USA Racquetball

The Racquetball Hall of Fame is maintained to recognize and honor those athletes and contributors who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in competition, or in the development, leadership, and advancement of the sport. The award is based upon years of consistent excellence in one or more of the following areas:

COMPETITOR In either an amateur or professional field, the person must have influenced other competitors with his or her performance through any or all of the following: high performance standards; sportsmanship and fair play; competitive techniques; persistent and inspirational leadership.

CONTRIBUTOR The person must have made a significant and noteworthy contribution, which has left a lasting, positive effect on the advancement of the sport. The person's efforts should have been devoted to the sport and organization of racquetball.

NOMINATIONS If you have a candidate who fits the bill, please review the guidelines that follow, then submit the proper text and support materials to complete your nomination. If the needed documentation is available in digital form, you may deliver it by email, or send your postal package to:

"Racquetball Hall of Fame"
ATTN: Heather Fender
1685 West Uintah
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Nomination & Recognition Timeline

* A standing board committee, chair appointed by the USAR Board of Directors.
** Selection Committee = an expanded review committee 
*** Voting Group = 13-23 members (selected by the Hall of Fame committee chair and approved by the USAR Board) Nomination Criteria: Contributor and Competitor

Nomination Criteria: Contributor & Competitor [revised December 2007]

1. Age Limit: Candidates must be 40 years of age or older.
   
2. Requirements: The candidate must have influenced the sport of racquetball through any or all of the following: outstanding performance, leadership, fair play, competitive techniques, or lasting and beneficial contributions to the advancement of the sport.
   
3. Criteria:
   1. [Contributor] Nominees must have been involved in racquetball at a state, regional, or national level for a minimum of ten (10) years. 
   2. [Competitive Professional] Top-level professionals may be nominated, once they have been retired from professional tour play for at least three (3) years.  (See Guidelines for Professional ...)
   3. [Competitive Amateur] Nominees must have exhibited outstanding performance at the national level in either singles or doubles play over an extended period of time. Quality of competition and depth of field should be key criteria in the consideration of national champions, and all nominees must adhere to the highest standards of fair play and sportsmanship.
      
      Stipulation: In the case of special circumstances (death, career-ending injury, or illness) a person may still be eligible for a nomination, even though specific criteria (10 years in the sport; top ranking or retired for three years) may not have been met.
      
4. Nominations: Any current USAR member may nominate a candidate. The USAR may designate a specific form for nominations that must be used and the timeframe for submitting nominations. The call for nominations will be publicized in RACQUETBALL magazine with sufficient lead-time to allow response. A person may not nominate him or her self.
   
5. Eligibility: Staff members or members of the respective IRT/WPRO/USAR Boards of Directors shall not be eligible for nomination until three years after their term has expired or three years following their last employment by one of the above associations. Also Committee Chairpersons cannot receive an award of any kind given out by the committee chaired by that person.
   
   Stipulation: If consistent with nomination criteria, USAR Board members who serve specifically in an athlete capacity (athlete representatives to the board) may be considered for Hall of Fame review during their terms of service [three-year waiting period may be waived in this instance].
   
6. Documentation: The person presenting a nomination must obtain and submit a resume and complete a cover letter. This, one page, cover letter should accurately summarize the resume.
   
7. Limits: A candidate nominated, but rejected for three consecutive years, may not be nominated again for a minimum of three years.

         CRITERIA FOR A PROFESSIONAL HALL OF FAME NOMINATION
                *  Attain a top 4 ranking for a minimum of five years.
                *  Won a minimum of seven "Pro Tournaments" at a level 3.
                *  Attain the #1 season-ending ranking at the end of the season.   
                *  Win the "National Pro Championships" at the end of the year.
                *  Attain a top 10 ranking for a minimum of ten years in the "Pros".

        The candidate must have achieved at least any two or more of the above 
        to be considered for nomination to the Hall of Fame in the "Professional"
        category.

        A "Pro" player can be considered for the Hall of Fame as an "Amateur" 
        player but their resume cannot include "Pro" criteria.

Hall of Fame Committee Procedures [revised December 2007]
Documentation and Review 

1. The Hall of Fame committee, the chairperson having been appointed by the USAR Board of Directors, shall oversee preliminary nominations and the compilation of support documentation for each qualified candidate. After nominations have been submitted, the chairperson will contact the nominee, or the person who made the nomination, to request any additional information necessary to verify individual achievements. After all supporting materials have been received and processed, the chairperson will then provide those materials to the Selection Committee for review.
   
