Racquetball FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
tom@arneberg.com
This is a part of
Tom Arneberg's
racquetball info page
Subject: Racquetball FAQ
####################### FAQ -- General Questions & Answers
### SCCS version: @(#)rqb.faq 1.47
### Last modified: 5/14/97 at 12:47:04
### Maintained by: Thomas R. Arneberg, toma@arneberg.com
alt.sport.racquetball FAQ
This file is the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the usenet
newsgroup alt.sport.racquetball. Please send email to toma@arneberg.com if
you have corrections or additions.
This file and other racquetball info is available on the World Wide Web
from a racquetball information page at this URL address:
http://arneberg.com/rqb/rqb.faq.html
As with all usenet newsgroups, proper "netiquette" would have you read
the FAQ files before posting questions to the newsgroup.
Happy killing,
- Tom A.
---------------------------------------------+----------------------------
;-) I'd rather be ____ Thomas R. Arneberg | email: toma@arneberg.com
:-) singing in a |____| IC Design Group | web: http://arneberg.com
:-) Barbershop _| _| SGI (former Cray) | MADD Member (Mathematicians
:-) Quartet! (_) (_) Chippewa Falls, Wisc.| Against Drunk Deriving)
---------------------------------------------+----------------------------
Note: there are many references in this file to the "rules". Whenever
these are mentioned, they refer to the OFFICIAL RULES OF RACQUETBALL
published by the American Amateur Racquetball Association (AARA).
There is a link to these rules on the above web page.
Another note: Both males and females can play racquetball. But I detest
having to read text with "him or her," "he or she," "his or hers," etc.
all over the place. So when I say the words "him," "his," "guy," and "he,"
I am referring to any generic human being. I guess that makes me
politically incorrect... so sue me! :-)
QUESTIONS ! means new or changed since last posting
=========
GENERAL QUESTIONS
QG01: What is racquetball?
QG02: What racquetball organizations can I join? (AARA, USPRA, PARI/AmPRO)
QG03: What magazines are available that cover racquetball?
QG04: What books can I buy about racquetball?
QG05: What videotapes can I buy to learn more about racquetball?
QG06: Are there any good mail order places to order racquetball supplies?
QG07: What can I do to help stop my strings from breaking?
QG08: What's the relationship between string tension and power/control?
QG09: How can I find out more about racquet stringing?
QG10: My glove wears out too fast! What should I do?
QG11: How can I estimate what rank I am (A/B/C/D)?
QG12: How can I contact manufacturers of racquetball equipment?
QG13: How can I keep my goggles from fogging up?
QG14: What's with these green racquetballs I'm starting to see?
TECHNIQUE QUESTIONS
QT01: What are some good serving techniques?
QT02: If my opponent is behind me, should I watch him take his shot?
QT03: How can I hit the ball harder?
QT04: What is a "splat" shot?
QT05: What is a "pinch" shot?
QT06: What is a "jam" serve?
RULES QUESTIONS
QR01: If a served ball bounces ON the short line, is it short or good?
QR02: Do you have to win by two points?
QR03: Do I have to allow my opponent a clear shot to the entire front wall?
QR04: What's that broken line behind the short line for?
QR05: Do I get two serves after a hinder if I already have a fault?
QR06: Can I let the ball hit the front wall TWICE before I hit it?
CREDITS
=======
Thanks to the following people, who have supplied information directly
or indirectly to this FAQ:
ejubin@chigger.occ.uc.edu (Eric Jubin)
glenns@microsoft.com (Glenn Slayden)
HOSTETLR@bucknell.edu (Jim Hostetler)
montulli@stat1.cc.ukans.edu (Lou Montulli)
toma@arneberg.com (Tom Arneberg)
kenk@microsoft.com (Ken Kiesow)
disser@engin.umich.edu (Dave Disser)
mwilson@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Michael Wilson)
berdley@bucknell.edu (Bill Erdley)
jared.macdonald@channel1.com (Jared Macdonald)
aaronson@cis.ohio-state.edu (David Aaronson)
shafer@CS.ColoState.EDU (Spencer Shafer)
rchabot@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Robert Chabot)
changed@nima.eecs.berkeley.edu (Ed Chang)
brokowski@nwu.edu (Mike Brokowski)
mevans@uclink.berkeley.edu (Mark Jacob Evans)
ZEKER@aol.com (Ken Zwyers)
fredm@gate.net (Fred Murray)
fsdudek@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Scott Dudek)
cyberkid@pipeline.com (Glenn Carlson)
Bfeeney761@aol.com (Brian Feeney)
wgargan@mailgw.sanders.lockheed.com (Bill Gargan)
rollout@seldon.terminus.com (Ed Roffey)
amarcou@bgnet.bgsu.edu (Alexei Marcoux)
preo@bnr.ca (David Preo)
j.m.alvarez@larc.nasa.gov (Jose Alvarez)
ANSWERS
=======
############# GENERAL #############
QG01: What is racquetball?
