Junior taking Maryland by storm
For 4 years straight Maryland’s Jamal Harris held the State champ title in the Men’s Open division. As of March 04, 2007 an amazing 16-year-old up and comer by the name of Mauricio “Mo” Zelada is the new titleholder. This young man’s game is improving at a very rapid pace thanks to his hard work, dedication and the tutelage of former IRT Pro Dan Fowler.
In 2005 before my move to Maryland I remember seeing this youngster playing in a regional tournament and saw nothing out of the ordinary except that he was an easy kid to talk with. Barely a better player than he was, I felt compelled to tell this young man he is at a prime age to develop into a great player with plenty of practice. Little did I know this would actually transpire before my very own eyes.
Young Mauricio, born in Santa Cruz, Bolivia to mother Sandra Montano and father Juan Carlos Zelada, tried Fronton (South American form of Paddleball) after watching dad, a top outdoor player in the country. Not finding a lot of interest at first, he would take up soccer and later try Fronton again, playing older guys for loose change or soft drinks. Mom, not fond of the idea quickly signed him up at a local club to play indoors. Initially struggling with 4 walls he began to dislike the indoor version, but gave it fair time eventually admiring the indoor game and claiming it “the best sport ever”. Through the years he had various coaches becoming junior local and state champ, also placing 3rd in his first ever-National tournament in his country. Then Juan Carlos his most recent coach at the time put a team together to compete in the 2002 Junior Worlds in Florida, USA, Mauricio was a member of this team.
They would enter the United States 2 days before the tournament, Mauricio’s mother on board with the team as well. In a televised interview at the tournament, a 12-year-old and very confident Mauricio said he would bring home the trophy for his country. He later lost in the first round of both divisions entered. That would be the last time he and his mother would see his teammates, his coach, and his native country, Bolivia.
Mauricio’s mother had friends and family that lived in Northern Virginia, their temporary new residence. Monetary means would hinder this young mans’ racquetball dreams for a little over a year. Eventually mom got herself on her feet, and fully supporting her sons’ dream, signed him up at a club in Arlington, Virginia. This youngster who did not speak English and knew no one, practiced alone everyday. Then they heard Laurel Sport Fit in Maryland was hosting a junior tournament and Mauricio played the 14 and under division placing 3rd. Shortly after this he met Jeffrey and his mother Susan Flaesch, a very strong supporter of junior racquetball in the area and a Maryland racquetball board member. This same year they would all go to the 2004 Junior Nationals in Wisconsin, where Jeff and Mauricio paired up for Doubles. The team would win their first round and Mauricio would do the same in singles. Second round of play would prove tough, facing defeat in both divisions.
Not long after Junior Nationals, and enticed by tournament activity in Maryland, Mauricio’s mother changed jobs moving them to Beltsville, Maryland. Often times she worked 2 jobs and commuted on Metro transportation in order to support her son’s choice. Through out this time Mauricio staying active in local and national events, frequently traveling the country and playing at the 2005 Junior Nationals in Portland, Oregon. With Doreen Fowler, a current Pro on the women’s pro tour as team coach, Mauricio showed much improvement, but still struggled. Upon his return from this event, former IRT Pro Dan Fowler met them at the airport. Dan and Mauricio talked and Dan handed the young man his number with an invite to play together whenever Mauricio hits the courts again. Two months later Dan receives the call and after seeing something in this young man, both he and Doreen take the youngster under their wing.
In June 2006, Michigan hosted Junior Nationals where Mauricio was ready for his challenge. His first round loss resulted in him dropping down to the losers’ bracket where he met his doubles partner Jeff Flaesch for a tiebreaker that ended 11-10 in Mauricio’s favor. Not long after this event, Mauricio and his mother moved to their current location in Columbia, Maryland where he splits time between a local club named Columbia Association as well as Laurel Sport Fit, practicing and playing every single day he can and often working and training with Dan Fowler. This hard work and dedication just recently showed significant improvements.
Before meeting Dan at the end of the 2004-05 season, young Mauricio was playing in the D’s and C’s, but in the opening of the 2005-06 season he entered A’s for the first time ever at Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Center. He would barrel his way through the division and into the finals against Jeff Nelson. After a tiebreaker with the scores 15-14,12-15, and 11-8 Mauricio came out the winner. A few tournaments later he met doubles partner Jeff Flaesch in the Men’s A finals, Mauricio winning this one also after a 15-5, 15-13 battle.
In December of 2006, at the Christmas Classic hosted by Crystal City Gateway in Arlington, VA, Mauricio played Tim Hardison in the round of 32 for a 15-14, 15-7 win putting him in the 16’s against #10 on the IRT tour Andy Hawthorne. He pushed Andy to the limit with scores of 14-15, 15-13 finally succumbing to the experience of a pro in the tiebreaker 11-4. More tournaments passed before Jeff Nelson and Mauricio would eventually meet in the semifinals, this time going to Jeff Nelson after a 15-9, 15-9 match up. But the highlight of THIS tournament for the young man was a first round Open match against the Great Ruben Gonzalez ending with a fight the he put up for a 15-10, 15-9 loss.
On the weekend of March 02-04,2007 Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Center hosted the Maryland State Singles tournament. Mauricio, playing the Men’s Open division played Steve Papaminas in the first round, defeating him in two games 15-11, 15-10. This win placed him in the quarters against the #1 seed Jamal Harris for their 3rd meeting of the season, each of the last 2 ending in tiebreakers 11-10 and 11-7. March 3rd things would change. Mo could not miss in this match, flat rolling every pinch and 38ft. setup he touched. Finally at the end of another tiebreaker this young man hit a backhand pinch rollout and emerged out of the court victorious behind an 11-5 score…he had eliminated the current 4-time state champ.
The event was far from over for Mauricio, he met Joe Roth in the semifinals taking him out in a close nail biting tiebreaker 15-8,9-15 and 11-9 granting himself a front and center pass for Sundays’ final against Jason Colangelo. After some serious action and tough game play, it would be another tiebreaker that would decide Mauricio’s fate in this tournament. Sunday afternoon, the match would come to an end 8-15,15-8 and 11-7, this tournament would close out, and Dan Fowler’s protégé and an adamant student of the game, 16-year-old Mauricio “Mo” Zelada would now hold title of State Champ.
You know…dreams do come true.
WAY TO GO MO!!!!
Though I was not the first one, I would like to send a big congratulation to the young man and to Dan Fowler, and much luck in the future with his goals.
Izzy: What are your racquetball goals?
Mo: Get a car to travel to as many Pro Stops as possible, win Junior Nationals, make Team USA and Ultimately, be #1 in the world before 20 yrs old and win the US OPEN as a Pro. “I want to shock everyone”
Izzy: Who are your favorite players?
Mo: Dan Fowler “He is Like my Family”, and Cliff Swain “because he’d Rather kill himself than lose”
Izzy: Who would you like to thank?
Mo: Mom and Jorge Moreno (my step dad) thank you for all your support, Dan
and Doreen Fowler (If not for them I would still be in C’s and D’s), The Flaesch
family who also took me in as one of there own, my sponsor Ektelon, Tracey
Valentine, Israel “Izzy” Rivera and all the Maryland players who supported and
cheered for me.