Forester Athletic Hall of Fame
Inducted 1993
Vern Roberts '76
Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Vern attended Walnut Hills High School and particpated in football and handball.  At the age of 17 he won the USHA National Junior Championship.

He entered Lake Forest in 1972 and earned four varsity letters in handball.  He was a member of four regional intercollegiate championship teams and three consecutive national championship teams.  He was All America all four years and his junior year he won the open singles title.

Graduating with a degree in economics, Vern accepted a positions as a teaching pro at the Evergreen Park Bath & Tennis Club in Illinois.  He then began a remarkable handball career, gaining recognition as one of the all-time best players in the game.  His National Championship accolades are as follows:

1976 - USHA Amateur singles champion
1977 - USHA Three Wall doubles champion
1978 - USHA Three Wall doubles champion
1979 - USHA Three Wall doubles champion
1980 - USHA Three Wall doubles champion
1982 - USHA Three and Four Wall doubles champion
1983 - USHA Three and Four Wall doubles champion
1984 - USHA Three and Four Wall doubles champion
1985 - USHA Three Wall doubles  and singles champion and Four Wall doubles champion
1986 - World Singles champion, Three Wall singles champion and Professional doubles  champion 
1987 - USHA Three Wall singles champion

For many years, Vern held the professional ranking of the number two singles player on the Spalding/Gatorade tour.  He ultimately accepted a position with the U.S. Handball Association, first as the editor of their bi-monthly magazine HANDBALL and then as Executive Director. Vern continues to play handball in age bracket competition and consistently wins at national tournaments. 

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