2. The Selection Committee is comprised of the Hall of Fame committee, plus up to five (5) additional current USAR members selected by the Chairman, to equal an odd number of total reviewers (including the chair). The selection committee then provides completed materials to the Voting Group, totaling no more than five (5) candidates annually, for review and vote.
   
3. A Voting Group will be approved and appointed by the Board of Directors, in the composition shown below. Members will be at least 30 years of age, and have extensive knowledge of the sport and its history. Under exceptional circumstances, members may be younger than 30 years of age.  The respective chairs of the HOF and Selection Committees share responsibility with the USAR Board for ensuring that these positions are filled and that the Voting Group receives all the information necessary to conduct a fair and equitable review and vote.
   
4. Composition: The Voting Group shall be comprised of the following 23 members who will be named to the Group for three (3) year terms: 
   1. The HOF Committee Chairman (named by the President of the USAR BOD)
   2. One (1) member of the USAR Executive Board (elected by the Executive Board)
   3. Two (2) Athlete Reps serving on the BOD (elected by the three athlete reps)
   4. One (1) current or former U.S. Adult Team member (elected by the three BOD athlete reps)
   5. Four (4) HOF members (selected by the Chair, and respecting geographic and gender diversity)
   6. Two (2) IRT representatives (elected by the current IRT membership)
   7. Two (2) WPRO representatives (elected by the current WPRO membership)
   8. One (1) RMC representative (elected by the RMC)
   9. Two (2) Master's representatives (1 each, elected by the NMRA and WSMRA)
   10. Three (3) State Presidents (selected by the Executive Director of the USAR)
   11. Two (2) former age group national champions (one male, one female - selected by the President)
   12. Two (2) USAR at-large members not affiliated with any other group above [one (1) selected by the President and one (1) selected by the Executive Director].

                Stipulation:  A person on the Hall of Fame voting group who is also on the 
                Hall of Fame ballot will not be eligible to vote that year.

In the event that the voting group is less than the twenty-three (23) members, the members shall remain in approximate proportion with respect to those members selected by the ED, President and Chair of the committee.

Ballots & Voting 
Candidate resumes and an official ballot will be distributed to the Voting Group, to be returned by mail (or email), as directed, by the deadline and tallied. A minimum 80% return will constitute a valid vote; and a 75% voting result, per individual candidate, will be required for induction.

All voting is to be conducted by secret ballot and the status of all nominees will be kept confidential. Once the recommended slate is determined, it will be presented to the USAR Board of Directors for ratification. A quorum of the Board is required to ratify, and any candidate may be denied induction based on a veto by 75% of that quorum.

Notifications & Announcements 
Once official results are tallied, all nominees will be contacted with the results of committee deliberations, and congratulatory letters will be sent to all approved inductees, followed by announcements in RACQUETBALL Magazine.

Induction Ceremony & Recognitions 
The elected Hall of Fame members will be inducted at a time and place chosen by the USAR Board of Directors. This event is currently held at the National Championship Banquet in May of each year, but the USAR, at its discretion, may choose to present inductees at another appropriate time and place.

Each inductee may select an individual to present a five (5) minute introduction, outlining the player or contributor's accomplishments and contributions. Each honoree will then have a reasonable amount of time (generally limited to 10 minutes) for acceptance remarks. Specific timeframes and guidelines will be provided by the USAR based on the number of honorees and the agenda of the event. The USAR will present an engraved plaque or other suitable recognition of their accomplishments and induction.

The USAR shall provide for permanent recognition of all Hall of Fame members at the USAR National Headquarters. Brass plates or individual plaques will be mounted and engraved with the names of the individuals and the year in which they were inducted.

A permanent written record of the Hall of Fame members shall be maintained in the archival collections of the USAR.

Other Policies and Procedures of Inductees

• Inductee will mail a 5 by 7 color picture of themselves to the National office which may be use for the magazine, web site, etc..
• Inductees will be expected to dress appropriate for banquet.  Jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes, and clothing with racquetball manufacturer's name or logo on them are not acceptable. 
• There will be a table set aside, near the front, at the banquet with the inductees name placed on it. The inductee will select the people who will sit there with them. The table seats 8 people.
• The inductee will receive a total of 5 free banquet tickets that they can distribute.
• The inductee will receive 8 passes to give to family and friends to get around the tournament.
• It will be the responsibility of the inductee to book their own room(s). The USA Racquetball will reimburse you for one room for one night's stay.
• It will be the responsibility of the inductee to make their own travel arrangements. This includes travel to the Nationals, from the airport to the hotel, to the banquet, etc..
• All persons who have been inducted into the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame will not have to qualify to play in future Nationals.