Dan Craig, racquetball

For Dan Craig, racquetball came easy. So easy in fact that after only two years, Craig is one level away from a professional ranking.

And the best part, Craig has brought his talents to the local university to fire up a first-year racquetball club.

Craig, 20, became interested in the sport after high school when he worked at a health club.

"I was just trying to find a new sport," Craig explains. "My dad played so I kind of grew up around it. Everything just kind of took off."

To say the least.

Racquetball, a sport that usually takes a while to pick up, was as easy as swinging a racket for Craig.

"Everyone was kind of shocked," he said.

Craig got his swing down in St. Louis and now spends his time playing and teaching at the Student Recreational Center at Southeast Missouri State University.

The club, which started with only six members, is, like many clubs at the university, beginning to gain respect and growing in the process. With the club up to 17 members -- two joined this past week -- Craig is optimistic about the team's future.

"Any student with a racket can play," he said. "We have some guys who played in high school and some guys who come out and have never played before. That is fine; we just teach them. To the kids who just come out to see what it is like, it becomes addicting."

They practice in the evening every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The club enters tournaments whenever the opportunity presents itself.

"Technically the NCAA doesn't recognize us, so it's just a club sport," explained Craig. "Which means we get in tournaments only when we can set them up."

The club recently visited Southwest Missouri State University and will play at Arizona State in the coming weeks.

They will also be traveling to St. Louis for the regional tournament and state tournament this year. Craig said, "This is pretty hefty competition. You wouldn't believe how hard some of these guys hit the ball. You are swinging, diving and rolling around on the floor all at the same time.

"It's all about angles, it is more difficult than tennis because there are much more angles, it is so much more than just hitting the ball."

Craig hopes to perfect his game in the coming years and reach the professional level, where winning means more than just bringing home a trophy.

"There is some money involved, enough so that you could survive," Craig said. "I would love to play at that level. I think that is realistic for me."

Whether he plays pro or not, he does plan on playing as long as his body will allow. And that could be a while.

"There are 70-year-old men out there beating up on these young guys," he said. "They can put the ball anywhere they want and all us young guys are diving all over the place."

Above all, he would like to see racquetball continue its growth.

"High school racquetball is growing rapidly and hopefully in 10 to 15 years the NCAA will recognize the sport," Craig said.

As for the club team at Southeast.

"I have been doing some recruiting. We got three of the top high school players in the state coming next year," he said excitedly. "The future is looking brighter than snowflakes."

-- David Unterreiner