We will be posting club profiles periodically in order to hilight the state's racquetball facilities with active racquetball programs. The profiles are being coordinated by Larry Steiner. Please if you would like to suggest a club to be profiled.

Big C

(Feb 2008)  Big C members enjoy a spacious and spotless 75,000 square foot club that provides everything they need to become healthy and fit. Our unique services, programs and amenities have earned us the reputation as the finest full service athletic club in the East Bay for over 25 years.

The Big C offers 12 international size racquetball and handball courts and 3 squash courts. The window court in the clubs lobby is an ongoing challenge court. Year round, multi-division and women only skill leagues are scheduled for lunch and evening times. One day drop in and weeklong singles and doubles tournaments are set once a month. Free complimentary lessons and instructional clinics and exhibitions are available to help the beginner thru advanced player. Top ranked professionals such as Cliff Swain have given special clinics and players club members. The Big C Racquetball player roster includes national champions and ranked tournament players. No matter what level you are at a play partner can be found for you with the help of Dave Ruybalid Big C’s athletic director, and AMPRO certified and Wilson sponsored club professional. Some of the clubs highlights include the annual “Turkey Shoot” singles tournament in the fall, the “Spring Doubles” tournament, and the “Summer Singles” tournament. Racquetball and basketball requires a tremendous range of motion, a certain amount of stretching with result and flexibility. Many participants utilize a pre and post game-stretching program. Since racquetball and basketball involves usage of all major muscle groups (leg, trunk, arm, back, and stomach) it is an excellent vehicle for developing and maintaining muscle tone. Racquetball and basketball burn calories, which make it an ideal sport for weight maintenance. In recent years, some publications and fitness consultants have down played these qualities and segregated racquetball and basketball from what has become traditional fitness regime within clubs. In most cases, it is the result of an industry isolation policy generated by fitness gurus interested solely in aerobics and weight training techniques. At the same time, few club managers and programmers are interested or trained in Racquetball and Basketball and instead depend on staff that echo the aerobic/weight training emphasis.

For the players who take their game on the road, The Big C has a Travel Team that competes against other clubs teams, and player’s host to other teams as such as the U.C. Berkeley Racquetball Club team. Flyers outside the club tournaments are posted by the racquetball bulletin board. Racquetball is high quality fitness with a twist. It provides a mix of social elements, is a fun, and enjoys many measurable health benefits. Racquetball offers an excellent way to improve hand-eye coordination. It provides a cardio-vascular maintenance program for the hectic schedule of today’s fitness conscious individual. This is an important additional benefit of any exercise program not available in the non-sport club activities.

Clubsport Fremont

(Jan 2008)  ClubSport of Fremont is the latest place to play racquetball in the Bay Area. Thanks to Elaine Dexter giving Garyn Scott an opportunity to develop a new and successful program, the Fremont location now has Morning singles and doubles leagues, a Meet-n-Play evening singles league, a Challenge Ladder, Advanced and Intermediate evening doubles leagues, a Women's Clinic and a Juniors program.

Every other month, Garyn invites top tournament players from Northern California to play in a "Hit-n-Switch Partners" Doubles Shootout. The club has 6 courts and will start hosting tournaments in 2008. Garyn is an AmPro certified Advanced Racquetball Instructor and is currently teaching and coaching beginners to develop new talent on the racquetball scene.