Longoria defeats Rajsich once again to win WPRO's Battle of the Alamo

Paola Longoria defeated Rhonda Rajsich for the 8th consecutive time in a battle of the top two Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) players, as Longoria won the 2012 Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas by the score line of 11-9, 11-8, 11-7.

The Battle of the Alamo title is Longoria's 6th of the WPRO season. She's won every event since the first one: the Texas Open, which was won by Rajsich last August.

The WPRO announced their next event - the SCS Title and Escrow Pro-Am in Herndon, Virginia from May 3-6 - will end their 2011-12 season.    http://www.r2sports.com/tourney/home.asp?TID=9613  

2012 WPRO Battle at the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas
Final ~ Paola Longoria d.  Rhonda Rajsich, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7


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Labels: WPRO

Featured Athlete TJ Baumbaugh

T.J. Baumbaugh –

“The Trainer”

By Sarah Warhaftig

T.J.’s personal training clients are extremely supportive of her career outside the gym and on the WPRO Tour.  After a solid few weeks of training, many of them happily see T.J. on her way to a tournament, after the #11 player in the world works them out!  T.J., continues to share her passion for fitness, and continues to improve her racquetball status, a sport she was introduced to by her father. 

T.J. was put on a court at an early age by her father, who himself still plays, but the tenacious T.J. began her high level quest at Penn State where she played for the club team.  T.J. was busy playing a multitude of sports growing up including softball, swimming, basketball and golf.  T.J. had the opportunity to play golf at the college level, but she decided it was too slow of a sport and she made the switch to racquetball.  

After school, T.J. relocated to the Washington D.C. area, where she first discovered the WPRO and met former commissioner Ed Willis.  Ed encouraged her to play some tournaments and 10 years later T.J. is still a top touring pro. 

Similar to many of the ladies on tour, T.J. manages to balance a busy work schedule with her tournaments.  T.J.’s fitness trainer schedule has meshed well with her touring dates, and her clients can usually look forward to those days, after a few weeks of tough workouts.  T.J. feels like she gets to “play” at work every day and between clients you can find her lifting weights, swimming, playing tennis, taking a Zumba class, and of course racquetball! 

Along with competing each weekend T.J. is also the player representative of the WPRO.  She would love to see the tour grow, and appreciates her role as rep to learn more about her fellow competitors.  T.J. is involved with behind the scenes efforts and challenges of the tour, and is excited to see its development with more young and up and coming players.

T.J. said she hasn’t had her greatest moment in her racquetball career yet, but this motivates her to train and keep working hard at her game.  She values the tour for the wonderful friendships and people she has met, and still having a competitive outlet in a sport that she hopes to play for a long time. 

When asked what T.J. would be doing if she wasn’t playing pro, she always had considered being a lawyer, a college professor and even a singer.  T.J. admits that she really isn’t a great singer but seems like an amazing career to have.  For now we will watch her rise on the tour, and maybe a few years down the road a pop career on the side with her stage name of Teri Jade!

Blessed with a lightning-quick stroke

Blessed with a lightning-quick stroke, racquetball pro Rajsich shows why she's the real deal Saturday in downtown Prescott 

PRESCOTT - It's tough to catch up with Rhonda Rajsich.

The reigning two-time professional world racquetball champion who has won a women's record four US Open titles, Rajsich can strike a ball as fast as 160 mph with her forehand and backhand and make it seem effortless.

Need proof? All one had to do was visit the Prescott Downtown Athletic Club, 130 N. Cortez St., Saturday afternoon to watch the 33-year-old from Phoenix play a friendly co-ed match against Steve Joannes, 59, of Prescott Valley.

Joannes, one of the best amateur men's players in the Prescott area who has won multiple Arizona state championships in his age division through the years, lost respectfully in straight games, 15-7 and 15-2, to the trim 5-foot-10, 138-pound Rajsich.

Local USPTA tennis professional Chris Howard said the idea for the match sprung to life after the Athletic Club's management asked Rajsich to host to an instructional racquetball clinic Saturday.

