What a week it was and what a year it has been for Palisades High sophomore racquetball champion Dane Elkins.
He returned Sunday from a field trip to Cali, Colombia, where he representing Team USA at the 26th annual International Racquetball Federation’s World Junior Championships.
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Kirk
Competing in the Boys 14-aund-under doubles division with his partner Ricardo Diaz of Stockton, Calif., Elkins reached the quarterfinals before falling to Julian Homberger and Andres Montero of Costa Rica, 11-15, 15-0, 11-4 last Thursday. Team USA finished third overall.
“It was a new experience so everything you do is trying to help your team to victory,” Elkins said. “I bonded with all my teammates, made friends from other countries and tried to bring home the gold.”
The California kids had to wait over two hours in a rain delay before their first match last Monday at the outdoor facility but once they took the court they made short work of their opppnents from Chile, 15-3, 15-3. They lost their second match 15-4, 15-11 to a duo from Bolivia but still received a bye in the first round of the main draw.
Elkins and Diaz qualified for the World Junior Championships in June by winning the 14s gold division at the Wilson National Junior Olympic Championships in Denver. It was there that Elkins also won the 14s gold mixed doubles title with fellow Pali High sophomore Atossa Rejaei.
In January, Elkins captured titles in the 14s and 16s divisions at the California/Nevada Junior Racquetball State Championships in Reseda and in September he beat his dad Brett to win the Open Elite Division at the Arcadia Fitness Shootout.
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