USTA Eastern Wheelchair Tennis wants you!
Work in the section to build the sport of wheelchair tennis. Start a program, host an up/down exhibition, or host a tournament.
As part of recreation therapy after a disabling accident, it is strongly advised that newly injured individuals become involved in sports participation. Hospital rehab centers talk to patients about regaining strength, participating in their community, and maintaining emotional attachments to friends and family. Many organizations, including the USTA, have developed adapted sports programs to include the disabled population. Although there are many disabled individuals that participate in athletics, most often the general public is unaware of these events. Tennis is one of the sports that requires no changes to the basic equipment or field of play. The wheelchair player uses a racquet (although a quad may tape the racquet to the hand), the rules are the same, except 2 bounces for the wheelchair player, and the mode of movement is in a specially designed wheelchair. The tennis court dimensions are the same for all players.
The USTA supports tennis as a lifetime sport, and it is through this message that wheelchair athletes can be included in the general population.
Delynn Orton
USTA Eastern Wheelchair Committee
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Facts and Resources
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What is Wheelchair Tennis?
- Tennis with two bounces.
- The rules of wheelchair tennis are the same as the rules of standing tennis.
- The wheelchair is considered part of the body; all applicable rules for stand-up players which apply to a player’s body apply to the wheelchair.
Who Can Play?
- Someone with a medically diagnosed, permanent mobility-related disability, resulting in a substantial or total loss of function in one or more lower extremities.
- Examples of permanent disabilities that meet the eligibility criteria: paralysis, amputation, radiological evidence of limb shortening and joint replacement.
Benefits of Wheelchair Tennis:
- Builds cardiovascular ability
- Builds strength
- Opportunity to play with friends and family
- Aids in normalization of life after an injury
- Fun, fitness, friends!
Recreational and Competitive Divisions:
- Junior Open/A Singles and Doubles
- Women Open, A, B Singles and Doubles
- Men Open, A, B, C, Singles and Doubles
- Quad Open, A Singles and Doubles
- Senior Open/A Doubles
Resources:
Contact Sandy Hoffman at 914-980-8216 for more information.