Once the four-hour clinic concluded shortly after 3 p.m., Joannes and Rajsich took to the club's first-floor court where some 50 to 60 spectators sat behind a glass partition and were wowed by Rajsich's skills.

Joannes, who has known Rhonda's father and fellow player, Dennis Rajsich, since the late 1980s and competed against him a short time later, got his start in racquetball at the club in 1979.

He said he did not know he would be facing Rhonda until two weeks ago. To prepare, Joannes lifted weights, participated in spin classes on stationary bikes, and played regularly.

Rhonda, who was also a former all-conference basketball player at Phoenix College and a subsequent standout at Texas' Stephen F. Austin University in the late 1990s and 2000, needed roughly 40 minutes to dispatch Joannes.

Joannes performed admirably in the first game before tiring in the second. In the final game, Rhonda opened the scoring with a 6-0 run and fended off a late Joannes push to claim the match as her father - who accompanied her on the trip to Prescott - soaked in the action from behind the glass.

"She's a better player," Joannes said afterwards. "I didn't play well and missed all kinds of easy shots. But she's a wonderful person to play against."

***

Rhonda, currently the No. 1 American women's racquetball player in the world who's ranked second on the pro tour, said she initially acquired a passion for the sport as a 2-year-old when she used to sneak out of the nursery at a health club her parents had just joined.

While Rhonda's mom was off doing aerobics, her dad was learning how to play racquetball from her godfather. She would run onto a basketball court at the club, grab a basketball and sprint with it as she watched her dad and grandfather swing the racquets.

"When my dad was in between racquetball games, I would steal his racquet and run on the racquetball court," she said. "I didn't know what I was doing, but it was fun."

Every time she got caught swiping the racquet, she'd return it to her dad and head back to the basketball court.

"That's essentially what I did with my life," Rhonda said. "I've always loved racquetball and basketball."

Years later, as a teenager, Rhonda pursued basketball because it was a sport she knew a university would give her a full-ride scholarship to play.

At first, basketball was her focus, as racquetball took a backseat.

However, in 2000, that all changed. She had a chance to compete for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) that year when, out of the blue, she qualified for the U.S. team in racquetball.

"I was going to play in the WNBA, but it was my childhood dream to play alongside racquetball players I literally looked up to all my life," Rhonda said. "I weighed my options. I was like, 'You know, I've always put racquetball behind basketball.' I've obviously been very successful in racquetball and it's been my secondary thing. I wanted to see what I could do against the best in the world if I applied myself."

Rhonda kept the dialogue open with WNBA teams for a full year before she committed to racquetball full time.

On the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) tour in 2000-01, she advanced to the finals of her first-ever US Open, earned a No. 3 world ranking, and has never looked back since.

Rhonda has been a top-three player on the WPRO tour for the past 12 years, achieving a season-ending No. 1 ranking from 2006-08 as well as 2010 and 2011.

"I revel in the fact that, win or lose, there's nobody to blame but me," she said of her affinity for racquetball. "I'm dedicated to what I do and being the best in the world. I'm dedicated to making myself better every time I get on that court.

"I know that as much success as I've already had, I still have room for improvement. Until I have no room for improvement, I'm going to continue to go for that every chance I get."

4/14/2012   Doug Cook The Daily Courier Prescott AZ

Longoria wins her 4th Pan American Championship

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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Longoria wins her 4th Pan American Championship

Mexican Paola Longoria won her fourth Pan American Championship title in what was an anti-climactic final at the XXV Pan American Championships in Temuco, Chile. The anti-climax came about because Frédérique Lambert - Longoria's opponent in the final - withdrew due to injury in game one with Longoria ahead 12-0.

Longoria won the chance to serve first, and using lob serves only got out to a 5-0 lead before Lambert served. But Longoria got the serve right back and scored another five points before Lambert got a second chance to serve.

Again Longoria got the serve back, and scored a couple more points.

At that point, Lambert who hadn't looked especially distressed or especially energetic took a time out and decided to go no further.

Lambert has had chronic issue with her right shoulder and that appeared to be reason for her withdrawal.

Longoria's won the women's singles title at the Pan American Championships in each even numbered year since 2006. Her fourth title ties her for most all time by a woman with Americans Cheryl Gudinas (1994, 1997, 2001, 2009) and Michelle Gould (1988, 1990, 1991, 1998).

