Royal Purple

Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Joy Kowald Junior Brad Peterson (left) and sophomore Matt Uebelacker (right) practice at the Williams Center racquetball courts to tighten their skills for upcoming competition.

Many college students fall into the trap of believing they can't exercise because they lack natural athletic ability.

But that's exactly what drove UW-Whitewater sophomore Matt Uebelacker to racquetball.

"I played a lot of different sports," Uebelacker said. "I didn't have very good athletic ability. So, when I talked to one of my friends, we went into a racquetball court to kid around, and from there I just kind of caught on. I love the sport, and I've been playing it ever since."

Uebelacker, who has played racquetball for 10 years, serves as the vice president of UW-Whitewater's racquetball club, a group founded in 2007. Uebelacker said the club is a perfect combination of entertainment and competition.

Fellow player Brad Peterson, who has been involved with the sport for a year, said he most enjoys the tournaments.

"I like the competition most," he said. "But there are lots of different levels for players and a lot of different skills."

The atmosphere is laid back during practices, but as the club hopes to add more college tournaments to its schedule, there is also an opportunity for the fiercely competitive player.

"We joke around, we have fun and this year we started getting into a lot more tournaments," Uebelacker said. "When we go to tournaments, it can get pretty competitive … We have quite a bit of talent, which is surprising for a college like this."

Peterson wants to see the formation of a conference-style tournament where other Wisconsin schools are involved, while Uebelacker continues to expand membership by drawing more students from UW-Whitewater's talent pool.

"I see people at the courts all the time, but not many people really know how to play," Uebelacker said.

Last Saturday, the club invited a nationally ranked player to speak to the club and teach technique.

In addition to himself and Peterson, Uebelacker named Dan Thompson, Mike Dibble and Jason Povlich as key members of the team.

Uebelacker has big plans for the club's future, and he hopes to hold an all-campus tournament in the fall involving students and faculty.

Students interested in joining club racquetball should contact Uebelacker at racquetclub@uww.edu, or attend a practice. The club meets at the racquetball courts in the Williams Center Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-11 p.m. and Fridays from 7-9 p.m.

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