Gopher Aluminum Racquetball Racquet

Help your youngest students get comfortable with squash and racquetball as they learn the basics with this racquet. It's lightweight, easy to handle, and durable enough for institutional learning. This is our most affordable racquetball racquet!

Balanced for Beginners

Lightweight aluminum-alloy construction is extremely easy to handle and non-intimidating in the hands of younger students, which leads to better control and more accuracy with each swing. In addition, the slightly smaller 21-1/2” frame makes learning easy, with proportions that are nearly official sized.

Accommodating midsized heads are focused enough for speedy and accurate shots, yet forgiving of mishits and off-target swings. The 20mm head beams provide great playability in the string bed, which means younger players don’t need as much power for far-flying shots! A choice of nylon and coated-steel strings allows you to pick the optimal choice for your students—nylon for more fast-paced, responsive play or coated-steel for institutional longevity.

• Nylon Strings, 8.2 oz/235 g
• Coated-Steel Strings, 8.6 oz/245 g

Economic Durability

Aluminum-alloy construction promises resilience in the face of institutional training. These racquets dissipate energy without compromising their structure when coming into contact with the floor or other racquets.

Specifications

• Aluminum-Alloy Frame
• Midsized Head
• O-Beam Construction
• Synthetic Grip
• Nylon or Coated-Steel Strings
• 21-1/2”L

15 Movement-Rich Activities Using the Gopher Aluminum Racquetball Racquet

The Gopher Aluminum Racquetball Racquet is a lightweight, durable option for schools and programs looking for a reliable racquet that stands up to frequent use. With a traditional racquetball head size and an aluminum frame that offers solid control and quick handling, this racquet is ideal for teaching students foundational striking skills in racquetball or modified racquet games. The smaller head size compared to oversized models challenges students to develop better precision, timing, and coordination. The following 15 activities focus on improving physical literacy using the racquet across all fundamental movement skill categories.

1. Wall Ball Warriors: Students strike foam racquetballs against a wall, aiming to keep it going for as many hits as possible—focusing on striking consistency and hand-eye coordination.

2. Angle Attack Alley: Students hit balls at an angle to return off side walls and catch the rebound—building anticipation, spatial awareness, and control.

3. Reaction Wall Rumble: Partners alternate striking a ball; the other must catch or return it before the second bounce—developing agility and response timing.

4. Racquetball Relay Race: In relay teams, students must strike a ball off the wall, sprint to a cone, then return—combining striking, running, and teamwork.

5. Wall Target Tapper: Tape various shapes or numbers to the wall. Students must aim to strike the correct target in sequence—promoting accuracy and decision making.

6. Two-Touch Control Test: Students are only allowed two racquet touches per turn—forcing control and tactical striking.

7. Strike the Zone: Use floor markers to designate zones. Students must land rebounding balls in specific areas—teaching striking accuracy and trajectory control.

8. Side Shuffle Smash: While side-shuffling, students must tap the ball to the wall every 3 steps—developing sliding, coordination, and timing.

9. Backhand Balance Bash: Students use only backhand strikes while balancing on a —building core stability and bilateral coordination.

10. Drop Hit Challenge: Students drop the ball, let it bounce once, then strike it toward a wall target—developing timing and striking form.

11. Control the Curve: Students attempt to put spin on their strikes to change the ball’s trajectory off the wall—teaching striking variation and spin control.

12. Matchpoint Madness: Create quick mini-games where players must score by hitting a target zone after three rallies—building game sense and striking endurance.

13. Zone Defense Dash: One player strikes, the other defends by covering their assigned zone—working on anticipation and footwork.

14. Wall Pong Precision: Students aim to mimic a ping pong game using racquetballs and racquets—teaching striking touch and angle awareness.

15. Tap It, Track It: Students gently tap the ball toward the wall and try to predict and step where it will rebound—developing visual tracking and spatial timing.