When ISU junior Dan Bratt was young, he used to dream of becoming a professional racquetball player. Now, that dream has become a reality.

“It is the ultimate dream of playing something I love and getting paid for it,” he said.

Bratt, junior in management, is currently ranked No. 79 on the International Racquetball Tour. He is also sponsored by Head Sports Inc., the company that also sponsors tennis superstar Andre Agassi.

He has only been a student at Iowa State for a little over a month, but already has made a strong impression.

“It’s always exciting to have someone new to campus that is a quality player,” said Garry Greenlee, intramural sports coordinator. “Dan’s outstanding ability will bring out the best in the players that step on the court with him.”

Bratt grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, and attended the College of Southern Idaho in his hometown for two years. He said he needed a change of scenery, and a friend at Iowa State told him he should take a look.

“She said it was cool, so I checked it out,” he said. “I spent a week here and felt it was awesome.”

Coming to Ames has been a smooth transition for Bratt.

“Idaho is pretty much the same as Iowa,” he said. “Except Idaho has a ton of mountains and waterfalls.”

He also likes the big campus in a small town atmosphere.

“There’s more students here than in my entire town,” he said.

Bratt is also serving as the president of the Racquetball Club. Greenlee said Bratt’s enthusiasm in working with the club and his personal plans to play in national tournaments will only improve the club’s status.

“The racquetball club was down the last year, but I want to bring it back up,” Bratt said. “I am scheduling tournaments.”

Bratt said racquetball has always been a big part of his life. His father, who also plays racquetball, taught him the game and has coached him throughout his life.

“Racquetball built me and my dad’s relationship,” he said.

He won his first state singles title in the eight-and-under junior division when he was eight years old. He played all amateur events before joining the International Racquetball Tour.

The tour includes 360 of the nation’s top players. The organizations putting on the tournaments pay the winners. The top players make enough money to support themselves without having to get a job.

“The top three players probably make a million dollars,” he said. “The top 18 around 50 to 60 thousand dollars.”

This year marks the third year Bratt has been sponsored by Head Sports. The company started sponsoring him after he participated in the High School Nationals.

“They provide me with all the equipment I need,” he said. “They also pay travel fees sometimes, depending on how well I am playing.”

During the past summer, Bratt was on the road constantly.

“I was never at home,” he said. “I played in Texas, California, South Dakota and Arizona.”

Bratt said he travels by car or plane, depending on how far away the tournament is.

Though classes have started, tournaments have not stopped. Bratt said he plans to travel to Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado and North Dakota.

“It’s a blast traveling and meeting new people,” he said. “I get a lot better faster from playing new faces.”

Bratt said he has never dealt with missing classes for tournaments before, so it will be a new challenge for him.

“School is my main priority,” he said. “But racquetball is a priority too.”

Bratt said he plays every day at the Lied Recreational Center, usually for an hour or two, against whoever is there.

Ryan Schwarzkopf, sophomore in electrical engineering, said Bratt is the best player he has ever played.

“He’s very good at getting inside your head,” Schwarzkopf said. “He has very good concentration.”

He also said Bratt is helpful to other players.

“He’s very down-to-earth,” he said. “He’s not afraid to teach players below his skill level.”

Even though Bratt hasn’t lost to anyone on campus yet, he maintains a level head.

“I still know there are people out there who can beat me,” he said. And knowing that, he said, motivates him to become a better player.