JR WPH WOMEN’S EXHIBITION BENEFIT SHOOTOUT

July 23rd, 2014, WPH Tucson, AZ, Press-  The World Player’s of Handball, in conjunction with Junior WPH, was pleased to host the first ever Junior WPH Women’s Shootout Benefit to raise funds for junior handball development.

Women’s Race 4 Eight #1 Catriona Casey, Women’s Race 4 Eight #3 Tracy Davis and Women’s Race 4 Eight #5 Aoife McCarthy played one another in three one game matches in front of the appreciative handball galleries at the Tucson Racquet Club.

“In the last six months, Junior WPH has hosted shootouts with Luis Moreno, Sean Lenning, David Fink, Paul Brady, Emmett Peixoto and Abraham Montijo,” barked WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “We were ecstatic to host the third installment of the series with three of the best female players in the world battling on the center stage.”

The Matches:

The Shootout’s first match pitted summer roommates, good friends and frequent doubles partners Catriona Casey and Aoife McCarthy against one another. Casey took control early and never allowed A-Mac into her comfort zone, securing the first victory of the evening.

The Shootout’s second match produced a rematch of the 2013 USHA 4-Wall National quarterfinal clash between Tracy Davis and Aoife McCarthy, won by Davis. Davis played impressively, driving the ball hard and low with accuracy, while A-Mac was unable to keep the ball away from Davis’ lethal right hand. Local favorite Tracy Davis appeared to be at ease with virtually all of her shots and never allowed A-Mac into the match. Davis earned the victory and would face Catriona Casey in the evening’s final match to crown the first ever Junior WPH Women’s Shootout Champion.

The final match of the evening featured a rematch of the WPH Women’s Race 4 Eight NYAC Final between Catriona Casey and Tracy Davis. The pair also faced one another at the 2014 USHA 4-Wall Nationals in Minneapolis, with Casey winning both encounters. Casey blunted Davis’s offensive attack with freakish anticipation, perfect placement and sneaky power. “She is just flawless,” revealed a fan in reference to Casey. “She just makes no mistakes,” declared another. While the rallies were competitive and entertaining, it was Casey winning the vast majority of them. Casey added “Junior WPH Shootout Champion” to her incredible 2014 campaign with a comprehensive and impressive victory over Tracy Davis.

Junior WPH has undertaken its most ambitious junior handball initiative to date—Funding Irish sensation’s Catriona Casey and Aoife McCarthy’s Tucson Summer visit to coach 50 junior handball clinics per week at the Tucson Racquet Club All Sports Camp, as well as coaching clinics in California and Las Vegas. The two young ladies were able to introduce the game of handball to over 400 new players throughout the summer.

The WPH would like to thank Junior WPH Shootout Benefit donors Doug Clark, Gurumeet Khalsa, and Charlie Wicker for supporting the WPH mission and helping to offset the cost of hosting Catriona Casey and Aoife McCarthy for the summer. Thank you also to WPH Certified Rookies Coach Tanner Cleveland for emceeing and refereeing all of the matches!

Please consider donating to support the growth of junior handball and to help offset the costs of housing, food and living expenses for the Irish coaches during their incomparable summer of junior handball coaching. The World Players of Handball is a 501 (c)3 foundation. All donations are 100% tax-deductible and 100% of the donation goes towards junior handball development. To make a donation, please contact WPH Donor Development Director David Fink at fink@race4eight.com.