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Rocky Carson (born May 21, 1979) is an American professional
racquetball Racquetball is a racquet sport and a team sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek invented the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase velo ...
player. Carson's a forme
International Racquetball Federation (IRF)
World Champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
in Men's Singles – a title he's won a record five times. He has been the season ending #1 player on the
International Racquetball Tour The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) is the leading professional racquetball organization for men's competition. It was founded in 1991 and is the successor to previous iterations of the tour by different names. Professional Men's racquetbal ...
(IRT) twice, including in 2017–18. Carson has also played outdoor racquetball, and in 2008, he became the first man to win Men's Singles at the World Outdoor Championship, as well as the indoor IRF World Championship, and US Open.


Junior Years

Carson played multiple sports as a boy, and was good at several: baseball, basketball and tennis. But he had a passion for racquetball. That passion led to Carson playing a lot of racquetball as a junior, and doing so quite successfully. He won Boys' Singles in several age categories at th
USA Racquetball
Junior Olympics. Carson's first title was in U10 in 1990. In 1992, he began a streak of five consecutive titles with a win in U12, followed by two U14 wins in 1993 and 1994, and two wins in U16 in 1995 and 1996. Carson's final US junior title was a win in U18 in 1998. Carson won two US junior doubles titles in U18. He and Tyler Siggins won in 1997, and he won with Josh Tucker in 1998. Carson also successfully competed several times at th
International Racquetball Federation (IRF)
World Junior Championships. He won Boy's U16 Singles and Doubles (with Ryan Staten) in 1995. Then Carson won Boy's U18 Singles three consecutive years: 1996–1998, becoming the second boy to do so after
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
. Carson attended Saddleback College, and he competed for that school at the 1998 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships, winning the Men's #1 title.