A: Racquetball is a game played by two or four players in a court
with four walls, a floor, and a ceiling. Each player has a
strung racquet used to hit a bouncy blue ball against the front
wall (and any other combination of walls and ceiling before or
after the front wall). See AARA Rule 1 for a more complete
description of the game.
QG02: What racquetball organizations can I join? (AARA, USPRA, PARI/AmPRO)
A: The premier organization for players is the American Amateur
Racquetball Association (AARA):
AARA
1685 W. Uintah St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Telephone: (719) 635-5396
FAX: (719) 635-0685.
Membership costs $20 per year.
Benefits of membership:
- you get to participate in AARA sanctioned tournaments
- you receive the AARA magazine _Racquetball_ six times per year
- you're automatically enrolled in your state association,
which may or may not have its own magazine (Texas has a
decent newsletter, Ohio has an excellent magazine).
Trivia: California has the most AARA members by far; Ohio is #2.
Another organization, more for club owners and professionals, is
the United States Professional Racquetball Association (USPRA).
Here is a blurb posted to the newsgroup by the organization:
What can the U.S.P.R.A. do for your club?
The USPRA was founded to help promote the sport of racquetball
and the racquetball teaching profession.
We serve as a forum for the exchange of information, ideas
and experiences among its members.
Our goal is to help educate your staff on how to run
successful racquetball programs. These programs will have a
direct effect on your bottom line through increased racquetball
participation and increased member retention.
For more info:
USPRA
P.O. Box 406
Brooklyn, NY 11209
718/987-3496
Glenn J. Carlson, USPRA President: Cyberkid@pipeline.com
[DISCLAIMER: I know nothing about this organization other than
that which was posted to the newsgroup by its president. If
any unbiased source cares to comment on the usefulness of USPRA,
let me know! - Tom A.]
There is also an organization for racquetball instructors, called
AmPRO (American Professional Racquetball Organization). They
were formerly known as PARI (Professional Association of Racquetball
Instructors). Contact: Wayne Barrow, (603) 673-4172
QG03: What magazines are available that cover racquetball?
A: Here are all the magazines I know of:
_Killshot_ "The Magazine of Professional Racquetball"
Killshot magazine is published by Quertermous & Quertermous Inc.
The magazine is published 5 times per year and the subscription
cost is $18.95 per year.
_Killshot_
P.O. Box 8036
Paducah, KY 42002-8036
_Racquetball_
This is the official publication of the American Amateur
Racquetball Association (AARA). (See QG02.)
QG04: What books can I buy about racquetball?
A: I'm sure there are many, but I only have data on two. (Please
send me info at toma@arneberg.com if you details on more of them!)
_High-Performance Racquetball_ (hardcover)
by Marty Hogan with Ken Wong (foreword by Steve Garvey)
Publisher: The Body Press, a division of HPBooks, Inc.
First Printing Copyright: 1985
ISBN: 0-89586-356-1
Library of Congress Catalog No. 85-80115
(Note: this book is currently out of print as of 12/8/94)
Mini-review by Eric Jubin (ejubin@chigger.occ.uc.edu):
Overall, a pretty good book with lots of little informative
tips. The most annoying part is every 10 pages or so Steve Garvey
writes a paragraph on how he uses this particular skill or telling
you that the ceiling shot was the most revolutionary shot for him...
like I care what Steve "racquetball expert" Garvey has to say.
Anyway I'd recommend picking it up if you can find it; Marty has
a lot of good information to pass on. (Cover price on mine is $8.95
but I got it at a used bookstore for $6.)
There is a good chapter on "How matches are lost". It's
interesting to read that six weeks before nationals he would start
playing 6 hours a day for three weeks....
_Racquetball Today_ (reviewed by ZEKER@aol.com)
by Lynn Adams and Dr. Erwin Goldbloom
West Publishing Company
Copyright 1991
ISBN: 0-314-76958-7
You can order from the author --
Send $18 check payable to Lynn Adams:
3401 N. Kedzie
Chicago, IL 60618
I've found an excellent racquetball book by Lynn Adams and Dr.
Erwin Goldbloom. Lynn is a former National Champion and
professional, and Dr. Goldbloom works in Physical Education.
The book covers equipment, rules, court characteristics, etc,
as well as positioning, drills, and mental aspects of the game.
The following are the chapters included in the book:
Ch. 1 - Equipment
Ch. 2 - Let's Play (Rules, Safety Tips, etc.)
