MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Philip Eliana, a Kauai resident and award-winning racquetball player, said racquetball has taken a backseat to pickleball, but is making a comeback with the sport’s most important leaders — the Juniors.
Three Juniors — two from Oahu and one from Kauai — competed in an Olympic Pool Play format at the 2025 USA Racquetball Junior National Festival and Championship that wrapped up on Sunday. The tournament involved 170 participants representing 17 states playing in Singles and Doubles divisions, including the three Hawaii Juniors who played in the 10 and Under division.
Eliana, whose grandson, Elijah Machado, was one of the three Hawaii Juniors, said the young team earned six medals from the tournament that played in Minneapolis, Minn.
Machado earned two gold medals, and an entry fee waiver to compete at the 2026 U.S. Open Racquetball Championships in Missouri.
The energetic tournament for all skills allows athletes to have many matches against other Juniors in their respective age brackets while some of the more experienced players compete for a spot to qualify for the Junior USA Team.
Source: The Garden Island