1998 to 2006 – Career begins

Carson played on Team USA for the first time at the 1998
Racquetball World Championships The World Racquetball Championships is the top international racquetball competition organized by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF). History The first event was held in 1981 as part of the 1981 World Games. The second World Championsh ...
(Worlds) in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where he finished with a bronze medal in Men's Singles, and gold in the Men's Team event. Carson was a quarterfinalist at the USAR 1998 National Doubles Championships in October 1998 in Baltimore. He and James Mulcock lost to Doug Ganim and Dan Obremski – a two time World Championship team, 15–7, 5–15, 11–7. Ganim was complementary to Carson saying "We pretty much kept it away from Rocky, but when he got his racquet on it, he put it away about every time." Carson began to play the
International Racquetball Tour The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) is the leading professional racquetball organization for men's competition. It was founded in 1991 and is the successor to previous iterations of the tour by different names. Professional Men's racquetbal ...
tournaments in the 1998–99 season. He'd played a few events in previous seasons – including the first
US Open Racquetball Championships The UnitedHealthcare US Open Racquetball Championships is the premier professional racquetball event. It is a Grand Slam event with men and women competing from the International Racquetball Tour and Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, respectivel ...
in 1996, when he lost to Michael Bronfeld in the Round of 32 – but in 98-99 he played most of the tournaments, and finished 11th on tour. Carson reached a semi-final in that first season, when he lost to
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
in the semis in Rochester, New York. The following season, 1999–2000, Carson made the quarterfinals at the US Open for the first time, losing to
Cliff Swain Cliff Swain (born March 21, 1966) is a professional racquetball player and coach from Boston, Massachusetts. Known for his dominant drive serve and on-court intensity, Swain finished as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) ...
, 11–3, 11–8, 11–9. Carson's second semi-final happened in his second season in Las Vegas, when he lost to John Ellis, 11–6, 11–5, 10–12, 11–5. He played in seven events in all, and finished in the top 10 at the end of the season for the first time in 7th position. In 2000, Carson won the USA Racquetball National Singles Championship for the first time. He was seeded 6th, and defeated 8th seed Doug Eagle in the final. 15–7, 15–7. To reach the final, Carson beat Brian Fredenberg in the quarterfinals, 15–7, 15–13, and
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the semi-finals, 15–11, 15–6. He also played in Worlds for the 2nd time in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and came home with two silver medals. He finished 2nd in Men's Singles, as he lost the final to Mexican
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
, 15–10, 12–15, 11–6, and the USA men were 2nd in the Men's Team event. Carson and James Mulcock finished in the quarterfinals at the 2000 USAR National Doubles Championships in Baltimore, where they lost to Todd O'Neill and Derek Robinson, 15–11, 15–13. In 2000–2001, Carson reached two IRT finals. First in February 2001 at the Michael Lanning Pro-Am in Minneapolis, he beat
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the quarterfinals, John Ellis in the semi-finals, before losing to Monchik in the final, 12–10, 11–7, 11–5. Then at the Howard McKahand Memorial Pro-Am in Coral Springs, Florida, Carson reached the final by defeating Derek Robinson in the quarters, Swain in the semis, and then lost to final to Ellis, 11–9, 11–8, 10–12, 11–9. He finished ranked 5th at the end of the IRT season. Carson won the 2001
Pan American Racquetball Championships The Pan American Racquetball Championships are held annually in the spring with play ending on the day before Easter. Originally called the Tournament of the Americas, the Pan American Championships are hosted by the Pan American Racquetball Confede ...
in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where he defeated Canadian
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
in the final, 15–9, 15–13. Carson was the defending champion at the 2001 USAR National Singles Championships, and had a chance to defend the title, but lost to
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
, 15–11, 15–6. Carson beat Dan Fowler in the semi-finals, 15–8, 15–10, to reach the final. Carson took a step back in 2001–2002, as he didn't reach an IRT final, and was only in one semi-final, which led to a season ending ranking of 7th. But in 2002–03, Carson won his first IRT event: the North Carolina Open in Greensboro in March 2003. Carson beat Swain in the quarterfinals, Mike Green in the semi-finals, and
Jason Mannino Jason Mannino, born January 28, 1975, is a retired American racquetball player. Mannino was the #1 player at the end of the 2002-200International Racquetball Tour (IRT)season, and is a two-time winner of the US Open. He was named to the USA Ra ...
in the final, 13–11, 11–9, 11–3. The win helped him finish 6th at the end of the season. In 2003, Carson won his 2nd USA National Singles Championship. He had to come back from a game down, and fight off match point in the tie-breaker to defeat
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the final, 6–15, 15–12, 11–10. The win qualified Carson as part of Team USA for the
2003 Pan American Games The 2003 Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from August 1 to 17, 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when Dominican Republic had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America. Al ...
. Carson competed in Men's Singles at the 2003 Pan Am Games, and finished with a bronze medal. He lost to team-mate Huczek in the semi-finals, 11–15, 15–12, 11–6. The two Americans were on the same side of the draw, as Carson lost one of his preliminary round matches to Canadian Mike Green, 15–14, 10–15, 11–9. Carson's second IRT win happened about a year after his first, as he won the Kentucky Pro-Am in Louisville in March 2004. Carson defeated Swain in the quarters, Monchik in the semis, and once again beat Mannino in the final, 11–9, 13–15, 11–5, 8–11, 11–7. He was in two other finals that season, 2003–04, and finished the season with a career high ranking of 4th. Carson was part of Team USA for the
World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
for the third time in 2004, when they played in Anyang, South Korea. He earned a bronze medal in Men's Singles, and helped the Men's Team win gold. In singles, Carson lost in the semi-finals to Mexican
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
, 15–10, 15–12. In the team event, the USA beat Mexico in the semi-finals and then Canada in the final. In 2004, Carson won the USAR National Doubles Championships for the first time, when he partnered with
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in October in Tempe, Arizona. They won the title by defeating Jason Thoerner and Mitch Williams, 15–9, 15–14, in the final. They reached the final by beating
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
and Josh Tucker in the semis, 15–3, 15–11. However, on the IRT, Carson again took a step back, as he only made one final over the next two seasons: 2004–05 and 2005–06, finishing those seasons ranked 5th and 6th, respectively. Carson was runner up to Huczek at the 2005 USAR National Singles Championships. He got to the final by defeating
Andy Hawthorne Andy Hawthorne, OBE is a British evangelist, author and founder of The Message Trust, a Christian mission organisation based in Manchester, UK. Working for over 30 years with young people and communities across the UK. His initiatives and the ...
in the semi-finals, 15–6, 15–2. In the final, Carson won the first game, but Huczek came back to win the next two, taking the match, 11–15, 15–9, 11–9.