Ch. 3 - The Forehand
Ch. 4 - The Backhand
Ch. 5 - Court Coverage and Doubles Play
Ch. 6 - Defensive Shots
Ch. 7 - Offensive Shots
Ch. 8 - Backwall Play
Ch. 9 - The Service Game
Ch. 10 - Service Returns
Ch. 11 - Developing a Winning Strategy
Ch. 12 - The Three-Wall Game
Ch. 13 - Drills
Ch. 14 - The Mental Side of Becoming a Better Player
Ch. 15 - Fitness for Racquetball
Ch. 16 - Strength and Flexibility for Racquetball
The complete AARA rules are included in an appendix. This book
far and away is the best racquetball book I've ever seen.
QG05: What videotapes can I buy to learn more about racquetball?
A: Here are reviews of several. Please send me info at toma@arneberg.com
if you have details on more of them, if they are easily available.
_Play Like the Pros_
Cost..........$19.95 + $4.95 shipping
Publisher.....AARA
Comments by Ed Chang (changed@eecs.berkeley.edu):
This tape has slick production values and a lot of flash. The
appeal to the beginning player will mostly be the glitz, but the
intermediate and advanced player will find a lot of helpful tips
often not covered by PARI instructors.
For example, Jack Neumann advocates covering a little to the
_opposite_ side when your opponent is in the back corner. The
reasoning is that 85% of your opponent's shots will go to the
opposite side, since it's so tough to hit a perfect down-the-line.
Other instructors have told me to cover the down-the-line by
leaning towards the _same_ side.
It's good to have different viewpoints -- find what works best for
you. The tape features Jack Neumann and Andy Roberts and is
produced by the same people who did the 1993 and 1994 VCI
Challenge Cup Pro Racquetball series on ESPN.
_Playing Smart_
Producer.... Ektelon
Cost.........$19.95 + shipping, or $4.95 + shipping with purchase
of a pair of Ektelon shoes
Comments by Ed Chang (changed@eecs.berkeley.edu):
As Mike Yellen and Lynn Adams say near the beginning, this tape
goes beyond how to hit a forehand or backhand. In fact, they
don't cover stroke mechanics at all; the tape has just three
sections: serve, serve return, and rally. Some of the tips are
good (try jam serves, be aggressive on the serve return), some are
obvious (dominate center court), and some are just plain bad
("when serving, chip away at their strengths and attack their
weaknesses when you need the points").
Overall, this tape seems like a grab bag of the players' favorite
tips without a strong framework to tie it all together. The
players themselves are the Team Ektelon players who dominated
during the late 80's to early 90's (Yellen, Adams, Sweeney,
Gonzales, etc...). After the three main sections, the tape
abandons any organization at all, going into a "Pro Tips" section
in which each player is given a minute or so to get on a soapbox
and say whatever they want. I personally prefer a more organized
presentation, but the intermediate player who is looking for new
things to try out might well find them in this tape.
_Learn Your Lessons I_
Producer.... AARA Sportswear (719/635-5396)
Cost.........?
from Racquetball Magazine:
A step by step approach outlining the fundamentals of
racquetball. Learn the basics of stroke mechanics, court
positioning, and strategy. Great for the beginner interested
in improving their racquetball skills.
Comments by Ed Chang (changed@eecs.berkeley.edu):
This tape features Fran Davis and Stu Hastings, former U.S.
National Team Coaches. There are 6 sections: Forehand, Backhand,
Shots, Court Coverage, Serve, and Serve Return. The tape is a
good starting point for people who have never had PARI-certified
instruction and is a good overview of the main concepts endorsed
by PARI.
The first two sections on stroke mechanics are excellent, and the
other sections will be very informative to casual club players.
Advanced players will probably find they've heard it all before,
as the 30-minute tape does not go into great details of the finer
aspects of the game.
_Learn Your Lessons II_
Producer.... AARA Sportswear (719/635-5396)
Cost.........?
from Racquetball Magazine:
PARI Practice drills help you improve every aspect of your game
with individual, paired, and group examples. Great for the
teacher or instructor who wants new ideas, or for intermediate
players who want more out of their practice sessions.
Comments by Ed Chang (changed@eecs.berkeley.edu):
This tape features Connie Martin and Jim Hiser. There are 7
sections: Conditioning, Racquet Control, Basic Hitting,
Offensive, Defensive, Serve & Return, and Practice Games.
The tape is basically a compilation of drills designed to
improve the various aspects of your game.
I found most of the material to be somewhat obvious. For
example, the drills they suggest for offensive shots are: drop
and hit, fly-kill, set up off the back wall, and set up off the
front wall (straight and angled). This is not terribly
imaginative stuff. Also, the tape does not emphasize which
drills are the most important, or how to decide which drills are
best for you. The best part about the tape is probably watching
the A/Open players go through footwork and stroke mechanics as
they execute the drills.
