Tennis is a sport that anyone, people of all ages and abilities, can participate in. This was showcased in the West Virginia Wheelchair Tennis Clinic and Exhibition which was held in Charleston on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Wheelchair tennis has the same rules except that the ball is allowed to bounce twice before being struck. Three top ranked wheelchair tennis athletes, Bob Barnaby, George Holscher, and Thomas Kyler, played in the exhibition and led the tennis clinic.
Four participants attended the clinic where they were instructed in basic racquet skills such as groundstrokes, volleys, and serves. Adaptations were made for those who did not have sufficient grip strength to hold a racquet by wrapping it to their hand. Foam balls, low compression tennis balls, as well as regular tennis balls were used to make striking the ball easier.
David Griffith, one of the participants, wanted to learn to play tennis for a long time. He is involved in a variety of wheelchair sports such as basketball, track and field, and air rifle shooting. He said, “I enjoyed meeting people who have played before and learning from them.” 15 volunteers from the community helped out with the event including the men’s tennis team from the University of Charleston.
During the exhibition, two ways to play were demonstrated: first, wheelchair athletes played singles and doubles against each other; and the second way is called “one up, one down” format. Each doubles team is composed of a wheelchair athlete and an able-bodied player. The wheelchair athlete is allowed the double bounce while the standing player is only allowed one bounce. This style of play allows wheelchair athletes to enjoy tennis with family and friends.
The event was made possible by CAMC Medical Rehabilitation Challenged Sports Program, USTA Midwest, Charleston Area Tennis Alliance, City of Charleston Parks and Recreation, and Advanced Medical Supply.
Clinics are being offered on Monday nights through the middle of October which includes drills and learning wheelchair mobility. For more information about the CAMC Challenged Sports Program, contact Jeremiah Gagnon (jeremiah.gagnon@camc.org) or Aileen Stacy (aileenstacy@suddenlink.net).