2006 to 2017 – Career prime

The prime of Carson's career began in 2006, when Carson won US National Singles for the 3rd time, and again it was
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
that he met in the final. As in 2003, Carson needed a tie-breaker to defeat his long time rival, 15–10, 13–15, 11–3. Carson reached the final by defeating Jason Thoerner in the semi-finals, 15–4, 15–5. For the first time in his career, Carson played doubles at an international event, as he partnered with Huczek for Men's Doubles at the 2006 World Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There they lost to Mexico's
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
and Javier Moreno in the final, 15–8, 15–14, but the USA did win the Men's Team event, and Carson contributed as he and Huczek beat Canada's Mike Green and Brian Istace, 15–2, 15–4, in the Team final. He and Huczek also played together in the 2006 USAR National Doubles Championship in October, and they won the title by defeating
Andy Hawthorne Andy Hawthorne, OBE is a British evangelist, author and founder of The Message Trust, a Christian mission organisation based in Manchester, UK. Working for over 30 years with young people and communities across the UK. His initiatives and the ...
and Jeff Stark in the final. They got to the final with a win over Jeff Bell and Doug Ganim in the semi-finals. In February 2007, Carson won his 3rd IRT event, as he beat Huczek in the final of the Seattle Open, 11–3, 11–6, 4–11, 12–14, 11–3. That was the highlight of his 2006–07 IRT season, which saw Carson in six finals and seven semi-finals, and finish with a career best ranking of #3 at season's end. As defending champion, Carson was seeded 1st for the 2007 USAR National Singles Championships, but he lost in the semi-finals of eventual winner Mitch Williams. It was an unusual year, because 2nd seed
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
lost in the other semi-final to
Shane Vanderson Shane Vanderson (born May 26, 1981) is a retired professional racquetball player. Vanderson was thInternational Racquetball Tour's (IRT's)#5 player at the end of three seasons: 2006-07, 2007–08, 2009-10.http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Hi ...
. Carson's loss is the only time he has lost in a semi-final at National Singles. Nonetheless, Carson went on to have his best IRT season in 2007–08, when he won seven tournaments, was runner up in four others and finished the season ranked #1. The highlight was winning the 2007 US Open. In that event, Carson defeated
Andy Hawthorne Andy Hawthorne, OBE is a British evangelist, author and founder of The Message Trust, a Christian mission organisation based in Manchester, UK. Working for over 30 years with young people and communities across the UK. His initiatives and the ...
in the quarterfinals,
Jason Mannino Jason Mannino, born January 28, 1975, is a retired American racquetball player. Mannino was the #1 player at the end of the 2002-200International Racquetball Tour (IRT)season, and is a two-time winner of the US Open. He was named to the USA Ra ...
in the semis, and
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the final, 11–3, 7–11, 11–8, 11–6. Building on his IRT success, Carson defeated Huczek again in the final of the 2008 USAR National Singles Championships, winning the event for a fourth time. That win put Carson on Team USA for the 2008 World Championships in Kingscourt, Ireland, where Carson won Men's Singles for the first time. Once again, it was Huczek who he faced in the final, and again they went to a tie-breaker. Carson won it after facing match points in both the second game and the breaker, 12–15, 15–14, 11–10. Carson won two events during the 2008–09 IRT season, and the decrease was primarily due to
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
's return to the tour after two years away due to suspension. They met in the first final of season: the 2008 Motorola IRT World Championships in Denver, and Waselenchuk won in a tie-breaker, 11–6, 11–6, 8–11, 8–11, 11–1. They played eight more times during the season with Waselenchuk winning all of the matches. Nevertheless, Carson finished #2 on the IRT that season. In 2009, Carson was in both the US National Doubles Championship final and the US National Singles Championship final, and both ended with 11–10 tie-breakers. He and
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
won doubles against Ben Croft and Mitch Williams, 15–9, 7–15, 11–10, but he lost to the singles final to Huczek, 7–15, 15–9, 11–10. Carson got to the final with a win over
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
in the semi-finals, 15–7, 15–10. Carson's Men's Singles World Championship in 2008 qualified him for the
2009 World Games The 2009 World Games () the eighth edition of the World Games, were an international multi-sport event held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan (under the name Chinese Taipei) from 16 July 2009 to 26 July 2009. The games featured sports that are not contested i ...
in
Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...
,
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
, where he captured the silver medal in Men's Singles. Carson beat Canadian Mike Green, 15–9, 15–9, in the quarterfinals, and Mexican
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
in the semi-finals, 9–15, 15–7, 11–8, to set up another showdown with countryman
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
. As usual, the two Americans went to a tie-breaker with Huczek coming out on top, 2–15, 15–12, 11–8. In 2009–2010, Carson didn't win an IRT event for the first time in three seasons. He was in two finals, losing both to Waselenchuk. Still, Carson was able to finish ranked 3rd that season. Carson lost in the final of the 2010 US National Doubles Championships with partner Josh Tucker to Ben Croft and Mitch Williams, 15–13, 15–8. But Carson did win the 2010 US National Singles Championship. He played
