by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Two members of Jacksonville’s legal community are putting the city on the scoreboard.
Attorneys Aaron Metcalf and Glenn Warren have steadily made a name for themselves in racquetball tournaments statewide and nationally.
Two weeks ago, Metcalf, an attorney with Abbott & Wiesenfeld, P.A., placed first in a singles tournament for his age group, and third in the open. Warren of Harris, Guidi, Rosner, Dunlap, Rudolph, Catlin & Bethea P.A., placed in the top quarterfinals of the open.
The two are long-time friends who developed a love for the sport at different times in their lives. Metcalf’s parents played racquetball, and he grew up competing. Warren took up the sport during college.
“We both love to compete,” said Warren, who is ranked as one of the top doubles players in the nation. “And we find this is an outlet that we’re good at,” he said.
“It’s an exciting game,” said Metcalf, a four-time national champion. “The intensity is high because of the nature of the game.”
Despite demanding schedules, the attorneys play when they can and make practicing two to four times a week a priority.
“We find time whether it’s late in the evening or early in the morning,” said Metcalf. “It’s almost my only hobby.”
Besides, juggling work and play is really nothing new. Warren, who began law school at age 30, worked full-time while obtaining his degree from Florida Coastal School of Law and playing father to a new baby.
Because of the crunch, he competed in only doubles tournaments for a few years and has just this year started competing in singles games again.
“I like them both, but I love playing doubles,” he said. For doubles tournaments he partners with Curtis Leonard, the owner of Sun Dog and the Moon restaurants at the beach.
Metcalf’s partner, attorney Ross Greenberg, recently moved to Orlando, but the two will continue to compete together.
“We’ll basically practice together at the tournaments,” said Metcalf.
Some tournaments offer cash prizes, though $500 doesn’t mean as much as winning a title.
“In college, winning a money tournament was a good way to pick up extra spending money,” said Warren.
“Now we play the money tournaments because they draw out the best competition,” said Metcalf.
What’s more difficult than finding the time to practice is finding a place to practice. Jacksonville no longer has large racquetball clubs such as Racquet Power, which now sits vacant. The two have to practice at apartment complexes that have courts or at the Jewish Community Alliance Center, one of the few places to still have courts.
“We hear from people all the time who are looking for a place to practice,” said Metcalf. “There is definitely a market here for a racquet club.”
The attorneys try to bring as much to the sport as they get from it. At a recent tournament, a disgruntled player threatened to have the tournament shut down. When the Florida Racquetball Association approached them for legal advice, they made the decision to represent the FRA on a volunteer basis.
“It’s our way to give back to the sport,” said Warren.
These days, the game has its biggest following in the U.S., but South American competitors are becoming increasingly well known. Competing at the national level has given them a chance to meet people who feel the same way as they do about the sport.
“At this level, one thing we all have in common,” said Warren. “We all have a love of the game and a love to compete.”