_Cliff Swain's Racquetball Tape_
Producer.... ?
Cost.........$25
Comments by Ed Chang (changed@eecs.berkeley.edu) 1/14/96:
I ordered Cliff Swain's new racquetball tape (the $25 tape, not
the $170 package) through the number listed in AARA Racquetball
magazine. The tape came promptly with the added bonus of a flyer
signed by Cliff.
Overall, the tape is flashy, like the ESPN programs and the
"Playing Like the Pros" tape. I found my attention drifting in
and out during the tape, but he did have some interesting advice.
First of all, he recommends that the point of contact for both
the forehand and the backhand be off the front foot. (Contrast
to the AARA tape #1, in which Fran and Stu recommend hitting
the forehand with the point of contact at the middle of the body.)
Also, he recommends hitting ceiling balls with backspin so they
come back farther and drop deeper in back court.
Some other advice I really found useful: your down-the-line is
your main shot. It's been heard before, but too many of us get
caught up in discussions of splats and 3-wall pinches. We should
remember how many points are scored by a straight in kill or
clean pass. Cliff also had an excellent section devoted to
choosing shots based on your position and your opponent's position.
Finally, I thought the best part of the tape was the clips of
Cliff's tournament matches in which he made these incredible gets
off near-kill shots. They really showed how many near-kills you
can get if you stay in good position (center court, on your toes,
knees bent) and believe you can get every shot. My friend and I
played some great racquetball that night after watching the tape.
Summary: somewhat flashy and disjointed, but good advice and very
inspirational.
QG06: Are there any good mail order places to order racquetball supplies?
A: Here are the ones I know of:
_Michael's Tennis & Ski Shop_ ("Ripit Club")
They have great prices. Ordering from them requires a $10/year
membership fee; shipping is $3.95 for any size order.
Michael's Tennis & Ski Shop
2368 Dixie Highway
Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017
606/341-1174
800/552-6453
_Court Sports_
Their prices are just OK. No demos via mail.
104 E. Porter St.
Malvern, OH 44644
1-800-352-1042
_Holabird Sports Discounters_
9220 Pulaski Highway
Baltimore, MD 21220
phone: 410/687-6400
FAX: 410/687-7311
Hours: M-F 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-3pm
Also available on Prodigy ("Jump: Holabird" or something)
_Courtesy Sports_
Nice color catalog, great selection of the newest equipment,
always in stock. Also, a "+5 guarantee" in which they will
beat any competitor's price by an additional 5% after calling
to make sure the item is in stock. Finally, they have a demo
program which costs $10 to try a racquet for two days, and all
demo costs will be applied towards the purchase of your next
racquet. (Some say Courtesy prices are higher than others.)
Courtesy Sports
4856 El Camino Real
Los Altos, CA 94022
415-968-7970
800-729-1771
Catalog Phone Order Hours: M-F 8-7 PST, S-S 10-6 PST.
24-hour FAX: 415-968-4609
_Midwest Sporting Goods
They don't sell to individuals, but will send a catalog to
your club upon request:
800/331-6972
(following contributed by Mark Evans:)
_Samuel's Tennis Sport_
Located in Cincinatti. Thin catalog.
800/543-1153
_Performance Racquet Sports_
This place is in Colorado, and reportedly has excellent prices.
The catalog is small print on a couple of sheets of paper.
800/358-2294 (1/3/96 -- this phone number doesn't work...)
_Frontier Pro Shop_
On the left coast...does not sell to individuals; call Pacific
Sports Warehouse for their retail catalog.
phone: 800/854-2644
FAX: 619/596-2131
_Pacific Sports Warehouse_
Located in California, the headquarters must overlook the ocean
or something. Pricey! It has a nice catalog, though.
800/835-1055
_NRC Sports_
800/243-5033
_Ektelon_
This isn't a mail order number, but you can get a nice catalog
featuring all of Ektelon's equipment.
800/283-2635
QG07: What can I do to help stop my strings from breaking?
A: This advice is from montulli@stat1.cc.ukans.edu (Lou Montulli):
* Replace your grommets often. The plastic in those little holes
gets well worn and if it wears down to the graphite, your
strings won't last long.
* Use teflon string sleeves. They are little tubes that are
put around the string where it goes into the grommets.
* Have the raquet strung tighter. Tighter stings will reduce
your overall power (should also increase accuracy) and prevent
the strings from shifting around and notching the surrounding
strings.
* If you notice your strings notching, move them around while
you play. This is also a good way to relieve stress and calm
yourself. :-)
* Buy more expensive string. This may or may not be a good idea:
I string for myself so it's cheaper for me to buy mid level string
and string more often. If you have someone else string you will
probably save money by getting top-of-the-line string.
