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Name: Wayne Storch
Swings: Left Handed
Racquet: Ektelon o3 White
Home Town: Kendall Park, NJ
Home Club: NYSC - Brooklyn
Sponsors: Team Ektelon (coming '08/'09) |
2007-2008 NJAR Season Accomplishments
Wayne came into this season fresh out of winning his way out of the B's and
into the A's. He then went on to the 2007 Monster Bash at Classic
Athletic Club in October, and won the A division, a very difficult round
robin of 6 players, including top area A players Pete Holden, Jon Panno, and
John Patric.
How long have you been playing racquetball?
Wayne has been playing racquetball for three years, now, but previously
was a paddleball player for 20+ years. Since picking up racquetball,
however, Wayne has not been playing any more paddleball.
How many times a week do you play?
Roughly 4x per week, between his own club in Brooklyn, as well as traveling
to Woodbridge on the weekends to play with some different competition.
Why do you like playing racquetball?
Many of the reasons why Wayne enjoys racquetball so much are the
differences it offers him as compared to paddleball. Racquetball is
more competitive, has a much more organized tournament structure, and has a
much higher quality of players. Wayne enjoys going to new clubs,
making friends and contacts through the sport of racquetball, and feeling
the comradery that racquetball offers. One interesting note that Wayne
mentioned was that racquetball, as compared to paddleball, is much more of a
"thinking man's game." There is much more strategy involved, with more
diverse shot selections and game styles, which creates more of a challenge
to the player.
What is something we probably don't know about you?
Wayne has a fully restored, award winning, 1978 El Camino that he did
all the work on, and has shown in competitions throughout New York and New
Jersey.
Biggest win or best match played in racquetball?
Wayne's biggest win came in the 2008 Gladiator Games in Hillsborough,
NJ, when he beat Jonathan Clay in the Open Singles finals.
Best match ever watched?
Wayne mentioned that the best match he ever watched was a match that he
reffed at the 2007 NJO, in Woodbridge, NJ. It was the A singles
semifinal match, between Kimon Ousouljoglou and Tony Hernandez. This
match went to an 11-10 tie-breaker, and Wayne mentioned that he almost got
lost in reffing the match because he was enjoying it so much, as was the
growing crowd that formed to watch the match as the tiebreaker went on.
Best Tournament Memory?
Pushing Dave Barnes to a tie breaker in the open division at the Long
Island Open.
Who is your favorite player?
Mitch Williams and Rocky Carson
What is your goal for the 2008-2009 Season?
Continue to build more relationships within the NJ tournament scene and
meet new people. Wayne would also like to win out of the A division,
and start to break into the opens.
If you could change one thing about the sport what
would it be?
Continue to promote more women in the sport, and grow the number of
female entrants in tournaments.
What is your favorite part of the NJAR tournaments?
Food, organization, hospitality, people
Closing remarks?
Wayne is extremely happy with the direction racquetball is going to NJ,
with continued tournaments, shootouts, and other types of progamming.
Wayne is looking forward to the NJAR Mixers being held at clubs across the
state, and overall, Wayne is just "happy to be part of the NJ racquetball
family."
If you know someone who you think would be
a great person for the NJAR to "spotlight" please
let us know.