching tool.
"It's always good, because it teaches them about life," he said. "Someone thinks that they're a better player than they are, and they found out that there's someone else a little bit better out there."
For Hughes, attracting interest in racquetball is important to ensure the future health of the sport.
"A lot of the players playing now are 30 and 40," she said. "You won't have any racquetball players left if you don't teach the kids."
In addition to the tournament, the YMCA holds clinics, lessons, and leagues in an attempt to promote the sport.
If yesterday was any indication, the strategy is working.
"This is my first time ever in a tournament," said Cory Heller, 13. "It was really fun. I won two out of three games."
"My friends really got me into it," said Kevin Rogers, 15. "It's really fun. It's like an exercise."
Staff writer Ben Guzalak can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 257 or citizensports@lee.net
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