The KHS racquetball team competed in the USA Racquetball National Championships to finish their season. The tournament was held at Vetta Sports Centers around St. Louis, from March 2-6.

“[During the] last Nationals in 2020, our team didn’t do great,” Gabbie Roseman, junior, said. “But our program has gotten huge, and a lot of people got into the sport. With all of that, people really wanted to win.”

Daniel Witt, KHS racquetball coach, said the team’s “never-quit” attitude helped them get wins against their opponents. Witt also said watching the team win it all was one of the best experiences he’s had in his coaching career. 

“The kids played out of their minds,” Witt said. “They outplayed any expectations the coaches had, and the coaches had high expectations. We expected the kids to play hard and have pretty good results, but they found something in themselves this week.”

Both the boys and girls KHS racquetball teams got second place in the nation. KHS was also recognized as the best overall team, giving them their first National title since 2003.

“The team played really well,” Abe Rappaport, sophomore, said. “I’ve been playing racquetball since seventh grade, and the team has developed and grown over the years by becoming a lot more competitive.”

In addition to winning the National Championship, several members of the team were named USA Racquetball All-Americans, including Gabbie Roseman, Avery Oppermann and Sam Neunreiter, who are all juniors.

“It’s just surreal,” Witt said. “[Nationals had] some of the most stressful moments of my life, but some of the most rewarding as well. It’s weird to think that we worked so hard for this and ended up winning nationals.”

Kirkwood girls' swim gets second in the Class 2 State Championship

Club sports at KHS: A different set of rules