XXV Pan American Championships

April 2012 - Temuco, Chile

Women's Singles - Final

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 12-0, injury forfeit

Follow the bouncing ball....

Posted by The Racquetball Blog 

Canadian Frédérique Lambert Defeats Defending Champion Rhonda Rajsich

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Posted by The Racquetball Blog http://theracquetballblog.com/

 PARC - 2012 Pan American Championships - Longoria & Lambert in Women's final

Canadian Frédérique Lambert reached the final of an international event for the first time Friday as she defeated American Rhonda Rajsich, 15-13, 15-10, in the semi-finals of women's singles at the XXV Pan American Championships in Temuco, Chile. Lambert's opponent in the final will be Paola Longoria of Mexico - the 2nd seed, as Longoria defeated Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-11, in the other semi on Friday.

Lambert used a variety of serves against Rajsich, the #1 seed and defending champion, though never drive serves and did serve to both sides. Rajsich also used several different serves including drive z serves to the left side, but as with her match yesterday against Cristina Amaya (Colombia), Rajsich made several unforced errors.

It looked like Rajsich might force a tie-breaker, as she had an early lead in game two at 3-0 and they were tied at 7-7. But Lambert led all the way after that, although Rajsich did close the gap to one at 11-10. Lambert was able to finish off with four straight points.

Longoria's win over Loma was also two straight and more comfortable. After winning the first game 15-9, Longoria had a 8-2 advantage in game two. Credit Loma for not quitting though, and she cut the deficit to two points at 13-11 before Longoria finished it off.

Longoria will be going for her 4th Pan American Championship. She's won in each of the even numbered years since 2006. Lambert will be trying to become the third Canadian woman to win a Pan American Championship (formerly Tournament of the Americas) after Lori Jane Powell in 2004 and Heather Stupp in 1987. Longoria's the only Mexican woman to win a Pan Am title.

The women's singles final will be Saturday at 10 AM and will be streamed live via the Pan American Racquetball Confederation (PARC) website.

XXV Pan American Championships

April 2012 - Temuco, Chile

Women's Singles - Semi-finals

Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-13, 15-10

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-11

Women's Singles - Final

Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert (Canada)

Follow the bouncing ball....

2012 Pan American Championships - Check out the Women

Tuesday, April 5, 2012

Follow the bouncing ball....

Posted by The Racquetball Blog

XXV Pan American Championships

April 2012 - Temuco, Chile

Women's Singles - Quarter finals

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Cristina Amaya (Col), 15-13, 10-15, 11-7

Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Susana Acosta (Mexico), 12-15, 15-6, 11-8

Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-5, 12-15, 11-6

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-12

Women's Singles - Semi-finals

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Frédérique Lambert (Canada)

Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)

Follow the bouncing ball....

One of the interesting potential singles matches will be Cristina Amaya of Colombia - a top 10 player on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) rankings - versus Maria Jose Vargas of Bolivia, who was runner up in Girls U18 at last year's Junior World Championships.

The winner of that match would face top seed and defending champion Rhonda Rajsich (USA), who seeded #1.

Frédérique Lambert of Canada defeated Vargas in that U18 final last year, and she could have a couple interesting matches this week, as she could face veteran Claudine Garcia (Dominican Republic) in the Round of 16 and possible left-hander Susana Acosta of Mexico in the quarter finals.

Paola Longoria of Mexico is seeded #2, so would meet Rajsich in the final if they both get that far. Canadian Jennifer Saunders is the #3 seed and she'll be trying to prevent Longoria from getting to the final, but first will likely have to take on Bolivian Carola Loma, the silver medalist from the 2009 Pan American Championships.

Loma and Saunders could face each other in doubles as well, as Loma and Jenny Daza are seeded 3rd with Saunders and Christine Richardson seeded 2nd. Mexicans Longoria and Samantha Salas are the top seeds.

The elimination round begins Wednesday in Temuco and runs through Saturday. The Pan American Racquetball Confederation (PARC) is streaming matches live via their website.

