Simon Roy – Hall of Fame

Accomplishments

To say that 1988 was an exceptional year for Simon Roy would be an understatement. As a junior athlete and fueled by a win against  #3 ranked pro athlete Cliff Swain in 1987, Roy:

• Won the Men’s Open silver medal at the Canadian Championships
• Was named to Racquetball Canada’s national team
• Made the men’s singles quarterfinals at the World Championships
• Was a member of the Men’s Team that won gold at theWorld Championships and the Canadian Team that won the Overall Team silver medal.
• Won silver in 18 & U singles at the World Junior Championships

Roy started playing racquetball in 1979. Even at age ten, it did not take long to become recognized as a future star on the Canadian racquetball scene. He played in his first Junior Canadian Championships in 1983 and finished third, followed by a second place finish in 1984. He topped these results by winning four consecutive Junior Canadian Championship singles titles.

Roy set himself up for success as a young athlete with a solid training and competition plan. As a junior, he was incredibly committed, working with a physical and mental trainer and spending about thirty hours a week on and off the court.

After being named to the national team in 1988, Roy competed for Canada in elite competition on seven occasions, including the 1995 Pan Am Games, five World Championships events and one Pan Am Championships. He had great success, especially in doubles events. Roy was on the podium for Canada thirteen times at the international level. Twelve of those occasions were at the World Championships where he won two gold medals and ten silver.

Roy also left his mark at the national level, winning six Men’s Open Doubles Championship titles in a period of eight years. He also won silver in the Men’s Open singles event five times. In total Roy won fourteen medals in the Men’s Open events at the Canadian Championships including six gold, six silver and two bronze.

Roy also had success at the university level where he played with the Southwest Missouri State University Bears that dominated US Collegiate racquetball at the time. He won three US National Collegiate titles alongside team members Tim Sweeney and John Ellis. Roy won multiple National Collegiate titles including #2 Singles and #1 Doubles.

Roy was known for his outstanding hand eye coordination, his keen understanding of competition in both a physical and mental sense. He was an excellent shot-maker who possessed a competitive calmness that unnerved many of his opponents. Maybe more importantly, he was very well liked by his teammates, his coaches, fellow competitors and he carried himself both on and off the court impressively.

During his career as an athlete, not only did Roy amass an impressive list of podium finishes, he also recorded victories over racquetball greats including Drew Katchtik (#1 ranked pro), Cliff Swain (#3 ranked pro), Tim Sweeney, John Ellis, Sherman Greenfeld, Roger Harripersad, Mike Ceresia, Derek Robinson, Todd O’Neil, Mike Locker, James Lorello, Jimmy Floyd and Sergio Gonzalez.

Roy retired from competition in 1998, completing his twenty year career as an athlete and his ten year national team career on top of his game.

Click here to read Simon Roy’s acceptance remarks from the 2019 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Photo gallery coming soon!

The following video was produced by Simon Roy for Racquetball Canada at the time of his induction in the Hall of Fame.

Career Highlights

1997

• Canadian Championships: 4th – Men’s Open Singles
• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s Open Doubles

1996

• World Championships: SILVER – Men’s Doubles
• World Championships: GOLD – Men’s Team Event
• World Championships: SILVER – Overall Team
• Canadian Championships: 4th – Men’s Open Singles
• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s Open Doubles

1995

• Pan Am Games: 5^th – Men’s Singles
• Pan Am Games: 5th – Men’s Team Event
• Canadian Championships: SILVER – Men’s Open Singles
• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s’ Open Doubles

1994

• World Championships: 6th – Men’s Singles
• World Championships: SILVER – Men’s Team Event
• World Championships: SILVER – Overall Team
• Canadian Championships: SILVER – Men’s Open Singles

1993

• Pan Am Championships: SILVER – Men’s Singles
• Canadian Championships: BRONZE – Men’s Open Singles

1992

• World Championships: SILVER – Men’s Doubles
• World Championships: SILVER – Men’s Team Event
• World Championships: SILVER – Overall Team
• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s Open Doubles

1991

• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s Open Doubles
• Pacific Rim Games: 5th – Men’s Singles

1990

• World Championships: 4th – Men’s Singles
• World Championships: SILVER – Men’s Team Event
• World Championships: SILVER – Overall Team
• Canadian Championships: BRONZE – Men’s Open Singles
• Canadian Championships: GOLD – Men’s Open Doubles

1989

• Canadian Championships: SILVER – Men’s Open Singles
• Canadian Championships: SILVER – Men’s Open Doubles

1988

• World Championships: GOLD – Men’s Team Event
• World Championships: SILVER – Overall Team
• Canadian Championships: SILVER – Men’s Open Singles
• Junior World Championships: SILVER – Boy’s Singles
• Junior Canadian Championships: GOLD – 18 & U Boy’s Singles

1987

• Junior Canadian Championships: GOLD – 18 & U Boy’s Singles
• Junior Canadian Championships: GOLD – 18 & U Boy’s Doubles

1986

• Junior Canadian Championships: GOLD – 16 & U Boy’s Singles

1985

• Junior Canadian Championships: GOLD – 16 U & Boy’s Singles