The USOC partially subsidizes the training of the sport's elite class players in Colorado Springs.
To become a USOC sport means starting at the top and working down, St. Onge said.
"The key thing that has to happen to a young sport like ours is to get on the Pan American Games or Olympic Games calendar," St. Onge said.
"That automatically makes you a USOC sport, because the USOC then recognizes your national governing body, and you get all the benefits, including centralized USOC funding and participation in the Olympic Festival."
Even then, as racquetball people have learned, you're not automatically on the Pan-Am Games calendar.
"Cuba wouldn't let us in," he said, referring to this summer's Havana Pan-Am Games. "Cuba won't do the U.S. any favors, and for them to have built a racquetball facility only meant giving up gold medals to the U.S. We even offered to build the facility for them."
Racquetball's prospects for full-medal status for the 2000 Olympics are "excellent," St. Onge said.
"I know the IOC is talking about trimming sports, but there are medal sports now on the Olympic program that don't meet the IOC criteria as fully as we do. The IOC tells us they want lifetime sports and more women's sports, and we qualify on both counts."
Olympic Sports
Festival events included in the Olympic Games and the year introduced as medal sports:
Event Year Archery (Men) 1900, discontinued after 1920 and resumed in 1972. Archery (Women) 1904, discontinued after 1908 and resumed in 1972. Badminton 1992. Baseball 1992. Basketball 1936 for men, 1976 for women. Boxing 1968. Canoe/Kayak 1936 for men, 1948 for women. Cycling 1896 for men, 1984 for women. Diving 1904 for men, 1912 for women. Equestrian 1900. Discontinued, then resumed in 1912. Fencing 1896 for men, 1924 for women. Field Hockey (Men) 1908. Discontinued after 1908, resumed in 1920. Discontinued again, then resumed in 1928. Field Hockey (Women) 1980. Figure Skating 1908 for men and women as part of Summer Olympics Discontinued after 1904, resumed in 1920 as part of Summer Olympics. Continued from 1924 in Winter Games. Artistic Gymnastics 1900 for men, 1952 for women. Rhythmic Gymnastics 1984, women only. Team Handball 1936 for men, 1976 for women. Discontinued for men after 1936, resumed in 1972. Judo 1964 for men only. Discontinued, resumed in 1972. Modern Pentathlon 1912 for men only. Rowing 1900 for men, 1976 for women. Shooting (Men) 1896. Discontinued for men after 1900, resumed in 1908. Shooting (Women) 1900. Discontinued after 1924, resumed in 1952. Soccer 1900, men only. Speedskating 1924 for men, 1960 for women. Swimming 1896 for men, 1912 for women. Synchronized Swimming 1984, women only. Table Tennis 1988 for men and women. Tennis 1896 for men, 1900 for women. Discontinued after 1924, resumed in 1988. Track and Field 1896 for men, 1928 for women. Volleyball 1964 for men and women. Water Polo 1900, men only. Weightlifting 1896 for men only. Discontinued after 1904, resumed in 1920. Freestyle Wrestling 1904 for men only. Discontinued after 1908, resumed in 1920. Greco-Roman Wrestling 1896 for men only. Discontinued after 1896, resumed in 1908. Yachting 1900 for men, 1988 for women. Discontinued after 1900 for men, resumed in 1908.