XXV Pan American Championships

April 2012 - Temuco, Chile

Women's Singles

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) BYE

Carolina Gomez (Col) v. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Gua)

Cristina Amaya (Col) v. Pamela Sierra (Hon)

Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia) BYE

Frédérique Lambert (Canada) BYE

Claudine Garcia (Dom) v. Natalia Corti (Arg)

Véronique Guillemette (Arg) v. Lisa Lopezcepero (Pur)

Susana Acosta (Mexico) BYE

Jennifer Saunders (Canada) BYE

Maria Cespedes (Dom) v. Johan Collazo (Pur)

Maria Cristina Cordova (Ecuador) v. Carla Muñoz (Chile)

Carola Loma (Bolivia) BYE

Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) BYE

Maria Paz Riquelme (Chile) v. Marie Gomar (Gua)

Mariana Paredes (Venezuela) v. Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)

Paola Longoria (Mexico) BYE

Women's Doubles

Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) BYE

Carla Muñoz & Maria Paz Riquelme (Chile) v. Marie Gomar & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Gua)

Maria Cespedes & Claudine Garcia (Dom) BYE

Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Col) BYE

Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) BYE

Cristina Ana Velez & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. Natalia Corti & Véronique Guillemette (Arg)

Mariana Paredes & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. Johan Collazo & Lisa Lopezcepero (Pur)

Christine Richardson & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....

Posted by The Racquetball Blog

From USA Racquetball ~ Ladies in Chile for Pan American Games

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03

Rajisch and Kirk Attend PARC Event in Temuco, Chile

Greetings from Temuco, Chile, at the XXV Pan American Racquetball Championships (formerly the Tournament of the Americas).  This event is hosted by PARC (Pan American Racquetball Confederation) and includes the championship divisions as well as junior, senior and A divisions.
Representing the U.S. is Rhonda Rajsich in Women's Singles and yours truly (USAR President Cheryl Kirk aka delegate, team leader, "coach," player in Men's A Doubles with Franco Capandegui of Argentina, and reporter).
Opening Ceremonies at 4:00 pm Friday kicked off the event.  Each national delegation was announced and accompanied into the ceremonies by a young local person dressed in traditional Chilean costume. Each country's flag was displayed by two team members, with the rest of the team proceeding in behind.  Rhonda and I proudly brought in the American flag and took our place among the players of the thirteen other countries represented here.
The format here is round robin, then from those results a championship single elimination draw is formed.  Rhonda's first round today against Natalia Corti (ARG) resulted in a win, 15-2, 15-2.  Sunday's match at 11:30 am* is against Maria Paz Riquelme of Chile and Monday's, again at 11:30 am*, pits Rhonda against Maria Cespedes of the Dominican Republic.  Tuesday will be a free day, then it's back to the courts Wednesday-Saturday.  The event concludes on Saturday afternoon followed by a banquet at the Hotel Dreams (host hotel, very nice).
Results and live streaming are available at:
http://www.internationalracquetball.com/resultsss.aspxLook for the live streaming icon (a roll of film) halfway down the page on the right.
* Note that the time here in Chile is Central time plus two hours.  In other words, when it's 12 noon in Chicago, it's 2 pm in Temuco.
Check back for updates when Rhonda plays.
GO USA!!
~Cheryl Kirk

