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About Ektelon
Founded in 1964 by Franklin W. "Bud" Held, Ektelon
made the first experimental racquetball racquet for Bud Muehleisen, a
top competitor and one of the first legends of the sport in 1970. The
racquet was a tremendous hit with tournament players. The company moved
into a larger facility in San Diego to begin manufacturing racquetball
racquets on a large scale.
Grassroots
Ektelon had been established for more than 34 years as a leader in the
sport through superior product innovations and strong grassroots programs.
Throughout these years, Ektelon has lead the way with initiatives to help
grow the sport of racquetball.
Outdoor Racquetball
Ektelon was instrumental in helping establish World Outdoor Racquetball
(WOR) in 2004, becoming the first company to be the official sponsor of
WOR.
World Outdoor Racquetball (WOR) is the parallel universe to the traditional
sport of racquetball played by millions in clubs throughout the country.
The rules are the same, but the attitude and action take this variation
of the sport to a whole new level. Sunglasses replace eye guards, hats
replace headbands, and shirts are optional - sunscreen is one of the most
valuable commodities in your bag!
The top players in the outdoor games are equally skilled to the best
indoor players and International Racquetball Tour professionals are frequently
found struggling with the nuances of playing outside and losing matches
in the sun and heat.
Tournaments held in the fresh air and bright sunshine take on a whole
new atmosphere; generally more social and party-like, often part of larger
outdoor festivals or events, but always competitive on the court. The
speed and power of the game played on the hardest of walls and floors,
the athleticism of the players (yes, they still dive for balls on the
concrete) and the opportunity to hit a killshot from 50 feet always make
WOR events unlike any the traditional indoor player or spectator has ever
seen.
For more information on outdoor racquetball and WOR, please visit www.worldoutdoorracquetball.com.
Collegiate Racquetball
Ektelon has always supported the college game, but has recently made
collegiate racquetball a key initiative to help grow the sport, attacking
the college market from different angles. Through the relationships with
USA Racquetball, Ektelon is the Event Sponsor of the largest college racquetball
tournament, the National Intercollegiate Championships.
Ektelon also sponsors many college players through the Team Ektelon program,
with Ryan Rodgers who is focused on supporting Ektelon's college players,
teams and programs.
The final piece is the intramural game. Ektelon sponsors the National
Racquetball/Wallyball Collegiate Intramural Program, with is under the
guidance of Joe Garcia, Association of United Wallyball Players (AUWP)
Executive Director. The program provides intramural directors tools to
administer leagues and tournaments as well as providing prizes for racquetball
and wallyball players at all intramural and club sports skill levels.
For more information on Ektelon's intramural program, please visit www.auwp.org.
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