
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 28, 1994                   TAG: 9402280043
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RACQUETBALL TITLE IS A LABOR OF LOVE

Dick Reck knew his wife wanted him to play in the Virginia State Racquetball Championships or she would have waited to go into labor.

"If she had gone one more day, I wouldn't have been able to play," said Reck, who celebrated by winning his fourth men's open title Sunday - one week after the birth of his son, Daniel.

Reck, a 29-year-old salesman from Glen Allen, defeated Glenn Loehr of Chesapeake 15-11, 15-7 in the championship match at the Roanoke Athletic Club.

The women's open championship went to 34-year-old Nancy Holler of Mechanicsville, who defeated Laura Woodbury of Arlington 15-9, 15-3. Holler also won the 19-and-over title with a 15-2, 15-5 victory over Joanie Pitts of Annandale.

"I figured, if I came all this distance, that I ought to enter as many events as I could," said Holler, who had three matches Sunday, including a morning semifinal in the 19-and-over division. "I got a little tired, but you just try not to think about it."

Holler, who did not play racquetball until she moved from Minnesota to Richmond at age 26, won the women's "A" and "B" divisions last year but had not previously entered the open event.

"I was a little skeptical where the open was concerned," she said. "Maybe I will be able to use it as a steppingstone."

Reck was 12 when he started playing racquetball in Pittsburgh, and he won a juniors title in Western Pennsylvania. He has played in the Virginia tournament five times, winning the first two years and the past two.

"It was horrible to have to leave [home] at this time," Reck said, "but my wife knew I wanted to defend my championship. Our theme this week was, `Do it for Daniel.' "

by CNB