---

April 3, 2012
Reporting from Temucho, Chile at the XXV Pan American Racquetball Championships
Tuesday mid-day from Temuco, where the weather is surprisingly chilly.  I walked down the street this morning to scope out a laundry facility, and it was a brisk 40 degrees F.  They say the ocean is so painfully cold that swimming is not possible.  You'd think it would be hot, but in this hemisphere they're going into winter.  Temperatures are ranging from the 40's at night to the 60's/low 70's during the day.
All is well here at the event.  Fourteen countries, not sure the total number of athletes, but there are many. The atmosphere is upbeat, excited, and, naturally, competitive.  When people enter the dining room and pass by tables, for example, it's not just "good morning," it's "good morning, Guatemala!"
The hotel here is just great, nice employees who learn your name. Rhonda and I have discovered a restaurant called "Oregon" where the food, service and ambiance are all just top-notch.  You've never tasted such flavorful vegetables (even the celery...yes, really).  The avocados (sprinkled with oil and lemon) are to die for.
As the team leader (with Rhonda being the team), it's my job to make sure I have the draw and match times; set our daily schedule; have water, towels, and practice balls available; greet the other country's coach and player before the match and shake their hands afterward.  I'm not a coach, but perhaps an insightful comment to offer here and there... Also, make sure "the team" adheres to all US Team rules in the handbook.  This is the biggest challenge -- Rhonda is quite a handful.  (Kidding, she's great.)
Speaking of Rhonda, after winning her three round robin matches with seven total points scored against her, today is the event's scheduled day off.  She'll work out, eat (a lot!), and relax.  (Did you know ... world-class athletes take in an exponential number of calories per day compared to the average person's consumption -- to fuel their incredible metabolisms!)
The draw is set for the rest of the week -- Rhonda is seeded #1 in the Women's Singles main draw, with Paola Longoria (MEX) at #2.  Included with Rhonda in the top half of the draw (24 players) are Susana Acosta (MEX) at #4, Frederique Lambert (CAN) at #5, Maria Jose Vargas (BOL) at #8, Cristina Amaya (COL) at #9, Claudine Garcia (DOM) at #12, and Veronique Guillemette (ARG) at #13.
Rhonda's first round will be Wednesday 1:15 pm local time (Central +2 hours) against the winner of the feeder match between the players from Colombia and Guatemala (#16 and #17 seeds, respectively).
Live streaming is available on courts 4 and 5 here at this five-court facility.
http://www.internationalracquetball.com/resultsss.aspx
Look for the live streaming icon (a roll of film) halfway down the page on the right.
The Women's Singles drawsheet appears here...tune in to cheer on Rhonda!  GO USA!!
--Cheryl Kirk
P.S. In the second round of the Men's A Doubles RR, my partner Francisco Capandegui (ARG) and I (USA), won our first game, 15-13, but then the guys from Chile came on strong.  Scores were, sadly, 2 and then 4 in the 'breaker.  Tomorrow is the third round, then a playoff bracket involving all four teams in the RR (the rest of the teams are all from Chile).  They're all serving to the weaker player...go figure.  That's the game; so would I...

Rock And The Role

d The Role

Rock And The Role

Gigi Rock, WPRO Commissioner, Outsider and Thinking Big.

by: -----Restrung Magazine 

The email reply went as such, "The trials and tribulations I have gone through in seven months almost makes me want to throw in the towel….wow..the things I’ve learned…sure I’m game to put this down on paper...". As provocative a statement as that is, Gigi makes sure to point out, that her Rock keeps her in line with who she is. When her husband, who goes by "Rock", sees her getting caught up in the frustrations in her work life, he will simply walk her outside for 15 minutes, so she can breath and calm down. Upon accomplishing the cool down, he simple states, "Now get over it and get back to work."

When the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization was looking to to fill the lead spot left by former commissioner Shannon Feaster for professional and familial reasons, Gigi Rock was tapped to fill the position. Whereas, Feaster was once an actual player in the WPRO, Gigi, who openly talks about not playing racquetball, over a short time, got put into the mix after an encounter with Rhonda Rajsich and Feaster, as they attended weekend networking events taking place during the 2010 Superbowl in Miami. Rock, having a deep entertainment and charitable events management background can be thought of as a direct contrast to Feaster, who still serves on the President's Council of Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

As it goes, Gigi and Rhonda remained connected. During a phone conversation, Rhonda mentioned that the WPRO was in the process of searching for a new commissioner. As they were speaking, Rhonda casually worded that Gigi should fill the position. They both laughed. Shortly after that conversation though, Rhonda mentioned the conversation with Shannon, who by speculating that it may not be a bad idea, sparked the vetting process for Gigi Rock.

It was an overall positive engagement, though it did have signs that foreshadowed some tough aspects Rock faces each day in her drive to advance the WPRO's mission. At one point in her interview with the organization's board of directors, she inquired about women professional racquetball players participating in the Olympics and took note that she was actually told that the Pan American Games would be the best they could do. (...to which, began her own inquiry with the IRF.) But its the restrictive sentiment behind that kind of language that Rock faces regularly in her drive to advance opportunity for the athletes of the WPRO.

