For Tarah Barker, racquetball is more than something to pass the time, racquetball means spending time with friends and family.
Tarah Barker, racquetball club chief security officer, first played racquetball when she was 17-years-old and enjoys playing at Weber State University. Her passion for the game came from bonds created through the community of players, her family and with her cousin Kennedy Barker, who also plays at WSU.
“I began playing racquetball because of my dad. I wanted to play with him,” Tarah Barker said. “Where I played was an hour away. So it became more than just competing and playing racquetball with my dad. While we drove to play, we were able to talk and bond. Then we played together.”
“Racquetball is a welcoming community where people can come together and have a good time,” WSU student and racquetball club member Jared Manning said.
WSU offers the racquetball club to students and community members. The price to play is $10 for students and $15 for the community. The club practices Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the Stromberg Complex.
According to the USA Racquetball rules, racquetball is a competitive game in which each player uses a strung racquet to serve and return the ball. Any surface is legal in racquetball, including walls, the floor and ceiling.
“The club encourages a fun environment for students to come and learn more about the sport,” Tarah Barker said. “People may be fearful of not being good enough or getting hit by the ball. We accept anyone, regardless of their knowledge of the game.”
One purpose of the club is to build a love for an uncommon sport.
“We are willing to help people play and get better,” Manning said. “You don’t have to worry about playing alone. We have mentors who can help you learn and get better.”
Manning has played racquetball for 15 years and credits the amount of time playing and the racquetball community to him enhancing his talent.
“It’s a good stress relief,” Kennedy Barker said. “I can go into the court and hit the ball as hard as I can and let out some of my frustration from other things.”
Practice includes competing against each other as players learn new skills while also strengthening friendships.
“Racquetball takes mentality and focus,” Kennedy Barker said. “You have to focus on where you are hitting the ball and not worry about where the other person thinks you are hitting the ball.”
Each game is played with two or four players, depending on the availability of courts, the club encourages everyone to come and check it out.
For more information about the racquetball club visit weber.edu/sportclubs or contact them through email at [email protected].
