Vincent Santilli, first vice president of regional banking for People’s United Bank in Bridgeport, is ranked number one in the country in 40-plus singles racquetball.
He says he got lucky, but modesty cannot cloud a number-one national ranking; Santilli can play.
Born in Trumbull, at age 11 Santilli moved with his parents from Connecticut to Miami Lakes, Florida. Growing u, Santilli was a tennis player, playing competitively on the USTA youth circuit until he went to college at the University of Pennsylvania.
“I took up racquetball at college in the 1980s,” said Santilli. “When I went up to Penn, it was always cold so I started to play inside. It”™s the best workout you can get. I”™d probably have to play five hours of tennis to get the workout I get in an hour and a half of racquetball.”
Santilli majored in economics and political science while at Penn, graduating in 1984.
“Right out of college, I came to work right here,” said Santilli, whose office looks down on what used to be his offices at People”™s Savings Bank.
Santilli has been involved in racquetball tournaments throughout the Northeast since 1994.
According to Santilli, the sport has erupted into a new level in the past five years with the advent of outdoor racquetball becoming increasingly popular.
“The World Outdoor Raquetball is just a spectacular organization,” said Santilli. “Many indoor pros are now going outdoors and it”™s taking the whole game to another level.”
Santilli explains the influx in the outdoor game with what he knows best, economics.
“Look at the economy and what it costs to join clubs,” said Santilli. “Outdoors you can go to your local parks when the weathers good, especially in California and Florida where the game is huge. It costs you nothing.”
Santilli achieved his national ranking this year after competing in Huntington Beach, Calif. He has been sponsored by Wilson Racquet Sports since 2000, the same year he earned his MBA from Sacred HeartUniversity.
“I go out and do racquet demos and try to help build the brand and the sport,” said Santilli. “They”™ve been a fabulous company even before I was sponsored.”
Santilli was also the first player on any national racquetball team to come from the Northeast ”“ our winters have many raquetballers taking off.
“It”™s kind of a rarity; look at the list you”™ll see all California and Florida players,” said Santilli.
Santilli, who plays mostly indoors, will be competing in the East Coast One Wall Doubles Challenge in Hartford later this month with his doubles partner, Hartford firefighter, “Big Mike” Thomas.
“The business world is all about competition these days,” said Santilli. “Racquetball gives me another venue and another way to compete; it”™s great for stress release as a workout. I have certainly run across quite a few people in my travels in the racquetball community and even been able to bring in some business to the bank.”
Santilli lives in Trumbull with his wife and three children. His youngest son Thomas, 11, already competes at the national level.
“He”™s 10 times better than me,” said Santilli. “He”™s truly gifted.”
Santilli”™s home court is now LA Fitness in Orange, after years at Stratford Racquet Club, which closed in 2007.
Santilli is also in his 13th season of co-hosting the Pepsi College Basketball Report on WICC between November and April and is the chairman of the John F. Welch College of Business Advisory Board at SacredHeart University.