READS LIKE TROUBLE

Almost immediately upon her securing the commissioner position, Rock seemed to stir up controversy. At the start of the 2011-2012 season, Gigi removed the WPRO from being a featured division at the 3 Wall Ball outdoor Las Vegas event, in it's second year for the new ambitious outdoor endeavor. She wasted no time in holding a hard line to equal prize money for the women. What ensued was a series of public postings online that quickly got ugly. It was the first example of how Rock's "outsider" status and uncompromising stance would clash with how the sport has been operating over the past two decades.

Gigi Rock operates from a marketer's perspective and she is quick to state that her main priority is the interest of her players, something she views as currently well undervalued. When speaking with her, one quickly gets that she wears this on her sleeve, as she talks about the incredible athleticism of the women of the WPRO. What they look like. How competitive they are. She sees tremendous value in presentation, detail and what is possible. Her thinking leads to her fighting for what she feels her players need right now.

She also wants them, all of them, thinking about what they are. Their ability. Their recognition. And the thought that they should go beyond just showing up at clubs to play racquetball. She wants all of them, in their own ways, following the lead of her two top players, Paola Longoria andRhonda Rajsich, who appear seasoned in front of fans and cameras. Top WPRO players are professionals and Rock feels they have the right to embrace everything possible with those rights. 

Fighting for those rights as she knows how, directly and to the point, has caused tension between the WPRO and some who are comfortable with the established norms. Her feeling is that if she can't control what the women professionals are presented and how they are viewed, then she will find other ways to facilitate her mission. To her it's about the words "No" and "Why Not?". It is also about openly addressing the bias towards men as it relates to money and coverage in the sport of racquetball that has been historically prevalent. 

Having suitable presentation and benefit for her athletes is about money. The commissioner insists she maintains good relationships with the WPRO's major sponsors. Though she admits that funding is still hard to come by. To move forward with her vision, Rock works by the premise that most of the money circulating within the sport is already taken. Some manufacturers "don't even want to talk to us." It's in that line of thinking, where Gigi has crafted her strategy of looking outside the sport for backing, support and media services. That's where she spends her time and energy. It also serves as subtle message, "Watch us grow, with or without you." 

GOT MAIL

As the head of the WPRO, she communicates clearly that her mission is to grow interest in her athletes. It's a mission filled with "outside the box" big ideas, crossover and follow ups with sporting industry contacts. All for her players. Her mother bear attitude has caused some ripples in what some have come to expect through the years. She openly pushes anything that promotes her players and exposure for the WPRO. Some of her thinking flies in the face of traditional conservative views of what women racquetball players should be. She receives a good number of emails, and although the majority of them are positive, many are negative in nature. She states that, without even getting to know her, or even a proper greeting, she will get statements like "Why don't you get off your high horse?"...in the vain of who do you think you are? 

She takes it in stride, though she relies on the support from her husband and daughter. She also leans on Deputy Commissioner Andy Kulback, who ensures all WPRO stops meet the specific guidelines set for each event, allowing Rock to concentrate on the big picture.

AND THE WOMEN OF THE WPRO

She openly communicates with them and runs everything by them. They have a voice with her. Some have taken to her completely, and some are still learning how to ride her train during this, her first full season. The women professionals are the ones the work and the pressure is all about, and for some, well, only they know how they feel about her. 

You will spot Gigi Rock at all the major WPRO events. Working the sidelines, advocating for times and music and access for her players. For her, every event is an opportunity to see what works and what doesn't and what can be done better. She sits back and watches. She networks, pushes and learns. And what you might hear, when sitting by some of the most elite women players as the commissioner approaches is, "Here comes Gigi, she's gonna change the rules."

-----Restrung Magazine 

http://restrungmag.com/page/rock-and-the-role

About Restrung:

Restrung Magazine shares a view of racquetball, influenced by diversity, community, competition and opinion.

http://restrungmag.com/profile/RESTRUNGMAG