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the final, but this time didn't need a tie-breaker to defeat his rival, winning 15–11, 15–5. The US Singles Championship title qualified Carson for the US Team for the 2010 World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, where he was the defending champion in Men's Singles. Carson successfully defended his title by defeating Huczek in the final, 15–13, 15–14, to win his 2nd World Championship. He beat Bolivian Ricardo Monroy in the semi-finals, 15–13, 15–12. Carson was back in the IRT winner's circle in the 2010–2011 season, as he defeated
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
, 11–2, 11–6, 11–8, in the Chihuahua, Mexico to win the Corona Open. Carson was in 11 other finals that season, and 12 finals in one IRT season remains a career best for him. Ten of those finals were losses to
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
(the other was versus
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
), so the tour was really a Waselenchuk-Carson show that season. Carson finished the season #2. Carson and Huczek won USAR National Doubles in 2011, as they defeated
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
and
Shane Vanderson Shane Vanderson (born May 26, 1981) is a retired professional racquetball player. Vanderson was thInternational Racquetball Tour's (IRT's)#5 player at the end of three seasons: 2006-07, 2007–08, 2009-10.http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Hi ...
in the final, 15–7, 5–15, 11–10. They beat
Andy Hawthorne Andy Hawthorne, OBE is a British evangelist, author and founder of The Message Trust, a Christian mission organisation based in Manchester, UK. Working for over 30 years with young people and communities across the UK. His initiatives and the ...
and Jose Rojas in the semi-finals, 15–13, 15–10. The 2011 USAR National Singles Championships had an IRT division, which Carson competed in rather than the US Team Qualifying Division. In the IRT division, Carson lost in the final to Waselenchuk. Carson was on Team USA for the
2011 Pan American Games The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games, was an international multi-sport event that was held from October 14–30, 2011, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby cities of Ciudad Guzmán, ...
in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he won gold in Men's singles. Carson beat Mexican Gilberto Mejia, 15–1, 15–13, in the final, and Mexican
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
in the semi-finals, 15–12, 15–12. In the Men's Team event, the USA finished 2nd to Mexico. In the final, Carson again defeated Mejia, but Beltran defeated
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
, and in doubles Beltran and Javier Moreno defeated Crowther and
Shane Vanderson Shane Vanderson (born May 26, 1981) is a retired professional racquetball player. Vanderson was thInternational Racquetball Tour's (IRT's)#5 player at the end of three seasons: 2006-07, 2007–08, 2009-10.http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Hi ...
, so Mexico won gold by 2 matches to 1. Carson won one IRT event in the 2011–2012 season. His win was over
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
in the 2012 New York City Pro-Am, as Waselenchuk was injured during the final. Carson was in six other finals, including the 2011 US Open, which he lost to Waselenchuk, 7–11, 11–2, 11–4, 11–7. Carson again finished the season #2. In 2012 for the second consecutive year and sixth overall, Carson won National Doubles, but this was the first time he won with someone other than
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
. He teamed up with Ben Croft, and they defeated
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
and
Shane Vanderson Shane Vanderson (born May 26, 1981) is a retired professional racquetball player. Vanderson was thInternational Racquetball Tour's (IRT's)#5 player at the end of three seasons: 2006-07, 2007–08, 2009-10.http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Hi ...
in the final, 15–7, 15–4. They defeated Tony Carson (no relation) and Charlie Pratt in the semi-finals, 15–4, 10–15, 11–6. In the IRT division of USAR National Singles Championships, Carson lost in the semi-finals to
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
, 3–11, 12–10, 11–13, 11–8, 11–5. Carson went to the 2012 World Championships in
Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional) , websi ...
,
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
as the 2 time defending Men's Singles champion. He won the title for the 3rd time by defeating Mexican Polo Gutierrez, 15–6, 15–11, in the final, which was the first time Carson didn't face
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in the final, as Huczek retired in 2011. He was a multiple winner on the IRT in the 2012–13 season, when Carson won three times. He beat
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
, 11–7, 11–3, 5–11, 9–11, 11–8, to win the 2012 New Jersey Open, defeated Jose Rojas, 11–7, 11–9, 11–4, to win the 2013 New York Pro-Am, and got a win over
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
in the final of the Mile High Pro-Am in Denver, where Waselenchuk had to retire due to injury with Carson up 2–1 in games. Overall, Carson finished #2 to Waselenchuk in the season ending rankings. Carson and Ben Croft were the defending champions going into the 2013 USAR National Doubles Championships, but they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Jansen Allen and Tony Carson, 15–7, 15–14. The 2013 USAR National Singles Championships had an IRT division, which Carson competed in rather than the US Team Qualifying Division. In the IRT division, Carson lost in the final to Waselenchuk, 11–1, 11–2, 11–3. He got to the final by defeating Croft in the semis, 11–7, 11–5, 12–10, and Daniel De La Rosa in the quarters, 11–4, 11–1, 11–7. The 2012 World Championship Men's Singles title qualified Carson for the
