Ashaway Announces Sponsorship Deal with Jacqueline Paraiso

Ashaway Racket Strings has signed many-time World Doubles Champion and Racquetball Hall of Famer Jacqueline Paraiso to its stable of sponsored players.

Hall of Fame Player and many-time World Doubles Champion switches to Ashaway UltraKill® 18

Ashaway, RI - Ashaway Racket Strings has signed many-time World Doubles Champion and Racquetball Hall of Famer Jacqueline Paraiso to its stable of sponsored players. The deal was signed when Paraiso approached the company after she tried Ashaway's Zyex-based UltraKill® 18 and immediately became a fan. Terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.

"It's kind of embarrassing," said Paraiso, who may well have earned more racquetball titles than any other player in history, "but I never paid much attention to string before. But when I played with the Ashaway UltraKill 18, it enhanced my performance tremendously. Right off the bat I felt a pop on the swing. More power is the only way I can describe it. I switched to UltraKill right away and have wanted to work with Ashaway ever since."

"Jacqueline will be a wonderful ambassador for the Ashaway brand," said Steve Crandall, Vice President of Marketing for the only US string manufacturer. "She has great name recognition, and a great track record of representing the U.S. and winning titles. She has multi-dimensional involvement in racquetball as a competitive player, instructor and organizer. She's also a great personality, very outgoing and well respected. And she loves Ashaway string! What more could you ask?"

Paraiso's resume marks her as one of the most titled players in racquetball history. A recent Inductee to the Racquetball Hall of Fame, Jacqueline's titles include 3 Overall Pro Tour Championships, 2 US Open Championships, 18 First Place finishes, and 23 final appearances. In doubles, her collection includes 19 National Doubles Titles, 5 Olympic Festival Gold, 3 Pan American Games Gold, and over 80 Gold Medals in all. Jacqueline has qualified more times for a position on the US Team than anyone in the history of the sport, and has made more appearances for Team USA than any other racquetball player—man or woman—with 24 appearances over 20 years. Of those 24, she has won 23 Gold and 1 Silver.

Internationally, the highlights of Jacqueline's career include the gold medals she won with her twin sister, Joy MacKenzie, at the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games. Paraiso and MacKenzie played together for Team USA 7 times and won gold each time.

In 2009, Jacqueline took up World Outdoor Racquetball with a stunning first time appearance, knocking out the #1 seed in her first singles match and finishing second in the finals. The following year she ended up defeating the #1 seed again in the finals, earning the WOR Pro Championship Title. She didn't stop there, but went on to win the 2010 WOR Women's Pro Doubles Championship as well.

It was while playing outdoors that Paraiso first noticed the extra power she got from UltraKill 18. Always known for her power and exquisite ball control, Paraiso found she needed all the extra power the string gave her on the overlarge championship court at Huntington Beach. "Sometimes you're hitting at least 45 feet from the front wall, so you really have to kill the ball. You have to have power on that string or you're just going to set somebody up in the front court."

Jacqueline has also given back to the sport, having served as President of the Women's Pro Tour; players' representative on the USRA Board of Directors; tournament director for numerous tournaments held in San Diego; board member of the San Diego Junior's Association; San Diego traveling league captain; instructor at inner city events; and as Team Leader at several international competitions.