The Lou brings the best players in the world to the PAC!
Prairie Athletic Club (PAC) was proud to team with the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) to bring some of the finest racquetball players in the world to Sun Prairie for the 11th Annual Lou Bradley Memorial Pro-Am on October 17-19! Shane Vanderson topped Mitch Williams in the final for his first title at The Lou. Check our r2sports.com for a rundown on all the divisions. Jack Huczek, the top-ranked player in the world at the time, won The Lou in 2007 - his third title in three tries at The Lou. Top-10 players Chris Crowther, Ben Croft and Jason Thoerner also participated. Legendary player Cliff Swain won in 2006 and top-ranked IRT star Rocky Carson has played The Lou several times. More than 120 players signed up to play The Lou this year, including top 10 players Vanderson, Williams, Croft and Thoerner.

Bradley was one of the true ambassadors of the sport of racquetball before passing in 1998. The Lou Bradley Sportsmanship Award is given out at the Wisconsin State Singles Tournament every spring to the female player who most exemplifies the same passion for the game and ability to enjoy it that Lou did. With $5 donated from every entry, nearly $1,000 was raised for the Lou Bradley Scholarship fund from the 2007 tournament.

Thanks to sponsors Phil Sussek, Bruce Thompson, Sussek Machine and Maly Tile - The Lou draws some of the top players in the world and nearly all of the best players in the Midwest, but that’s not what The Lou is all about. The tourney honors Bradley, who loved the game and loved to celebrate it.

Thank you for your interest and please contact Paul Krueger at the PAC (608-837-4646) or by e-mail at p.krueger@prairieathletic.com for more information on the Lou Bradley Memorial Pro-Am or anything else racquetball at the PAC.

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The 2008 PAC Club Doubles was held January 11-12 with Andy and Bruce Thompson winning their second club championship. Becky Denniston and Jesi Haak won their first Womens Open title, while Paul Krueger and Haak teamed to defend their Mixed Open title. In February of 2008, Tracy Chynoweth topped defending champ Jamie Arnold to win his first Club Singles title, while Becky Denniston stopped Tina Schoewe from a three-peat on the womens side. Werner Electric won PAC's Team Racquetball playoffs on March 8, 2008 and Krueger took second in Mens Open to lead a strong outing by the PAC at the Wisconsin state singles tourney with 22 medals going to PAC players.

The PAC hosted the fifth annual Badger State Games tournament on June 27-28, 2008. Shannon Riley won the Mens Open title for the third straight year, topping Paul Krueger in the final. Riley and Krueger teamed up to win Open doubles.

The 2008 Summer Open was held August 15-17 with Andy Thompson defeating Brian Fredenberg in the final, preventing Fredenberg from winning for the fifth straight year. Shane Vanderson didn't drop a game on the way to winning the 2008 Lou Bradley Memorial Pro-Am, held October 17-19. Go to r2sports.com for complete results. The PAC will also host the Wisconsin State Doubles Tournament on November 14-16, 2008. Our club tourneys for 2009 have also been scheduled; Club Doubles will be January 9-10 and Club Singles will be February 6-8.

The PAC also hosted the Wisconsin State Juniors Tournament on April 12, 2008 with PAC players winning five of the eight events. State Juniors will again be at the PAC next year, scheduled for March 28, 2009. Sign up at the front desk or contact Paul Krueger at 608-837-4646 or p.krueger@prairieathletic.com for further information on PAC tournaments.

 

Racquetball is a social sport here at the PAC. With more than 350 active racquetball players, we have strong leagues and great tournaments. Levels of play in racquetball start at D and move up to C, B, A, Open and Professional. “D” leagues are for beginners, while C, B and A are the next steps up. Open players are some of the top players at the club level and professional players make money playing racquetball. We also offer youth racquetball leagues and instructionals on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4-4:30 throughout the year. Look to our Information Center for updates on free group lessons we'll have this fall. Our fall leagues will start on Tuesday, September 2, the day after Labor Day. The signup deadline for fall leagues is Wednesday, August 27.

If you would like to sign up for a program or if you have questions about PAC leagues, please contact Paul Krueger at p.krueger@prairieathletic.com or call Paul at 608-837-4646, ext. 109.

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Thanks to an overwhelming favorable response, PAC will institute a $5 fee for league no-shows.  A no-show is defined as not showing up for your match and not contacting your opponent at least two hours before the match is scheduled to begin.  The first time you no-show, you will receive a warning.  The second no-show will be a $5 fee.  The third no-show will be a $5 fee and suspension from the league.  No-shows often cause great distress for your opponent, who is likely missing work or family time to play the match.  It also wastes court time at the club, which is in short supply during the racquetball season.  This process will only work WITH YOUR HELP.  Only no-shows reported to the front desk or the Racquetball Director (Paul Krueger) will be handled.  Please, if you are not going to make your match, contact your opponent and the front desk to cancel your court.  Thank you for your help.