Drumheller resident Darryl Drohomerski is also a Canadian Raquetball champion.
Drohomerski competed at the Raquetball Canada Championships in Calgary from May 20-24 at the University of Calgary. There were 137 players competing, the largest group since 2019, with players from novice, up to national team calibre players.
He competed in the Men’s 45-plus double category with partner Randy Pentland and came home with gold.
“I am very happy with the results,” Drohomerski tells the Mail.
Drohomerski has been playing for about 35 years, and this was not his first time at nationals. He won the championship in singles elite about eight years ago. This is one step below the international elite level. In the doubles category, he has been playing with Pentland for a few years in a recreational league in Calgary, as well as some provincial tournaments.
Racquetball is an indoor racquet sport developed in the 1950s and had its heyday in the 1980s.
“One of the realities of racquetball, squash and tennis… and pickleball, is the first three sports tend to be harder on your leg joints, so a lot of people gravitate towards pickleball from those three sports, which has helped make pickleball popular, because people still want to play racquet sports, but don’t have to move around as much as in racquetball court,” he explains.
While it may have been surpassed by other racquet sports, Drohomerski tells the Mail racquetball is still strong with a good junior program, with players who are holding their own on an international stage. There are also still active clubs in larger centres.
He often plays in Calgary and also credits the Acme Club with allowing him to continue pursuing his sport.
