All the travel and the set up work leads to this. No more talking it up. Yet, still plenty of work. The first day of pro match play. Men and women. It's morning and the first rounds are under way. Music is playing loud already and the only thing remaining is to dial in the live feed equipment.
There has been a lot of talk about young players on the tour all week and they are here. Along with much older players swinging in the first round. (The Men's draw. And Women's draw isn't up yet, but I know it's looking really good...) I'm already watching two exciting young mexican players go at it...and see a court with a player...who has to be at least in his late 50's to early 60's playing a 14 year old. Not too many courts like that...but there is a deep range of athletes playing now.
The International Racquetball Tour's Brad Schopieray came to mind. I would be curious to see how he would do here. As well as Ackerman and Jose Diaz. In my perfect world I would hand pick a few of those guys for match ups I'd really like to see. I can't help thinking that way.
The World Racquetball Tour will be streaming live and free on both the WRT site and the Gearbox site. As well as on 3 pages on Facebook. They're pushing it out there... trying to get the word out. Today will be mostly test streams as tomorrow they will be feeding T.V. too. The commentary for that will be in spanish of course, so they will have two set-ups. It's leaving them a little short in the way of announcers, just another thing they are learning to get right as they just go. (I was asked if I wanted to help out... I think it will be fun, so, the plan is I will be talking, on the english side, of course.)
It's a big, really open space, with small barricades funneling people together. Lot's of energy already...