QG08: What's the relationship between string tension and power/control?
A: By having your racquet strung with a lower tension, you
increase the amount of time that the ball is on the strings (the
"impulse"). By increasing the impulse, more energy is transferred
from the racquet to ball, and less is obsorbed in the racquet
(this theory is applied to automobiles, etc.).
With a higher tension racquet, you achieve greater control but
less power. It's like hitting the ball with a wooden board, which,
as you can imagine, would not hit the ball very hard. The strings,
like a board, do not move back--more power is absorbed in the
racquet, which can be transferred to your arm, and there is more
reverberation. (from jared.macdonald@channel1.com, 3/31/94)
Here is another answer, from Brian Feeney (Bfeeney761@aol.com), the
designer of Spalding's racquetball racquets, 6/28/95:
At what tension should you string your racquet for maximum power,
or maximum control? In tennis, it's generally accepted that you
string your racquet tighter for more control and looser for more
power. No one seems to be certain if the same is true for
racquetball racquets. If you want more power should you string
your racquet tighter or looser? My extremely technical answer
is "It depends".
For every particular racquet, string, and player combination there
is an optimal string tension for maximum power. Typically that
optimum tension falls nearer the bottom of manufacturer's
recommended string tension, but not always.
Sometimes you will need to increase your tension to increase your
power, other times you'll want to decrease your tension. It all
really depends on your starting point. If you loosen your strings
too much, they will start to slide and move out of position during
impact causing friction and a loss power. If your string tensions
are too low and moving around excessively during play, then
increasing your tensions a few pounds will likely increase your
power. As string tensions are continuously increased, they reach
a point at which energy can be lost in permanently stretching
your strings during impact with the ball. Strings can only
stretch so much elastically (where they return to their original
length), once you pass this limit they will stretch inelastically.
This inelastic stretching during impact means a loss of power.
This is why someone who strings his racquet tighter will need to
have his racquet re-strung more frequently and also break more
strings. If you're breaking your strings frequently you may get
more power and longer string life by reducing your tension.
For each player, string type, and racquet combination there is
a particular tension that will optimize power for that player.
A different player with the same racquet but different swing
speeds may have a decidedly different string tension that will
optimize his power. As you move away from the tension level
that will optimize your power, you will lose power by either
tightening or loosening your string tensions. As a player, you
need to try as many string tensions as possible in your racquet
and find out what tension works best for you. Preferably, you
should have 2 or more of the same model racquet and test different
tensions during the same match or practice round. Be careful to
use the same model and gauge string in your racquets when trying
to find your optimum tension or you will introduce another
variable that will make it impossible to determine the effect of
differing string tensions.
QG09: How can I find out more about racquet stringing?
A: Contact this organization:
United States Racquet Stringers Association
619/481-3545
QG10: My glove wears out too fast! What should I do? (Buy Saranac.)
A: Some racquetball players are disappointed that their gloves wear
out too quickly. Here are three options to help you out:
Option 1: There is a company called Saranac Glove Co. that
guarantees the leather in their racquetball gloves for the
life of the glove. Some players may not like these, because the
leather is thicker, but it's definitely more economical.
Saranac Glove Co.
1201 Main St.
P.O. Box 1477
Green Bay, WI 54305-1477
Info: (800) 727-2622 (ask for customer service for catalog)
Order: (800) 236-0042
Fax: (414) 435-7618
Option 2 (Jose Alvarez): The main reason that racquetball gloves
wear out is that repeated absorption of sweat with subsequent
evaporation of the water leaves behind salt. This process
eventually builds up salt crystals which act as tiny knives on the
leather fibers. So, the way to get max wear is to wash your glove
with mild soap, then apply neatsfoot oil to it when it dries.
The neatsfoot oil replaces the natural oils in the leather lost to
the soap. Be careful not to apply too much neatsfoot oil as it
will soak the glove and make the racquet handle slippery. If
you're lazy, like me, just soak the glove every now and then in
clear water and let dry. You'll find either method very
significantly increases the life of the glove.
Option 3: just don't use one! Cut terry cloth towels about 4" by 12".
Wear one tucked in your shorts. Before each serve, wrap it around
the handle, and give your hand and handle a good twist. When
you're accustomed to this mini-towel, it becomes second nature
to wipe things dry, sometimes even during a rally. Brunsfeld used
this advantageously. This saves the recurring cost of glove
replacement, gives a good grip and a better "feel" for the
rotation & vibration of the racquet.
QG11: How can I estimate what rank I am (A/B/C/D)?
A: The best way is to simply play others who know their ranking, or
better yet, enter a few tournaments. In the meantime, here are
some standards approved by PARI to help determine an accurate skill
level. This is taken directly from _Racquetball_ Magazine of
March/April, 1994 (see QG02 for more info on the magazine).
