Hardest Opponent
WPH Press, Tucson, AZ, 3/13/23
The WPH is thrilled to bring you the Race 4 Eight Legends Corner, your chance to learn from the Race 4 Eight’s legends that have shaped the most exciting handball tour in the sport.
On Edition 1 of the Race 4 Eight Legends Corner, our legends discussed the hardest shots for them to learn. On Edition 2, our Race 4 Eight Legends will discuss their most difficult opponents and what made them so hard to play.
4-time R48 Finalist, Former R48 #2 Naty Alvarado, Jr.
I have been asked this question a lot.
At any given moment/time of competition the opponent was difficult to play. The opponents changed but the loss of time did not. With every passing hour, minute or second, I lost valuable physicality, focus, drive, or the vital connection to Handball needed for victory. Repeating this cycle was common for me. Which to me stained my experience at the top level. Yet your successful Champion was able to slow time down. Almost as if they mastered the moment that defined them as a Champion versus a Challenger.
Every opponent came with a certain path I needed to take for a victory.
The difference between the beatable opponent and an unbeatable opponent was time spent on the preparation for that particular opponent. Had I spent more time analyzing opponents that I struggled with earlier in my career I would have mastered the time as a champion. The unbeatable opponent spent his given time properly to analyze my flaws and weaknesses. The Champion’s proper time usage equated to victories for my unbeatable opponent as a Champion.
My toughest opponent was… my own arrogance with the skills I had were time wasted that eventually expired lost by the connection needed.
The lack of respect given to the short amount of time I had to master my abilities as a Champion was taken for granted and not respected.
Looking back now I wish I would have slowed down time like all Champion’s do in that most vital moment of connection.
10-time SR48 champion, Former SR48 #1 and Former R48 Elite 8 Marcos Chavez
Wow, so many opponents to choose from, but the guy that really gave me a hard time as I was coming up with Sal Santa Anna. The reason he was so tough was that he was just so dominant in the front court. I used to hear stories that he was a great big ball outdoor player and I think that’s where he got his offence from. He hit fly kills from weak returned serves and it seemed like he would always put those fly shots away.
I had to learn how to make a nice defensive return of serve against him and keep him out of the front court if I wanted a chance to beat him. We played in a lot in the drop down brackets. This is when I would have to learn how to use my fist ceiling shot or V passes to get him out the front court, but that first shot off the return was just part of his weapon. I remember him always looking at the opponent just before he served the ball directly back at them, as some type of intimidation. I needed to learn how to read hooks because he could hook the ball either way on the serve. I thank him for teaching me how to become a better player. I understood you had to take the front court or keep the opponent running around as you were on offense and in the center of the court. He was a great player and gave lots of other pros a difficult time back then. He learned a lot from the guys from Tucson, as he was a resident there. The crowd, as we all know in Tucson, is always cheering the home player and making a big part of the mental game to get around.
1-time R48 champion, Former R48 #2 Allan “The Blonde Bombshell” Garner
Hardest opponent for me was Sean Lenning. Paul Brady could be in the conversation, but I only played him twice that I can remember.
I feel like I usually got his (Sean) best. Maybe not his best game all the time, but 100% effort. There were times when we were both playing well and he edged me out, he certainly blew me out a few times, times when neither one played too well, but the end result was usually me taking the L. If I could go back I would try to do things differently, but at this point it’s just something I have to accept!
I’ve had some fun and very tough rivalries, but this one sticks out to me because of the lopsided nature
2-time R48 champion, Former R48 #1 Mando Ortiz
I have multiple players in mind. But only player sticks out is Allan Garner – oh I had a real trouble with him but not to take away from other top players such as Sean Lenning (hard to read), Paul Brady (consistent play and different zip on the ball), Luis Moreno (smooth with power), and Dave fink (a lefty serve & a serve n shoot style). It’s a tough question.
I had a real tough time playing against (Allan) Garner. This guy had it all, ceiling game, pass shots, his serves, he can slow the game down to conserve his energy like Chapman but man ultimately his strength . It was real natural power and he was intimidating with it. The blond bombshell we called him. I’ll never forget the match we played in Concord. I was a teenager at the time and Allan was a top pro. I never saw a ball hit that hard and fast in my handball career. I asked my dad, ‘how am I supposed to return his shots,’ and all he could say was ‘stick your hand out and hit it like a big ball’ because I didn’t have time to set up to hit. I had adjust my game playing against Allan to match his strength/power. I knew I had to go toe to toe with him so I had to gain a little muscle to keep up. He probably is the reason why I used to hit the ball hard. Ultimately, it was a privilege to play against Allan, just wished he played more because he had the upper hand of wins.
2-time R48 Champion and Former R48 #1 Charly Shanks
Definitely Brady. His level of consistency was unmatched and he only ever needed one opportunity to end a rally, so I had to work on reaching that same level while improving defense.
Do you have a question for the legends? Email me at David.fink@wphlive.tv
Stay tuned for more Race 4 Eight Legends Corner throughout 2023
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer