Seventh Annual Celebration
Denver Athletic Club: February 3-5
by Linda Mojer

Now that the holidays have passed, it's time to think about the 2006 7th Annual Racquet for the Cure Benefit Tournament in the Mile-High City, February 3-5. This year's special fundraiser at the Denver Athletic Club has even more to offer, with the addition of a satellite Women's Professional Racquetball Organization tour stop, and a full draw of Pro-Am and plain-Am mixed doubles divisions.

Of course, the standard all-day-Saturday "women's only" team championship is still the centerpiece of this long-running event, and you can enter for the single day of competition, and get an incredible day of fun, friendship, food and fundraising for your favorite cause. All Racquet for the Cure events benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation, to fund the search for a cure to breast cancer.

Everybody Wins! Players end a long Saturday of play with an event banquet and prize drawing, selecting from a wide range of donated merchandise and services like: racquets, bags, gloves, clothing, accessories, hotel and spa packages, plus much, much MORE!

Here's what's in store ...
More Mixed Doubles Benefit mixed doubles events have grown so popular that they've been expanded to both PRO and AM divisions, with finals on Sunday!

Open Men! For a premium fee, you'll have a chance to pair up with a top pro to compete for CASH winnings in the Pro-Am Mixed Doubles. Half of the collected entry fees will be awarded to the winning team, the remainder will be donated to the cure. The draw will be limited to the first 12 open-level men to sign up for the blind pro pick, so sign up early!

Skill Division Teams! Amateur A & B mixed doubles will be fielded in separate full draws, with all proceeds to the cure. All mixed doubles play will begin at 5:00 pm ('til ?) on Friday, and local women may sign up for mixed doubles with or without Saturday team play, for the first event fee.

Women's Pro Stop! This WPRO satellite stop will offer the best women's pros in the sport, competing for tour ranking points and satellite-level winnings, plus cash in the full-tilt pro-am mixed doubles. Don't miss this rare chance to see pro racquetball competition at its best! Denver's own Jo Shattuck is currently ranked No.11 on the WPRO tour, and is the club teaching pro at the Denver Athletic Club.

Women's Only Saturday ... Colorado Women! Your amateur entry will include all-day Saturday team play, plus ... a souvenir t-shirt on check-in, all day hospitality (snacks, beverages, breakfast, lunch & dinner), non-stop competition, coaching, clinics, pro viewing and instruction, banquet, awards, guest speakers, plus the feel-good knowledge that your racquet IS at work "for the cure." Join us! [ see last year's photos ]

Super Sunday ... In addition to the mixed doubles finals on Sunday, a special "shuttle clinic" for all ages will be offered by the WPRO players at 11:00 am. Each court will be hosted by a top pro player, covering a different topic or issue. Attendees will be organized in groups to spend five minutes on each court, then move to the next one - so you won't have to worry about missing anything. If you have a specific topic you'd like to have covered, please send an email with your suggestion, or submit it at the tournament.

The WPRO players that have committed so far are: Cheryl Gudinas, Rhonda Rajsich, Kristen Walsh, Jo Shattuck and possibly Christie Van Hees. Derek Robinson will also be attending the clinic, which will be offered to juniors and tournament entrants at no cost, with all others asked to make a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.