2013 World Games The 2013 World Games ( es, Juegos Mundiales 2013), the ninth World Games, were an international multi-sport event held in the city of Cali, Colombia, from July 25 to August 4. Host city allocation history The 2013 World Games were initially all ...
in Cali, Colombia. However, in Cali, Carson lost to Mexican Gilberto Mejia, 15–10, 9–15, 11–9, in the semi-finals, which was a measure of revenge for Mejia, who Carson beat in the semi-finals at Worlds in 2012. Carson did win the bronze medal match against fellow American Jose Rojas, 15–12, 9–15, 11–5. Carson won one tournament during the 2013–14 IRT season, which was the 23rd Annual Turkey Shoot in Garden City, Kanas, where he defeated
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
in the final, 11–7, 10–12, 11–4, 1–11, 11–6. He was runner up in five other events, four times to
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
and once to Jose Rojas. Carson was again the #2 ranked player on the IRT at season's end. Carson and Rojas teamed up for the 2014 USAR National Doubles Championships, and won the title by defeating his former partner Ben Croft and Thomas Fuhrmann in the final, 12–15, 15–14, 11–3. Carson didn't play singles in the 2014 USAR National Singles Championships. Carson's IRT ranking put him on Team USA for the 2014 World Championships in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He came in as the 3 time World Champion in Men's Singles, and captured the title for a 4th time by defeating Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso, 15–3, 15–8, in the Men's Singles final. Four wins set a record, as Carson moved ahead of
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
, who won 3 Men's Singles titles. In the semi-finals, Carson beat team-mate Jose Rojas, 15–8, 15–12. In the 2014–15 IRT season, Carson was in 11 finals – tied for second best in his career – and won three times, leading to a #2 ranking. Carson's final wins were against
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
twice – in St. Louis and in Davison, Michigan – and once against Ben Croft in Garden City, Kansas. Carson didn't play in either the 2015 USAR National Doubles Championships or the 2015 USAR National Singles Championships. But Carson's IRT ranking put him on Team USA for the
2015 Pan American Games Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak alb ...
in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. He was the defending Pan Am Games gold medalist in Men's singles having won four years earlier in Guadalajara, Mexico. Carson successfully defended his gold medal by defeating Mexican Daniel De La Rosa in the semi-finals, 15–14, 15–8, and Mexican
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
in the final, 15–11, 15–10. However, as in Guadalajara, Mexico got the better of the US in the Men's Team final, so Carson was a silver medalist in that event. Carson won three times during the 2015–16 IRT season, and finished the season #2 for the sixth consecutive season. He defeated Jose Rojas in Davison, Michigan, 11–2, 11–2, 11–8; he beat
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
in Huber Heights, Ohio, 11–7, 9–11, 11–6, 8–11, 11–9; Carson came back from 0-2 down to win against Daniel De La Rosa in Sarasota, Florida, 5–11, 7–11, 11–8, 11–4, 11–1. At the 2016 USAR National Doubles Championships, Carson played with Jansen Allen, and they reached the finals by defeating Anthony Herrera and David Horn in the semi-finals, 15–9, 15–3. But in the final Carson and Allen lost to Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz, 15–14, 15–11. He won the 2016 USAR National Singles Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where Carson defeated
Chris Crowther Chris Crowther (born November 6, 1978) is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the I ...
in the semi-finals, 13–15, 15–12, 11–7, and then beat Diaz in the final, 15–10, 15–2. Those results put Carson on Team USA for the
2016 Racquetball World Championships The International Racquetball Federation's 18th Racquetball World Championships were held in Cali, Colombia from July 15 to 23, 2016. This was the first time Colombia has hosted Worlds, and the first time Worlds have been in South America since ...
in
Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census. The city spans with of urban area, making Cali the second ...
,
Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
, where he was the 4-time defending champion in Men's Singles. Once again Carson successfully defended his title, winning Men's Singles for a record extending 5th time. In the semi-finals, Carson faced Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, who he had beaten in the final two years before in two straight games. This time he needed a tie-breaker to get past the Bolivian, 15–12, 12–15, 11–4. In the final, Carson also needed three games to defeat Mexican Daniel De La Rosa, 15–11, 5–15, 11–5, and win his 5th title. Carson finished as the #2 player on the IRT for a 7th season in 2016–17. That season he was in six finals, and won once, when he defeated De La Rosa in Dayton, Ohio, 12–10, 11–9, 9–11, 11–8. Carson faced
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
in the other finals, and Waselenchuk won all of them en route to finishing #1. Carson switched partners for the 2017 USAR National Doubles Championships, partnering with Jose Diaz, who had been part of the team (with Jake Bredenbeck) that defeated Carson the year before, when he played with Jansen Allen. It was a successful change, as Carson and Diaz won the final, coming back from a game down to narrowly defeat the brother team of Jose Rojas and Marco Rojas, 4–15, 15–12, 11–10. In the semi-finals, Carson and Diaz beat Robert Collins and David Horn, 15–10, 15–10. At the 2017 USAR National Singles Championships, Carson won the US Team Qualifying division by defeating Horn in the final, 15–8, 15–7. In the semi-finals, he faced doubles partner Diaz, and needed three games to win, 15–7, 11–15, 11–1.


