National Team Program

Three national teams are selected annually:

• National Elite Team: Top six male and top six female athletes in Canada
• National Development Team: Up to five male and five female athletes based on the National Development Team Selection Criteria
• National Junior Team: Up to twelve junior athletes based on the results of the Racquetball Canada National Championships

To be eligible to be named to any Racquetball Canada national team, the athlete must:

• Be a Canadian citizen
• Be a fully paid member of Racquetball Canada and in good standing
• Be able to meet the International Racquetball Federation’s requirements to represent Canada at the selected competition
• Sign an athlete agreement with Racquetball Canada

National Elite Team

Athletes are named to the National Elite Team for a period of one year from August 1 to July 31.

The National Elite Team consists of six members per gender who attain the qualifying standards described in the National Team Selection Criteria for that season.

1. The first selected athletes will be the top Canadian male on the IRT (International Racquetball Tour) and the top Canadian female on the LPRT (Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour) who are ranked in the top 12 as of the Wednesday following the National Championships.

2. The second through sixth selected athletes will be the top male and female qualifiers from points accumulated in singles and doubles competitions during Racquetball Canada’s two National Team Selection Events and the National Championships.

3. If any of the qualifying members decline Racquetball Canada’s offer to join the team, the next qualifying athlete will move into the next higher selection position until six agreeable players are on the team. If no Canadian players qualify in selection 1 from the IRT and LPRT then the selection will be based solely on the current National Team Selection Standings.

National Development Team

Athletes are named to the National Development Team for a period of one year from August 1 to July 31.

The National Development Team consists of up to 10 players, with a maximum of five males and five females, who were not already selected for the National Elite Team. They will be selected according to standing points accumulated in singles and doubles competitions during Racquetball Canada’s two National Team Selection Events and its National Championships. There are also age restrictions for the National Development team:

1. The next top male and female athlete aged 29 and under.
2. The next top male and female athlete aged 27 and under.
3. The next top male and female athlete aged 25 and under.
4. The next top male and female athlete aged 23 and under.
5. The next top male and female athlete aged 21 and under.

The age of the above athletes is as of January 1 of the year selected.

National Junior Team

The National Junior Team will  be comprised of six male & six female players based on results at the Racquetball Canada National Championships with the exception that if a Junior earns a spot on the International Travelling Team to the Pan Am Championships (PAC) and plays in the PAC, they will receive an automatic berth onto the Junior National team for Junior Worlds if they choose not to play at the National Championships.

Junior National Team Members are selected as follows:

1. The top 2 players in Boys 21 & under and Girls 21 & under, Boys 18 & under and Girls 18 & under and Boys 16 & under and Girls 16 & under divisions at the National Championships will be invited to attend the Junior World Championships as a member of Team Canada. If the either of the top two players elects not to attend then Racquetball Canada will approach the third place finisher and invite them to attend Junior World Championships. Racquetball Canada will not select beyond the third place finisher at the National Championships.
   
   
2. The selected player(s) will play in their appropriate age category i.e. 15 years old in the 16 & under division. If two players qualify for and play in the National Team competition of the Pan Am Championships and they are from the same age event, they will represent Canada at the Junior Worlds. If a second Canadian player needs to be selected to the Junior Worlds team he/she will be the winner of his/her respective age category at the National Championships.

National Team Standings

Athletes will be ranked according to the amount of points they have accumulated at the selection events which create the National Team Standings.

Selection Events Included in the Standings

• Event #1 :  Fall Selection Event – Open Singles

• Event #2 :  Winter Selection Event – Open Singles

• Event #3 :  National Championship – Open Singles

• Event #4 :  National Championship – Open Doubles

Point Table

The point table outlines the number of points awarded to an athlete based on the position they finish at a selection event.

Position	Points
1	100
2	82
3	66
4	52
5	40
6	32
7	24
8	18
9	12
10	6
11	3
12	1
Other	0

Weight of Events

Official selection events are weighted to determine the number of points earned per event.

The weight of an event shows the number used to multiply points earned from an event. The multiplied numbers are totaled to determine the standings.

Criteria has been written to also account for potential cancellation of events.

National Team Standings:

• Event #1 = 30%
• Event #2 = 30%
• Event #3 = 30%
• Event #4 = 10%

If two or more players have the same amount of selection points, the player with the highest status in the Racquetball Canada ranking run after the last event is processed will be considered the top player in terms of selection for national team selection criteria.

Provisions have been made in case of event cancellations and schedule changes. Please see specific team or event selection criteria for more information.

2024-25 National Team Selection Criteria

Current Athlete Points Tables

• TBA

International Event Team Criteria

Each International Event Team involves a specific selection process for athletes and coaches.  International Event Teams are teams of athletes, coaches and other necessary support staff (i.e., a “National Team”) who represent Canada in the sport of racquetball throughout the world.

The selection criteria for upcoming International Event Teams can be found below. If no link exists, the criteria has not yet been posted.

2024 Pan American Championships

2024 World Championships

Athlete Assistance Program (Carding) AAP Criteria

Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) assists international caliber athletes with their training and competition activities, through the provision of a training allowance and, where applicable, tuition expenses. Eligible Athletes who are approved for funding and are financially supported through the AAP are referred to as carded athletes. AAP support is also known as carding.

The program criteria can be reviewed below.

2024-25 AAP Criteria

National Team Policies

Exemption Clause

Injury Prior to the Event

If an athlete is injured prior to starting a selection event and is therefore unable to play in the current selection event, the athlete can submit an exemption request.

A note from a medical doctor, physiotherapist, athletic therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist confirming the injury needs to be sent to the High Performance Director no later than 21 days after the first day of the event for which the exemption is being requested.

Other exemption circumstances

If a circumstance other than an injury prevents an athlete from attending a Racquetball Canada selection event, the circumstances can be submitted to the HPC for evaluation.

• Exemption requests must follow the procedure below: Any request for a non-injury exemption from a Racquetball Canada event should be submitted to the High Performance Director no later than seven days after the first day of the event the exemption is being requested. There will be no consideration for an exemption after this deadline date.
• The request must be made in writing stating the circumstances with supporting evidence emailed or mailed to the Racquetball Canada office.
• In the event of for school or exams, a note from the administration or teacher/professor must be submitted with the request.
• The High Performance Committee will evaluate all requests and deliver its decision in writing.

Standing results of an approved exemption:

Exemption Criteria points are the average of the athlete’s placement in the last three National Team Selection Events on the Racquetball Canada calendar (rounding down at .49 and rounding up at .5) and then adding 2 places. Athletes with no placement in any of the events will be given the placement of 1 more than the number of athletes in the draw of the missed event or 13 (if fewer than 12 in the draw).

Doubles exemption is plus 2 spots from the athlete’s doubles result at the previous National Championships.

Injury during an Event:

Once an athlete has started their first game in the current National Team Selection Event, their resulting position will be determined without any bearing on previous National Team Selection Events.

Racquetball Canada believes all healthy athletes should endeavor to participate in every match scheduled for them to the best of their ability during a Racquetball Canada event.