Senior Naomi Ros represented the U.S. at the 33rd International Racquetball Federation World Junior Racquetball Championship late last month. The championship took place in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and it would be there that Naomi Ros would win gold once again and maintain her reign as a world champion.
“Racquetball is a pretty fast sport in a room, you use a racquet to hit a ball against a wall then the other person has to hit it back, and you have to make it before they get two bounces. You can play it individually or in doubles, it can be girls, or mixed, one boy and one girl, against one boy or one girl.”
Ros is hoping to make this year her 3rd win.
“The first time I won I couldn’t believe it, there are no words to explain how it feels when you become the best in the nation, and I just cried, to be honest,” Ros said. “I was like, is this real, or is it just a dream? You dream about it like every day, but when that day arrives you’re like am I still dreaming? The second time I felt more depressed than the first time, but when you win that match it takes so much pressure off you, and I’m just so thankful that I was able to be there,”
Having to dedicate so much to racquetball, all the while keeping up with classwork is a daunting feat.
“I’ve been doing it for nine years already, but it’s hard because I’m absent like a week every month for different tournaments, but I always try to keep track of my work,” Ros said. “I do my homework in class, but it is hard because they don’t count my absences, well they do count it but I have to turn in letters from racquetball, and I have to make up hours, I get to school early to do all my work.”
Ros has big plans for the future.
“I plan to play college racquetball, and also I’m planning to make my own brand of clothes for racquetball, with cute skirts and dresses and all that stuff,” Ros said. “I’m gonna be balancing racquetball and my own company at the same time.”