Thanks to David Aaronson for taking the time to enter the following.
What is a "D" Player?
A player who is just beginning to receive instructions. Lacks
playing experience. Is in the process of learning safety,
rules, forehand and backhand strokes, Z serves, back wall shots,
angles, passing shots and is ready to start participating in
club leagues and friendly competition.
What is a "C" Player?
A player who has played over 6 months, plays frequently, and
is developing strengths in the basics listed above for a "D"
player. Level of knowledge is rising and can execute most shots
with some precision, like ceiling , pinches, pass shots and an
occasional kill shot. Has taken an occasional lesson and has
attended a racquetball clinic. Has started entering tournaments
and has an extra racquet.
What is a "B" Player?
Players who play regularly and have found time to practice on
their own to perfect their shots. Has good knowledge of court
strategy and positioning. Has good knowledge of offense and
defense situations. Is able to select the proper shot most of
the time. Probably is still inconsistent but improving. Is
developing patience and is able to accept tips from better
players. Shows interest in private racquetball lessons and
instructional camps. Participates in most club events.
What is an "A" Player?
A player who plays regularly. Is a top player in the club.
Trains for racquetball and both backhand and forehand shots are
near equal. Has high level of knowledge. High percentage of
executing most shots and no apparent weaknesses. Perfected the
kill shot and now re-kills opponents' attempted kill shots.
Can and probably does compete in sanctioned tournaments. May
seek to participate in AARA Elite Camp and either has a coach
or is seeking a coach.
Ed Chang has a dissenting opinion on the above descriptions:
"As a California tournament player, I must warn you that you will
be blown out if you play a tournament using these guidelines to
determine your rank. The best advice is to play someone who has
played tournaments (IN YOUR AREA)."
QG12: How can I contact manufacturers of racquetball equipment?
A: Here is all I know. Please send email to toma@arneberg.com if you
know of more. Some of these may not sell to individuals, but can
send catalogs and answer questions and point you to dealers.
E Force.............800/433-6723
Ektelon.............800/283-2635
Head................800/874-3234
Penn................800/BUY-PENN
Pro Kennex..........800/854-1908
Spalding............800/225-6601
Transition..........800/473-4425
Wilson..............800/946-6060
QG13: How can I keep my goggles from fogging up?
A: These techniques have been posted to the newsgroup by various
players:
* Get goggles that fit right and leave enough space for air
to circulate.
* Try goggles that look like eyeglasses (Action Eyes,
Ektelon Olympus, Pro Kennex Pro Kleer).
* Apply anti-fog stuff to your goggles. Some people use Kleer-Vu,
others just use spit (like divers do on their masks).
* Wear a headband to keep sweat from running down into eyes.
* You may be tempted to wear lensless goggles. While these will
not fog, they are dangerous, as a racquetball or racquet might
get through the opening. Also, they are _NOT_ approved for
tournament play. Finally, you will find it difficult to find
a pair since all of the major manufacturers have discontinued them.
QG14: What's with these green racquetballs I'm starting to see?
A: Penn has come out with a new green ball that some people are
starting to use. They are more expensive than the blue ones, and
are reportedly more lively on the court. One reader here dropped
a Penn blue and a Penn green from seven feet and noticed that the
green ball bounced about 3"-4" higher. (Some readers say that the
Penn greens are about equivalent to Ektelon blue balls.)
According to Glenn Carlson, the green ball was developed for the
Men's Pro Tour because it has the ability to televise better than
the blue ball. He also says it tends to grab the walls a little
more.
However, others report that the green balls also break more
easily. Fred Murray called Penn in November '94, and they told
him that their green balls were made with a different compound
for livelier play, but the first batch didn't have the endurance
of the blue balls, so maybe they'll get better.
############# TECHNIQUES #############
QT01: What are some good serving techniques?
A: Here are some various posts about how to serve:
DRIVE serve, from disser@engin.umich.edu (Dave Disser):
I bend mostly at the waist, and let my arm and racquet hang down
so that the tip of the racquet is 2-4 inches from the floor.
I only grasp the bottom four inches of the racquet's handle.
From there, I try to mimic a golf swing--long backswing, cocking
my wrist at the top, and swinging down which pushing my wrist
forward in the path of the swing. It seems to give me excellent
power and spin without a whole lot of effort.
LOB serve, from kenk@microsoft.com (Ken Kiesow):
In addition to a good drive serve, I've found that lob serves
to either side can be *very* effective, if done well. Standard
lobs should be served high on the front wall with just enough
power to land in the saftey zone (just past the short line) and
travel as closely to the side wall as possible. Done right, they
are nearly impossible to return, and tend to frustrate the opponent.
