Akul Ramayani.
Akul Ramayani demonstrating his racquetball skills.
Akul Ramayani, 14, a decorated racquetball player, poses for a photo on Monday.
David Gelardi met Akul Ramayani several years ago at Mike Arteaga’s Health and Fitness Center in Poughkeepsie.
When it came to racquetball that day, Ramayani was a bit lost.
“He couldn’t even hit the ball. He had no idea,” said Gelardi, a 60-year-old resident of Salt Point. “And it wasn’t that long ago.”
Flip ahead to this year. Not many, including Gelardi, can beat Ramayani, a 14-year-old from LaGrange. Not many, including those in Ramayani’s age group across the country.
The teenager has won racquetball tournaments across the globe, from the Dominican Republic to California. This fall, he’ll compete in Mexico in the World Junior Championships, after qualifying for the U.S. National Junior team this past weekend.
He doesn’t exactly know what to expect, but he will be ready.
“The only thing is, I’ll be as prepared as I can be,” Ramayani said. “I’ll do my best.”
Preparation and that positive attitude has gotten the 14-year-old this far.
Ramayani has twice been named the best male Junior Player of the Year by the U.S. Racquetball Association. Last year, he won gold at the World Junior Racquetball championships in the Dominican Republic, and also medaled at the 2015 USA Racquetball National Junior Olympic Championships in Stockton, California.
To earn the spot on this year’s national junior team, Ramayani competed in the boys 14-and-under and 16-and-under singles divisions, and the 14-and-under doubles division at the U.S. Racquetball Junior Olympic Championships in Minneapolis last weekend. He earned a silver medal in both the singles divisions and won gold in the doubles tournament.
Akul Ramayani shows one of his medals from the U.S. Racquetball Junior Olympic Championships on Monday.
The level of competition, Ramayani said, was tough.
Yet over the past few years, he’s learned to go head-to-head with the best of them.
Before his racquetball days started, Ramayani typically played tennis at Vassar College’s outdoor courts. But when the weather turned cold, he found himself longing to keep active. So, he picked up racquetball. One main difference between racquetball and tennis, he said, is the tempo.
“It’s the fastest sport,” said Ramayani, who will be a freshman at Arlington High School in September.
But he got acclimated to the game’s speed, and then, his father, Atul Ramayani, said, learned how to use it to his advantage.
“He can change the pace of a game. He slows down the game,” the elder Ramayani said. “And he likes this game. It’s not like we have to force it.”
His father also cited hard work, dedication and punctuality as three of the main reasons his son has enjoyed success.
“He doesn’t even miss a day,” his father added.
Akul Ramayani’s training routine usually entails practicing on a daily basis for about an hour. He will then run a “a couple miles,” either on a treadmill or a track, then do sets of push-ups and pull-ups.
On the days he plays, he focuses only on what he needs to do on the court. He will contemplate any adjustments he may need to make, doing his due diligence before picking up his racquet.
12 year old stepping up racquetball play versus men
That type of preparation has contributed to Akul Ramayani’s prosperity. Not to mention, it’s drawn the attention and admiration of the older players.
“It’s amazing,” Geraldi said. “He is so good. You can’t get anything past him. He’s good, he’s fast and he’s smart.”
The teenage Ramayani doesn’t envision being a professional racquetball player years down the road. The youngster has dreams of following in the footsteps of his sister, Aakriti Ramayani, who is in New York University’s medical program.
However, for now, he’s content playing, traveling and working hard.
“I always wanted to play a sport competitively,” Ramayani said. “I guess this was the right sport.”
A.J. Martelli: amartelli@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4836, Twitter: @AJM_PoJoSports
Video online
Visit http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com to watch video of Akul Ramayani talking about racquetball.