News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Roberto Cardenas is an outstanding racquetball player.
Folks in Sisters know Roberto Cardenas as the proprietor of Rio Restaurant at FivePine. Few know that he is an outstanding competitive racquetball player.
A week ago, Cardenas medaled in the International Racquetball Tour tournament in Portland, taking silver in A-division singles and gold in open 35-and-older doubles. The impressive showing is typical of Cardenas' competitive play.
He's been a force to be reckoned with at regional and national competitions that draw the best players in the country.
Cardenas plays at the A and Elite levels, a tier below the open level. At his level, he is one of the best players in Oregon.
It's not easy attaining and maintaining that status, especially when your day-job is as all-consuming as owning and operating a couple of notable Mexican restaurants.
"I work seven days a week, so most of my training is when I get off at 9 or 10 o'clock," he notes. "I wish we could have a racquetball court in town."
During tournament season - he plays in about eight each year - Cardenas must train twice a day, several days a week. He plays at Fitness 1440 in Bend, which is open 24/7. In the morning, he will drill for an hour, then return late at night to play some of the top-quality players who live here in Central Oregon.
Those players have honed Cardenas' edge, helping him advance quickly in his skills since he took up the sport in 2006.
Cardenas is a hitter.
"I hit the ball probably 130 miles per hour," he says. "My cross-court forehand shot is what I love the most."
Regardless of power, however, racquetball is at its core a game of court position.
"I can hit the ball from every part of the court and I feel confident doing it," Cardenas says.
The sport is a form of very intense recreation for a hard-working man in a high-stress industry.
"I love racquetball," he says. "It's where I find myself relaxed, when I'm on that court."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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