Mary Jo Murray holds the crystal trophy she received for her second place finish in the Senior Women's National Racquetball Tournament. She is congratulated by her daughter, who went to the tournament

Murray has been a racquetball enthusiast since she was a student at the Miami-Dade Community College Kendall Campus 30 years ago.

"I've always loved sports and I've played team sports since high school," said Murray, an alumnus of Palmetto Senior High. "I played softball, basketball, volleyball and badminton in high school, but I didn't pick up on tennis and racquetball until college.

"When I attended Miami-Dade, the racquetball courts were new and were located outdoors by the tennis courts, so I was able to watch other people play. It looked like fun, so I tried it and I haven't stopped since."

Murray added that one of the reasons she enjoyed racquetball right away is that "you can start playing and have fun much quicker than in any of the other racquet sports because the paddle is so close to your hand that you can achieve greater accuracy."

A 'natural' at the sport, Murray never took a lesson. She simply started playing and then learned by watching her family and friends. Her father and brothers are lifelong handball experts, while another brother also plays racquetball.

Murray said her passion for racquetball increased after her career took her to Missouri to teach at Northeast Missouri State University.

"It's so cold there that you can't really participate in outdoor sports from December through March or April," she said. "So, I learned to appreciate indoor sports.

"The university had some nice racquetball courts, so I could play every day on my lunch hour. That's when I really was able to improve my game. There also was a club team in town, so I started entering the local competitions."

After seven years in Missouri and a short stay in Louisiana, Murray returned to Miami in 1985. And, except for a brief hiatus while she cared for her daughter, she has remained highly active and competitive in racquetball.

"Florida is a pretty active state for the sport," she said. "In fact, after California it's probably the second most active state in the country for racquetball. But there's not a lot in Miami, most of the tournaments are in Orlando, Jacksonville and elsewhere."

Murray blames that on a decreasing interest in racquetball and the lack of available courts.

"The Alper Jewish Community Center and the new University of Miami Smathers Wellness Center are the only two places left that have indoor racquetball courts," she said. "Other places have converted their courts to aerobic studios or other things. Racquetball has lost its 'trendiness,' but there will always be a core of people who love the sport."

Murray competed against 120 other women at the national tournament and placed second in her age group. She made her way to the national competition once before and placed fourth.

"I promised myself back then that if I made it to the nationals again, I'd do better. Now, my next goal is to beat the defending champion."