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Parkway West graduate has become elite racquetball player
Erin Slutzky won a bronze medal at the 2019 IRF Junior World Racquetball Championship. From left to right: Jody Nance, Jen Meyer, Erin Slutzky, Tony Carson, Charlie Pratt and Robbie Collins. (Photo: Steve Slutzky)

Parkway West graduate has become elite racquetball player

BALLWIN, Mo. (BVM) — Erin Slutzky is a star athlete in Missouri, but it might not be in a sport you’d expect. The Parkway West High School graduate plays racquetball and has competed in tournaments across the country and world since making Team USA almost two years ago.

Slutzky participated in softball and track in high school, but her main sport is racquetball, which she began playing around age 8. The 17-year-old joined her family in competing in the sport, as her father has played racquetball for over 30 years. Her brother also competes, and has actually coached Slutzky in the past.

Now, Slutzky has been able to take her own game to the next level, and thanks her family for the support they give her.

“They are very generous with paying my way to these tournaments because they are usually far away. My whole family will try to watch me on live streams and support me any way they can. It’s been awesome to be able to go to all these places and get closer with my dad and my brother as well,” Slutzky said.

The 17-year-old did not play as much before high school, competing in racquetball casually while focused on other sports. But Slutzky realized she had a natural talent when on the racquetball court, and began to develop a deeper passion for it.

However, one of her toughest moments playing would come during seventh grade, when she suffered a concussion in a doubles tournament and then hit her head again just weeks later. Slutzky was out of school for three months and did not play again for more than half of a year.

But the 17-year-old persevered, recovering from her injury while continuing to improve. Slutzky played racquetball all four of her high school years for a club team with the Missouri High School Racquetball Association (MOHSRA), as the sport is not sanctioned in the state at the high school level.

During her prep career, she absolutely dominated. Slutzky won state championships all four of her seasons, which is an impressive feat for anyone no matter the sport.

“I’m not sure many people can say they’ve won state all four years so it definitely means a lot to me. I’ve also loved being on this journey with the people on other teams,” Slutzky said.

However, Slutzky’s racquetball career would be taken to a new level before her junior year. In the summer of 2018, she took part in the Junior Nationals tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Slutzky believed it was just another tournament to go have fun at, not realizing what was at stake.

“To be honest it was just kind of a stop along the way to a softball tournament in Colorado,” Slutzky said. “So I was kind of just going to have fun.”

As it turns out, she was playing in one of the most competitive tournaments for players her age, with a chance to qualify for Team USA. After winning her first match, Slutzky was slated to face a two-time champion, Heather Mahoney of California, during the next round.

“I looked up a video of her playing and I was so intimidated. I got on the court and just wanted to play my best… and I ended up winning,” Slutzky said. “Me and Heather are actually pretty good friends now, but when I beat her I didn’t know she was a two-time champion so I didn’t realize what it actually meant until the tournament was over.”

Slutzky went on to make the championship match, qualifying for Team USA. She found out she had made the team during a post-match interview, but still did not realize what it would all entail until the end of the tournament. Soon after, the racquetball star found out she was the first player in Missouri in 20 years to qualify for the team.

“I definitely am very prideful and honored,” Slutzky said about the accomplishment. “But I also want it to be a message to all the Missouri athletes out there even outside of racquetball to go to these tournaments because you never know what can happen.”

The 17-year-old hopes the sport can grow further, especially in Missouri, and she also aims to use her platform to make that happen.

“I want to grow the program and I want more people coming to national events. I just want to use what I do to spread the word. The tournaments are really fun and you meet a lot of people. A lot of my teammates from high school have said racquetball is their second sport and something they do in their offseason. But we also need more people who say racquetball is their first sport and are going to train with it,” Slutzky said.

Slutzky has certainly influenced more people to attend national tournaments based on her success story. The racquetball star has gone to the National High School Championships each of the last four years as well, where she won titles as a freshman and a sophomore. After a down junior year, Slutzky came back with a vengeance, earning a third place finish this past year despite some doubts.

“Finishing third was definitely a big improvement from the year before and I just wanted to prove everyone wrong. After I won my third place match I actually walked off the court and cried for a couple seconds,” Slutzky said.

Slutzky has had the chance to compete internationally as well the last two years at the World Championships in Mexico and Costa Rica.

“Going to Mexico and Costa Rica was amazing and you get to see how big racquetball is in South and Central America. I’ve met so many people through it and it’s crazy to see how many players they are producing,” Slutzky said.

While the setting at her first World Championships was pressure-packed, Slutzky still helped her team to a third-place finish.

“The first year in Mexico was definitely kind of intimidating. I had never been to a tournament of that scale and had never really felt the pressure of wearing my country’s name on my back. It was such an intense tournament,” she said.

Erin Slutzky, left, and doubles partner Nikita Chauhan, right, brought home the bronze for Team USA in the girls 18 age division at the 2019 IRF Junior World Racquetball Championship. (Photo: Steve Slutzky)

The team again finished third the following year in Costa Rica, and Slutzky would earn a bronze medal with her partner in doubles. The Team USA member has put in a lot of work practicing and training, and being able to excel on a stage as big as this shows that work is paying off.

“After Junior Nationals in Iowa I started training every day of the week. Being on Team USA put more pressure on me to put in work into this sport that so many people love. I worked really hard to make a dramatic jump which I think I did,” the 17-year-old said.

Slutzky also credits the sport for helping her to become more disciplined while also increasing her mental toughness.

Despite all the effort she gives to racquetball, Slutzky still finds time to put in work in the classroom, where she took honors classes all four years of high school. For her, academics always come first.

“In any sport there’s a chance you’re not going to go pro. It’s very important to take academics seriously and get your work done. If I have to skip training to write an essay, I’ll do it,” she said.

Slutzky will attend Arizona State University in the fall and has been accepted into the honors college at the school. ASU also has a strong racquetball program which hosts many national tournaments. Those two factors made becoming a Sun Devil an easy choice for her.

“It just popped out at me. Not only do they have an amazing racquetball program but they also have amazing academic programs. I love the big campus feel as well and that solidified my choice,” Slutzky said.

The racquetball star plans to study political science at the school. On the court, she aspires to win a national championship while at ASU, and hopes to develop enough to make it into some pro tournaments.

In addition to her pro aspirations, Slutzky also believes that racquetball could become an Olympic sport as soon as 2028. She would love to get a chance to qualify and represent her country yet again if that is the case.

“If that happens I would definitely try to qualify,” Slutzky said when speaking about racquetball becoming an Olympic sport. “I want to compete against those high level players and it would be amazing for our sport.”

A state champion, national champion, and Team USA member, Slutzky has the chance to add collegiate national champion and maybe someday Olympic participant to her already impressive resume. Even though she may not play the most popular sport, Slutzky may very well be one of the best young athletes competing across the country today.