Z-serve, from toma@arneberg.com (Tom Arneberg):
A good Z serve can get you a lot of points from a less
experienced player. Stand close to a wall to serve, and hit the
ball hard against the front wall near the opposite side wall. If
it crosses the court and hits the floor then hits the near side
wall just before hitting the back wall, it will travel parallel
to (and close to) the back wall, making it real hard to return,
since there's not a lot of room to get your racquet between the
ball and the rear wall. (To return a good Z serve, you should
usually hit it hard to the back wall.) Be forewarned, however,
that a poorly served Z (striking the near side wall too far from
the back wall) can be an easy setup...
--------------------|
/ \ |
/ \|
/ / |
/ /
/ /
/ / (ASCII picture by Michael Wilson)
X /
/
/
| /
| / <-- bounces on floor about here
|/
|---- <-- goes parallel to back wall
|---------------------
QT02: If my opponent is behind me, should I watch him take his shot?
A: YES! It's actually probably safer, and you'll have a much better
chance at a good return. (It's a good idea to get in the habit of
holding up your racquet and looking through it, in case the ball
comes right at your face.) Here's a nice posting about this by
ejubin@tick.occ.uc.edu (Eric Jubin):
> [someone got hit with a racquet]
> Am I being too sensitive on this issue, or it is good
> etiquette for players to check their follow-throughs?
A good rule of thumb is to stay a step-and-a-half away.
Another thing that most younger (inexperienced) players don't do
when they are in front of their opponent is: watch their opponent
take his shot. Most younger players are scared of getting hit if
they turn to look. You are actually safer if you DO watch your
opponent and follow these steps:
You don't want to turn your whole body around to watch your
opponent, just glance over your shoulder and look for a couple
things:
1. See if he's taking an offensive or defensive shot.
This will help you set up for the return.
2. See where he is going to hit the ball so you can get out of
the way!
I have seen hundreds of matches where the defensive player is
staring at the front wall and has no idea where the ball/opponent
is behind him. Many times this just leads to the player getting hit.
Then you have the guy who thinks he might get hit so he is always
ducking or crouching. As soon as this guy plays someone who wants
to kill the ball, he will realize that all he is doing is lowering
his butt for a better target. Players need to learn to jump if
they are going to risk being in the ball's path.
QT03: How can I hit the ball harder? (advice of Ed Chang)
A: The best way is to take lessons from a pro who will videotape you
to show you where you can improve. Here are some general guidelines:
* Prepare your arm early. On the forehand, get your elbow
high and away from your body. On the backhand, bring your
racquet up and rotate your shoulders back.
* Focus on keeping your entire arm loose, not tight. A powerful
racquetball swing is much different from a tennis swing.
* Use the power of your whole body, not just your arm. You should
think about using your hip and shoulder rotation to do most of the
work while your arm just hangs loose and snaps out to the side.
* Don't try to put spin on the ball. Hit through the ball flat,
making sure your racquet face is square to the front wall.
* Follow through completely, letting the racquet go all the way across
your body. If you don't follow through, that means you must have
started slowing down your swing _before_ you contacted the ball.
QT04: What is a "splat" shot?
A: A splat shot is hit with great velocity and it is hit into the
front corner that is on the same side of the court that you are on.
The ball contacts the side wall 8 to 15 feet from the front wall.
It also makes this cool sound when you crush one, hence the name,
splat. - Ed Roffey, Team Ektelon
QT05: What is a "pinch" shot? (by Jose Alvarez, 2/27/96)
A: A pinch shot is a low, fast shot (a killshot) directed toward
either corner where the front wall meets the side wall. The pinch
shot should ideally hit the side wall first, then the front wall,
then either roll out or bounce off the front wall very low. It is
a very effective shot, since the player attempting it looks like he
is setting up for a drive or a passing shot, and the ball instead
goes in the opposite direction anticipated. Hitting the side wall
before the front wall slows the ball down considerably before
impact with the front wall and makes a more effective shot than a
shot directly to the front wall at the same height. Beware, however,
of hitting a pinch shot too high, as the slowing of the ball when
it hits the side wall now enables your opponent to run to the ball
and make an easy kill. I guess it's called a pinch shot 'cause
you're trying to get the ball to "pinch" in the corner.
QT06: What is a "jam" serve?
A: A jam serve is a drive serve that, unlike most drive serves which
are directed to one of the back corners, is intended to hit the
side wall such that it goes directly at the receiver (thus
"jamming" him). It usually hits the crotch of the side wall and
floor just past the short line, and comes out sideways right in
front of the receiver.
It is not a serve you should use all the time but is effective
when the receiver starts to expect a particular serve (e.g. a drive
to the backhand corner).
