Keep 4 racquetball courts at Thorton YMCA, Tulsa OK

The Thornton YMCA, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma is growing and expanding its facilities in the next few years, yet the decision has been reportedly made to reduce the number of racquetball/handball courts from 5 to 2.

This doesn’t match their stated direction of “Sports and fitness activities have always been at the core of YMCA programming…including Individual sports such as racquetball, handball, and Frisbee golf. The YMCA is the place for the whole family to enjoy healthy competition and practice good sportsmanship.”

The Thornton YMCA is the only public facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma and its surrounding communities that has more than 2 racquetball/handball courts which is required for tournaments or even effective league or individual play. For the past 15 years, the Oklahoma Racquetball Association has been using the courts at the Thornton facility to host 3-4 racquetball tournaments a year (including a monetary donation the YMCA for each event). These events include our State Singles tournament and Annual Banquet, and other events that have brought professional racquetball players from across the Midwest.

These tournaments help expose the members of the Thornton YMCA and the surrounding community to the outstanding sport of racquetball, and participants in these tournaments have sponsored clinics and leagues for YMCA members and guests at several points throughout the years. With its 5 courts, the YMCA is able to accommodate a large number of competitive, recreational, and even casual racquetball/handball players. Reducing the number of courts will severely limit the number of courts available for YMCA members in Tulsa (this is the only YMCA that has courts anymore since the downtown Y shutdown). Additionally, the Oklahoma Racquetball Association will no longer have a facility in Eastern Oklahoma in which to hold tournaments.

Please help us fight to keep enough racquetball and handball courts at the YMCA!!! It seems that each evening the courts are always full, with mostly doubles being played, to accommodate the number of people wishing to utilize the courts. We racquetball and handball players use these courts every day and need to keep them! Aid us in our desire to help further the YMCA’s mission “To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all” by providing enough courts for those who wish to play.