Tico claims another national handball title

Chris Tico claimed another national title after traveling to Tucson, Ariz., to compete in the 27th annual United States Handball Association Four-Wall Masters Singles tournament April 14-16.

Tico, 53, proved that you do not need to be near the bottom of the division's qualifying age to win it all. Athletes who are 40 and over during the calendar year of the event are eligible to compete in the masters division.

Tico won the final 21-13, 21-11 over Jorge Lopez of southern California. Lopez has placed second in the 35 and over category in the past.

“This was a really fun competition. In the semifinal match, I actually played someone who attended my alma mater, Lake Forest College,” Tico said. “Although, he was a lot younger than myself.”

Lake Forest College regularly has one of the top handball teams in the nation; they have won 51 USHA titles to date. Tico won a combined national championship during his freshman year at Lake Forest.

Tico is an active part of the handball community in Sandpoint, playing at least four days a week at Litehouse YMCA with matches on Mondays and Wednesdays. He also plays with members of the Spokane Club once a week.

Tico will head to Minneapolis on Memorial Day weekend to compete at the 2023 World Handball Invitational and 72nd USHA National Four-Wall Championships in the 50-and-over division.