What are Racquetball Skill Levels? (Full Explanation)

Like many other sports, there are different levels in terms of how good you are at racquetball. That’s because there are plenty of racquetball players that vary in terms of their overall skills and competitive level. But the difference when it comes to racquetball and other sports is that there are clear skill levels that really differentiate different players who belong to certain skill levels in the sport. So, what are the different racquetball skill levels?

The different racquetball skill levels are novice, D, C, B, A, Open, and Pro. All of these different divisions are defined by their skill levels and how competitive they are. This is not like other sports that only differentiate amateurs from professionals with no skill levels or divisions separating them.

If you are a racquetball player, you will certainly know what skill level you are on and how competitively good you are because of how you are given your corresponding skill level. This is similar to how martial artists are clearly defined by the color of their belts. That means that, as a racquetball player, you can also work your way up to the higher skill levels or divisions, depending on how good you want to be.

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What do you mean by racquetball skill levels?

When it comes to different sports, the thing you need to know is that different players are usually pitted against one another based on their age group and weight class. For example, high school basketball teams are only allowed to join tournaments that are reserved for high school players because that is who the players are ranked in terms of their skill level. 

Of course, some sports also tend to include weight classes in there as well, such that high school athletes of boxing can only go up against fellow high school athletes from the same weight class.

In that regard, differentiating different competitors in different sports is the best way for the athletes to be able to go up against those who are more or less the same in terms of their physical capabilities and skill level. This is because it would be absurd to have high school players go up against professional players who are already physically mature and more experienced.

So, in racquetball, there is also a similar system that is followed. However, unlike other sports that tend to rank their athletes based on their age or weight classes, racquetball is different in the sense that the sport ranks players based on their skills. Racquetball players are divided based on their level of knowledge and skills development instead of simply their age.

Basically, the reason why these skill levels or divisions exist is to separate the players based on their skills. You wouldn’t want someone who is just starting out in the sport to play someone who is good enough to one day become a pro. At the same time, professionals shouldn’t be playing against novices because this won’t be enough of a challenge for them to improve.

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What are the different racquetball skill levels?

Now that we know what we mean by skill levels let us now look at the different skill levels or divisions in the sport of racquetball.

Novice

Racquetball players start out as novices as they are still trying to learn the rules of the game. A novice is someone who basically has little to no knowledge of what the game is all about or even how to play the sport. In fact, novices are the ones who are just introduced to the sport and have been playing it for only a few games.

Novices are the ones who are at the lowest in terms of skill level because they don’t know how to properly handle a racquet yet or how to hit the ball with the right kind of shots. In short, there is little to no challenge whenever someone of a higher division challenges a novice.

D Division

The next level in terms of skills is the D Division. This is where the players are already beginning to learn more about the sport and the rules that govern racquetball. Those who belong to the D Division are already knowledgeable enough about the rules of racquetball but are still trying to improve in terms of the skills needed to become competitive.

D Division racquetball players also participate in pick-up games and club leagues. These are not the players who merely play for fun or as a hobby because they are now looking to improve in terms of their skill level and competitiveness as racquetball players.

C Division

Those who are in the C Division are a tad above D-level players in the sense that they know more about the sport and are better equipped with the skills that will allow them to compete against better players. They are now following casual training routines and are practicing different shots with a bit of accuracy.

Like D Division players, those who play in the C Division are already participating in club leagues and even in tournaments. They will also play pick-up games from time to time but only as a way of improving their skills.

B Division

Players who belong to the B Division are expected to know all of the different rules of racquetball and are now playing and training more than C Division players. These are the athletes that are now more experienced not only when it comes to pick-up games but also in real tournaments.

Those who are in the B Division are expected to be equipped with the knowledge of proper offense and defense in racquetball. They are also expected to have better footwork and are only continuing to improve their overall skills such that they can hit any kind of shot but are not yet good enough to be very accurate.

A Division

An A Division player is someone who is at the same level as a B Division player but is more competitive in terms of skills and training. This is the type of player who is usually at the top of any racquetball club and is someone who not only works on racquetball shots and services but also on his fitness.

Division players are now good enough to play in sanctioned tournaments and may also be participating in AARA Elite Camps. They most likely already have a coach or are looking for coaches who can take them to the next level.

Open Division

Racquetball players who belong to the Open Division are those who play frequently and are quite aggressive and active in terms of their racquetball and fitness training routine. This is why Open Division players are capable of hitting any kind of shot with great accuracy. They also know how to develop their own strategy and are continuously changing their style of play depending on the opponent.

Open Division players participate in tournaments frequently because doing so will allow them to take the next step in terms of their racquetball competitiveness.

Pro Division

A player who belongs to the Pro Division is basically just a better version of someone who is in the Open Division. This is the type of racquetball player who has evolved his game to the next level and is now competing against fellow professionals.

But what truly separates the Pro player is that he is allowed to join the Pro Tour, which is the racquetball tour of tournaments designed only for those who are now in the Pro Division.

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