WPH Rapid Fire Challenge: Loren Collado

WPH Press

The Olympic Club’s Loren Collado is a product of the strong Northern California handball tradition, relying on “old school” percentage handball. At 6”2, Collado is one of the tallest players on the Race 4 Eight tour and uses his height and reach to generate tremendous leverage and power. Collado’s disciplined approach on and off the court has seen the NorCal star climb into the Race 4 Eight’s top 25 with an eye on the top 10.

Before Loren cracks the R48 top 10, he’ll have to crack the WPH Rapid Fire Challenge.

1. Best city to play:  San Francisco
2. Who is your toughest opponent:  Erik Torres
3. Fastest person in handball:  Also, Erik Torres
4. Who is the hardest hitter in handball:  I saw Dessie Keegan play in the Casey Lawlor Cup at the South End Rowing Club. Hard to compare him to anyone else.
5. Best server in handball:  Daniel Cordova
6. Best off-hand in handball: Emmett Pexioto
7. Handball hero: My brother
8. Favorite court: Golden Gate Park Courts
9. Player with the best offense: Colin Crehan and Sean Lenning
10. Player with the best defense: David Chapman
11. Most satisfying tournament victory: First time I qualified over Ryan Bowler.
12. Most disappointing loss: Too many to compare. Maybe to Sean Kerr at the most recent SF Prostop. 25-23, dropping a 19-11 lead. 
13. Most important title to win: Worlds 
14. Favorite doubles partner: My brother
15. Longest match you ever played: One that sticks out is 1st round vs Jacob Rodriguez and James Coronado at the Nationals in Los Cab. We won 20, (20), 11. 
16. Favorite sport besides handball: Water Polo
17. Favorite tournament: Anything in Portland.
18. Best match you’ve ever played: Probably some sparring match back home
19. Best match you’ve ever watched: Most recently, I liked Galen Riordan vs Coleman McGrath 2019 Collegiate Semifinals. 
20. Title you’d most like to win: Nationals Doubles
21. Favorite sport to play besides handball: Water Polo
22. Favorite athlete (any sport): Don’t have any
23. What is your favorite book: A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
24. What is your favorite movie: No clue
25. What your favorite tv show: Mad Men
26. Most important shot in handball: The one that sets you up to win the rally.
27. Your best shot: fly kill 
28. Legend you’d most like to play in his/her prime: David Wyrsch 
29. Best Fans in Handball:  Collegiate fans
30. Athlete doppelganger: Daniil Medvedev

David Fink

WPH Senior Writer