I consider the WRT a pro feeder tour. I've mentioned this before. I disregard what I know about the differing positions other interested parties have regarding having a tour solely sponsored by one racquet company. It's no where near as deep as the IRT Tour, but it's feel is also different than an IRT event. I won't go into what they are like...it's still too early to make that conclusion. Like anything else in which you endeavor to create something special, it takes work and the drive to see it through.
Regardless of whether it will blow up or not, it already has. At least in the mind of one young kid. Now, traveling with the bus is definitely something that you have to be dedicated to do. Because being completely busy before and during events, with things like setting up, working with your destination club and just handling everything-little to big, comes with being able to handle slow times and waiting/traveling, etc. I say this to set a context for my next statement. It's hard to not do stuff to help out. There is always something to do, and I just find myself seeing things that need to get done eventually...always something. Little things. Lot's of those. You have to really like doing this stuff... you have to have a real passion for the sport. And I have to keep telling myself to slow down and remember why I'm here... Oh, yea, back to my point, the young kid and his mind.
There was a local school that brought a class to the event in Matamoros, Mexico. So, the morning was spent introducing the sport to the class and engaging them with fun ways to get them swinging a racquet. Fun. For them. Not that there isn't enjoyment for the facilitators, but it comes in a way where there is almost a multi-tasking to get the charts and video feed equipment set up. And at the end of the morning, while we were sitting by the broadcast table, Rafa, having just figured out a video connection problem, was communicating for a young student, that was left over from the morning fun session. Having walked him over to the gentleman who works at the club, to help him find out what he has to do to be able to come back and play racquetball there. Rafa, took it in stride and moved on to the next thing, like it was just another thing he had to do, that he got done.
For me, that was the blow up. One kid. Wanting to play racquetball. You don't need to run a tour to do that. But if you're involved in one, then that's bomb making.
And... the why I'm here. To experience racquetball in Mexico. (I actually was convinced I needed to play in the pro draw, and matched up first round with Mexico's Current National Champion. No comment. :)