Racquetball tourney held at Kleber Kaserne

Racquetball players from Europe and the States performed at the 4th
Annual Kaisers-lautern Invitational Racquetball Tournament held Nov. 19
at the Kleber Fitness Center and Gymnasium.

The most impressive show was by a 13-year-old middle-school student.
Andre Garcia from Ramstein participated in two divisions and won the C
division by defeating Ronald Jones, who works at the Theater Patient
Movement Requirement Center at Ramstein, in two close matches, 15-11
and 15-13.  

His father Ray Garcia said that his son has been playing since he was
10-years-old. Ray not only watched each match his son played, but also
coached him. With the hints and tips he was able to defeat his
opponents each time.

Local turnout played a role in such an impressive showing. Eighty percent of the total 26 entries were KMC residents.

The bulk of those were category C and B players who are the future of
racquetball, said Gerd Backhaus, tournament director and USAGK fitness
coordinator.

Jimmie Kimbrough, a program analyst from Heidelberg, won the C
consolation bracket. Kimbrough said he was really impressed by the
great tournament the K-town staff organized.

Landstuhl’s David Boyd was the winner of the largest division, which
was the B division with 15 participants. He beat Markus Mindnich, a
German firefighter from Wiesbaden, 15-12 and 15-14. The consolation
round was won by Demetrius Harrington, a computer clerk form
Spangdahlem.

In the 30-39 age-group division it was William Smith who defeated
Ramstein’s Jimmie Rosamanta 15-7 and 15-10.  Smith who is
currently TDY here at Ramstein works with the 22nd Security Forces at
McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.  He said he knows most of the
players from his previous tours here and it was great to see them again.

In the open division, Tim Hardison, a logistics officer at
Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe captured first place by defeating the
40+ division champion Ian Chin, 15-3 and 15-1. Chin, a flight chief
with the 52nd Maintenance Operation Squadron at Spandahlem, defeated
Denzel Whyatt, who works at Panzer Kaserne with the 200th Theater
Distribution Brigade as an item manager, in the 40+ division, 15-13 and
15-12.(Courtesy of U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern Sports and Fitness
Branch)