LIHU‘E — Philip Eliana is on a plane heading to California for the 43rd USA Racquetball National Singles Championships Tournament. “It’s like a dream come true,” Eliana said, Thursday while working out at the Kaua‘i Athletic Club where he has
LIHU‘E — Philip Eliana is on a plane heading to California for the 43rd USA Racquetball National Singles Championships Tournament.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Eliana said, Thursday while working out at the Kaua‘i Athletic Club where he has been the Racquetball Club Pro since 1994. “When I was in the Army, I made it a few times as the All-Army Trials, being the top-ranked player for my Major Command. I always had a dream to make the U.S. All-Army Racquetball Team, but never made it.”
Eliana will be taking part in the national tournament, May 25 to 29 in Anaheim, Calif., joining 11 other players who are all appointed as All-U.S. Air Force Racquetball Team members. He will be the only Air National Guard member on the squad.
“I’m so surprised and blessed to be selected after being in the Air Force for only a couple of years, and at my age, this is like a dream come true,” Eliana said.
Eliana has been with the Hawai‘i Air National Guard since 2009.
At the USA Racquetball National Singles Championships, Eliana will be playing in two divisions as well as being selected to play in a Pro/Am Doubles Charity event for the Wounded Warrior Project.
He first learned how to play racquetball in 1982 while serving with the Army in Germany. His tour with the U.S. Army spanned 14 years, retiring in 1992 to the U.S. Army Reserves on O‘ahu, where he served for 13 years until 2005.
During that time, Eliana’s racquetball kept improving, earning him a fourth place in TRADOC in 1988 and allowing him to compete at the All Army Trials Camp.
In 1990, Eliana took third in the U.S. Army-Europe and again took the court at the All Army Trials Camp.
Peppering his racquetball career with wins throughout Europe, Korea, Texas, California, Alabama and Hawai‘i, Eliana’s highest achievement came in 2010 where he earned a gold and silver medal at the U.S. All Military National Championships.
That same year, he finished second in the Hawai‘i State Doubles Championships in the Under 45-Plus division.
Racquetball accomplishments continued to fuel his drive in the sport when he became a Prince/Ektelon Elite Advisor Sponsored player in 1996 and is currently active.
He was certified as an AmPRO Professional Level Instructor in 2003 and is currently the Kaua‘i Racquetball Club Pro, a position he took in 1994.
While not occupied with racquetball, Eliana balances his career between the Kaua‘i Athletic Club, the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club and The Kaua‘i Bus, where he has been on call since 2008.
He lives with his “soul mate,” Marlene Eliana, together since the 9th grade. They have three daughters, Desiree Prem, Natasha Machado and Tiffany Eliana, two granddaughters, Rylee, 4, Naylea, 2, and a grandson who is expected to arrive any time soon.
“I haven’t been to a huge tournament like this since the 90s so I’m pretty stoked and hope to do well,” Eliana said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