2018–present – Surprises

The 2017–18 IRT season was a strange one for Carson. In the first part of the season, Carson was runner up to
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
in the first four events of the season, including the 2017 US Open. But Carson wasn't in another final until the last event of the season in Sarasota, Florida, where he also lost to Waselenchuk, 15–5, 15–4. Nonetheless, Carson finished as the #1 IRT player in 2017–18, as Waselenchuk was hurt for most of the second half of the season. In Waselenchuk's absence five other players won events – Daniel De La Rosa, Charlie Pratt, Sebastian Franco, Andree Parrilla, and
Alejandro Landa Alejandro Landa (born March 20, 1988) is a Mexican-born American racquetball player. Landa is a former World Champion in Men's Singles, winning the title in Guatemala City in December 2021 while playing for the USA. Previously, he'd represented ...
, who won twice. Yet none of those players were consistent enough pass Carson in the rankings, who surprisingly finished #1 despite not winning an IRT event. The kicker was that Carson missed the San Antonio event in March 2018, which was the first time he hadn't played an IRT event since September 2000, a streak of 216 events over more than 17 years. Still, Carson was #1 for the first time since 2007–08. For the 5th time in as many events, Carson had a new doubles partner for the 2018 USAR National Doubles Championships, when he partnered with
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
. They won the championship by defeating Adam Manilla and Nicholas Riffel in the semi-finals, 8–15, 15–13, 11–8, and David Horn and Mauro Rojas in the final, 15–14, 15–8. The win secured a spot on Team USA at the 2018 World Championships for Carson and Monchik, so Carson didn't play in the 2018 USAR National Singles Championships. Thus, surprisingly rather than trying to win a 6th World Championship in Men's Singles, Carson played Men's Doubles with Monchik at the 2018 World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. They were runners up in Men's Doubles, losing to Mexicans
Álvaro Beltrán Álvaro Beltrán (born October 15, 1978), is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the currenInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Lui ...
and Daniel De La Rosa in the final, 10–15, 15–9, 11–2. Carson and Monchik got to the final by defeating Colombians Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado in the quarterfinals, 15–11, 15–13, and Canadians
Tim Landeryou Tim Landeryou (born March 16, 1984) is a Canadian retired racquetball player. He was a member of the Canadian National Team from 2010 to 2020, winning multiple medals in international competitions. Junior Years Landeryou won the Boy's U14 Dou ...
and Samuel Murray, 15–12, 15–2, in the semi-finals. Carson got a good start to the 2018–19 IRT season, as he won the opening event in Laurel, Maryland, where he defeated Samuel Murray in the final, 15–7, 15–12. Carson beat Sebastian Franco in the semi-finals, 15–8, 15–12. For the third year running, Carson won the USAR National Doubles Championship, and did so with a third different partner and sixth different partner over six events. In 2019, he teamed up with Charlie Pratt to win the title. They won the final in three games over Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz, 15–8, 5–15, 11–7. Winning doubles qualified Carson for
Team USA The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
for the
2019 Pan American Games The 2019 Pan American Games ( es, Juegos Panamericanos de 2019, links=no), officially the XVIII Pan American Games and commonly known as the Lima 2019 Pan-Am Games or Lima 2019 ( qu, Limaq 2019), were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Spo ...
, so Carson didn't compete at the 2019 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships. Carson's USA Doubles streak stopped in 2020, when he and Pratt played at the 2020 USAR Doubles Championship in Tempe, Arizona, where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions
Alejandro Landa Alejandro Landa (born March 20, 1988) is a Mexican-born American racquetball player. Landa is a former World Champion in Men's Singles, winning the title in Guatemala City in December 2021 while playing for the USA. Previously, he'd represented ...
and
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
, 8–15, 15–9, 11–9. However, they were able to regain the title in 2021, when they defeated brothers Jake and Sam Bredenbeck, 12–15, 15–4, 11–8. In 2021, Carson also won USA Racquetball's Men's Singles Championship, defeating Landa in the final, 15–12, 15–13.


