Tennis is a sport that offers a plethora of health benefits to players of all abilities. USTA Florida’s mission is to promote inclusivity in the sport, and the organization has been making significant inroads with wheelchair tennis in recent years.  

One of USTA Florida’s most significant contributions to wheelchair tennis is with the Community Coach Program. USTA Florida first started offering wheelchair coach training after the project team lead started to bring wheelchairs to the other Community Coach trainings. “Participants were more excited about getting in a chair and trying to hit a ball. I noticed that once they got in the chair across the board, everyone said how humbling the experience was to play tennis in a wheelchair,” Project Team Lead, Lori Burdell said. 

The Community Coach Program now offers wheelchair classes.

Now, the program has hosted six specific wheelchair trainings, where participants learn the fundamentals of wheelchair tennis and drills to improve players’ skills when they are coaching them. “We do relay races and progression drills. The drills are the same for able bodied and wheelchair players, so it is really easy to make any program inclusive,” she added. 

Another opportunity for the organization to showcase the inclusivity of tennis for all was at the Abilities Expo on October 13 at the Broward Convention Center, where tennis was prominent around the venue. This expo showcased adaptive sports and services for people with disabilities. USTA Florida staff introduced attendees to wheelchair tennis, offered some coaching, and displayed how fun the sport is for everyone.  

Tennis Service Representative, Marcy Cohen said. “We, at USTA Florida, will continue to support the adaptive community with ongoing tennis clinics, tournaments, and showcases throughout the state to highlight this opportunity for athletes who use wheelchairs.” 

The Abilities Expo was a great showcase of Wheelchair Tennis.

Another aspect of wheelchair tennis that USTA Florida has been focusing on is providing more competitive opportunities for wheelchair players. In December, USTA Florida will be hosting the Roller Classic tournament, which isn’t just about winning. This event celebrates and embodies what wheelchair tennis is all about; being on the court and having a blast with others.  

USTA Florida is determined to lead the way in making tennis accessible to all, regardless of background, ability, or demographic. Through the efforts with wheelchair tennis, the organization feels that the space is seeing impressive growth. Every day more and more individuals are discovering the thrill of wheelchair tennis and becoming a vibrant part of the tennis community. 

The organization recently revamped the Wheelchair Tennis Hub, the one stop shop for everything wheelchair tennis related. Looking for how to get started, where to play, what to learn? Visit the webpage and have all your questions answered. Any resource you need for wheelchair tennis can be found there and the organization is excited to see more people get involved.