############# RULES #############
QR01: If a served ball bounces ON the short line, is it short or good?
A: Line shots are short (unlike tennis). See rule 4.10(b):
4.10(b) Short Service. A short serve is any served ball that first
hits the front wall and, on the rebound, hits the floor on
or in front of the short line either with or without
touching a side wall.
QR02: Do you have to win by two points?
A: Nope. See rule 1.5:
Rule 1.5 Match Game Tiebreaker
A match is won by the first side winning two games. The first
two games of a match are played to 15 points. If each
side wins one game a tiebreaker game is played to 11 points.
(Note that many people play all games to 15 in recreational games,
and only use the 11-point tiebreaker in tournaments.)
QR03: Do I have to allow my opponent a clear shot to the entire front wall?
A: No, but you must allow him a down-the-line shot and a cross-court
shot. Here's what the rules say:
Rule 4.16 Avoidable Hinders
An avoidable hinder results in the loss of the rally. An
avoidable hinder does not necessarily have to be an intentional
act and is the result of any of the following:
4.16(a) Failure to Move. A player does not move sufficiently to
allow an opponent a shot straight to the front wall as well
as a cross-court shot which is a shot directly to the front
wall at an angle that would cause the ball to rebound
directly to the rear corner farthest from the player hitting
the ball. Also when a player moves in such a direction that
it prevents an opponent from taking either of these shots.
Note that this does NOT require that you give your opponent a clear
shot to the opposite corner of the front wall; only that you allow
a shot to the "middle" of the front wall, where "middle" is defined
as the spot that would send the ball to the opposite REAR corner.
Also note that this is an AVOIDABLE hinder, resulting in loss of
the rally! (Although most recreational players would just call you
on it and do it over.) [Or else they'd just hit you!]
QR04: What's that broken line behind the short line for?
A: That's part of the definition of the safety zone. It exists to
protect the server against the receiver "rushing the serve" and
causing bodily damage. Here are the pertinent rules:
2.1b(7) Safety Zone. The safety zone is the five-foot area
bounded by the back edges of the short line and the
receiving line The zone is observed only during the
serve. See Rules 4.11(k) and 4.12.
4.11(k) Safety Zone Violation. If the server, or doubles partner,
enters into the safety zone before the served ball passes
the short line, it shall result in the loss of serve.
4.12(a) Receiving Position
4.12a(1) The receiver may not enter the safety zone until the
ball bounces or crosses the receiving line.
4.12a(2) On the fly return attempt, the receiver may not strike
the ball until the ball breaks the plane of the
receiving line. The receiver's follow through may carry
the receiver or his racquet past the receiving line.
4.12a(3) Neither the receiver nor his racquet may break the
plane of the short line, except if the ball is struck
after rebounding off the back wall.
4.12a(4) Any violation by the receiver results in a point for
the server.
QR05: Do I get two serves after a hinder if I already have a fault?
A: It depends on when the hinder happens. If the hinder occurs
during the serve itself, than you only get your second serve.
Here are the pertinet rules:
4.8(a) Dead-Ball Serve. A dead-ball serve results in no penalty
and the server is given another serve (without canceling a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
prior fault serve)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
4.9(b) Court Hinders. A serve that takes an irregular bounce
because it hit a wet spot or an irregular surface on the
court is a dead-ball serve. Also, any serve that hits any
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
surface designated by local rules as an obstruction.
However, if the hinder occurs during the rally, then you get two
serves to start the point over again, as this rule states:
Rule 4.15 Dead-ball Hinders
A rally is replayed without penalty and the server receives
two serves whenever a dead-ball hinder occurs.
^^^^^^^^^^
4.15(a) Situations
4.15a(1) Court Hinders. The referee should stop play immediately
whenever the ball hits any part of the court that was
designated in advance as a court hinder (such as a door
handle). The referee should also stop play (i) when the
ball takes an irregular bounce as a result of contacting
a rough surface (such as court light or vent) after
striking a wet spot on the floor or wall and (ii) when
in the referee's opinion the irregular bounce affected
the rally.
QR06: Can I let the ball hit the front wall TWICE before I hit it?
A: This question comes up often -- your opponent hits the ball
against the front wall very hard. It rebounds off the back wall,
and is going back toward the front wall after bouncing on the
floor only once. Can you let it hit the front wall for a second
time before striking the it, or do you have to lunge for it
before it hits the front wall?
Good things come to those who wait! The general rule is that the
ball can hit as many walls or ceilings as it wants to; your only
duty is to hit it before it hits the FLOOR for a second time. So
in the above scenario, you could wait until it hits the front wall
for a second time, and then kill it or pinch it. See rule 4.14
for more info.
####################### End of FAQ 1 of 2 -- General Questions & Answers