Career summary

Carson has been in 26 IRT finals, winning 26 times over 247 tournaments (as of February 18, 2019). His wins include the 2007 US Open Championship. Twice Carson has been the #1 IRT player at season's end, only four other players have been #1 multiple times:
Kane Waselenchuk Kane Waselenchuk (born November 9, 1981) is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018-19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tourbr> (IRT)for a record extending 13th ti ...
(13),
Cliff Swain Cliff Swain (born March 21, 1966) is a professional racquetball player and coach from Boston, Massachusetts. Known for his dominant drive serve and on-court intensity, Swain finished as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) ...
(6),
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
(5) and Mike Yellen (5). He has won 8 USA Racquetball National Singles titles, and 11 USA Racquetball National Doubles titles, winning with
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
(5 wins), Ben Croft, Jose Diaz,
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
, Jose Rojas, and Charlie Pratt (2). Playing for Team USA, Carson has won gold five times in Men's Singles at the
World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
, which is a record, and twice in Men's Singles at the
Pan American Games The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held ...
, which is also a record, and once in Men's Singles at the
Pan American Championships A Pan American Championship is a top level international sports competition between athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs in the Americas. Typically these championships are recurring, the most ...
. He's played Men's Doubles on Team USA three times: twice at the World Championships (with
Jack Huczek Jack Huczek (born January 13, 1983) is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 timInternational Racquetball Federation (IRF)World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of ...
in 2006, and with
Sudsy Monchik Sudsy Monchik (born October 12, 1974), is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ...
, 2018), which resulted in silver medals, and once with
Charles Pratt Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was an American businessman. Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and he established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn, New York. He then lived with his growing fam ...
at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, where they earned bronze medals.


Career record

This table lists Carson's results across annual events. Note: W = winner, F = finalist, SF = semi-finalist, QF = quarterfinalist, 16 = Round of 16. Also, the USA Racquetball National Singles Championships had an IRT division from 2012 to 2014, so Carson competed in that rather than the top USAR division. P = Pandemic.


See also

*
List of racquetball players This is a list of notable racquetball players. Racquetball players are presumed to be notable under the following criteria. :1. The player has finished a season ranked in the top 10 of the men’s or women’s pro tours (i.e., the International ...


References


External links


Rocky Carson website

Rocky Carson Twitter account

International Racquetball Tour (IRT)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carson, Rocky American racquetball players Racquetball players at the 2011 Pan American Games Living people 1979 births Racquetball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States World Games silver medalists World Games bronze medalists Pan American Games medalists in racquetball Competitors at the 2009 World Games Competitors at the 2013 World Games Racquetball players at the 2019 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games