Pensacola, FL, WPH Press, 10/16/16- The WPH sponsored University of West Florida Argonauts Handball Team hosted the annual Argo Fall Tune-up Tournament to kickoff the 2016-2017 UWF handball season. A mixture of new recruits and UWF team veterans competed in the two-day event at the University of West Florida Rec Center, with players competing in Open Singles, B/C singles, C/Novice Singles, C Doubles, and an exciting Mixed Doubles division.
UWF Argonauts team founder and 2016 WPH College Coach of the Year Michael Morgan captured the Open Singles, defeating Michael Mathis 21-10, 21-16 in his sternest test of the event in his fourth round robin match of the bracket. Mike Desgrottes and Emily Burkhardt went undefeated in the Mixed Doubles round robin, surviving match point in the second game of the final to defeat Annie Wallace and Spencer Watral 3-21, 21-20, 11-6. Alan Moore won the B/C singles, Canyon Huff won the C/Novice singles, and Jake Atkins and Kevin Moore won the C Doubles.
“The highlight of the weekend was seeing all of our players competing against one another like they were playing at another tournament,” stated UWF Handball Club President Alan Moore. “The tournament was not only competitive but also we were able to grow together as a team. What made this tournament a success was the willingness of the players to play back-to-back matches each day. The UWF team gained valuable experience to take with us to other tournaments in the upcoming months.”
“My idea behind hosting a “tune-up” tournament at UWF was twofold, to give our new players who may be apprehensive about traveling and competing at other tournaments a chance to play and compete in more familiar territory and give the new club officers practice running a tournament to better prepare them for Argo Classic in the Spring,” stated Coach Morgan. “This year’s tune-up went extremely well, our returning players have fully knocked off the rust from summer break and continuing showing strong progress and all of our freshman players stepping up in a big way, making significant improvements in play with every match. We worked hard to gave the plenty of opportunities, each player averaged six matches with one player somehow squeezing in 12 in two days, not sure how she did! At times I worry my players will start to consider it cliché when I tell them but for me what truly makes these tournaments successful is them and the progression they make in play and as a team, never gets old.”
For complete results of the UWF Argo Fall Tune-up Tournament, click here
The University of West Florida will host the 2017 Argo Classic Tournament January 13-15, 2017 at the UWF Rec Center. The University of Texas and Missouri State Handball Teams are expected to attend, as well as top players from the Southeast and beyond. For more info on the 2017 Argo Classic Tournament, contact UWF Handball Club President Alan Moore at asm42@students.uwf.edu
Keep an eye out on juniorhandball.org, as new clinic opportunities and recaps pop up weekly. Want to coach a clinic or a junior handball program? Need more information regarding junior handball? The Junior WPH group spans multiple countries, continents and oceans with clinics happening daily. We can help! Contact WPH Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer