Daily Racquetball’s Women Crush Wednesday Racquetball Influencers!
AKA Women Making Racquetball History Now!
We will feature another woman making racquetball history every Wednesday. Do you know someone else we should be celebrating with this interview and feature process? Drop us a line on Facebook!
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Name: Cindy Tilbury
Are you a pro player, coach, association board member, tournament organizer, or racquetball broadcaster AKA why do racquetball players know you?
Lots of reasons.
USA Racquetball board member for 2 years
President of NMRA for years
Tournament Director of NMRA for years
Newsletter Editor of NMRA for years
NMRA Hall of Fame inductee 2014
Minnesota State Association board member for years in 1990s
Minnesota State Association Hall of Fame inductee 2007
Colorado State Association board member for years in 2000s
WSMRA board member for years
WSMRA Tournament Director 3 times
Peggy Steding Age Group Female Athlete of the Year 3 times
Part Owner of the IRT Men’s Pro TourTournament Director of IRT Pro Stops in 2017/2018
Many NMRA playing titles
Many MRA playing titles
Many USAR playing titles
Many WSMRA playing titles
Many IRF playing titles
I’m sure I’m forgetting some reasons 🙂
Where do you promote racquetball on social media and the web?
Twitter – NMRA Prez
Website nmra.info
Country of Origin: USA
Place you consider home: Rural Minnesota 1959-1999 / Malibu since 2010
When & how where you introduced to the competitive side of racquetball? Learned in about 1979 at age 19 then figured out there was more than just recreational racquetball in 1982 or so. I had no idea there was a pro tour until about 1992 but I played tournaments almost every weekend from 1985 on. I had hundreds of shirts and trophies when I moved to Colorado. I have hundreds more since then, but now I mostly play for medals.
Playing hand: Right
Year you started playing racquetball: 1982 (Three times a week or more)
First female mentor or idol in racquetball: Dana Sibell Anderson – Best in Minnesota for many years, but now she is an NHL hockey mom for two 19-year-olds. My older brother actually taught me to play.
Favorite racquetball shot: To hit: 38-foot backhand pinch. To watch: Doubles shot from the back where the three other players jump over it.
Motivation for the game (what keeps you playing): So many things keep me playing. I need to burn calories and get exercise. I love the people and making racquetball better for those who play. Most of the good things in my life have come to me through racquetball. I want to make good things happen for racquetball people too.
Love most about racquetball: There are so many things from which to choose. I guess I love watching the pros play the same game I love playing, but actually knowing the pro women and men as friends is an amazing thing to be able to claim.
Preferred equipment: I miss Ektelon! I play with a Pro Kennex racquet but other companies’ gloves, eyeguards, shoes, clothing, balls. Being older, I completely recommend CourtGrabbers to keep the floor from being slick.
Favorite event: The US Open is the best event of the year. I love going back to Minneapolis in October each year.
Best results at tournaments you’ve played in: Many gold medals in NMRA tournaments (age group round-robins). XD60 Gold with Mike Grisz at National Doubles. WO Singles at Colorado State. Too many to remember.
Day job: Retired from IT since 2010 (I ran email servers for huge companies, all around the country, after starting at IBM right out of high school). I am on several racquetball non-profit boards and run several tournaments during the year. Rick Betts allows and encourages me to work to make racquetball better and better.
Charity close to your heart: Junior Racquetball efforts are my favorite. I don’t have kids and I admire the people who take time out of their own games to teach and coach the kids.
Family shoutout: Rick Betts is my closest family and he loves racquetball almost as much as I do. We play a lot of mixed doubles together. My mother, Karen Porter, won the WSMRA W75s in 2012 in Sarasota. My older brother taught me to play, and my whole family has played at some point. Now they mostly play tennis or Frisbee golf. I would have LOVED to play doubles with my sister. 🙁
Other sports played in addition to racquetball: Snow Skiing
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Do you know someone else we should be celebrating with this interview and feature process? Drop us a line on Facebook!