Tennis Coaching Guide
Benefits of Tennis
Tennis is a popular sport played at all levels of skill and by players of all ages. It emphasizes values, such as fair play, sportsmanship and respect for fellow competitors. Tennis is not only fun to play, but it is a lifetime sport activity that is fun to practice and fun to learn.
You do not need to be an expert to begin coaching, only enthusiasm and a commitment to learn the basics. With guidance, anyone with time and interest can become a successful Special Olympics tennis coach and help athletes with intellectual disabilities join the worldwide tennis family.
Tennis Events Offered
Tennis competition is based on athlete ability level.
· For athletes with lower ability and limited court mobility, competition is offered in individual skills competition.
· For athletes transitioning from individual skills to traditional match play, competition is offered in Short Court Tennis.
· For athletes with higher physical ability, competition is offered in traditional match play (singles and doubles) and Unified Sports® doubles.
· For the actual tennis events offered, see the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules for Tennis.
Acknowledgements
Special Olympics wishes to thank the professionals, volunteers, coaches and athletes who helped in the production of the Tennis Coaching Guide. They have helped fulfill the mission of Special Olympics: to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people 8 years of age and older with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Special Olympics welcomes your ideas and comments for future revisions of this guide. We apologize if, for any reason, an acknowledgement has been inadvertently omitted.
Contributing Authors
Anne Krupp, Professional Tennis Registry
Kirstie Marx, Special Olympics North Carolina, Coach
Ryan Murphy, Special Olympics, Inc.
Geoff Norton, Professional Tennis Registry
Steven Parker
Glenn Roswal, Special Olympics, Inc. – Tennis Technical Delegate
Special Thanks To the Following for All of Your Help and Support
Jack Barker, Special Olympics South Carolina, Volunteer
Sandra Boyette, Special Olympics North Carolina, Coach
Floyd Croxton, Special Olympics, Inc., Athlete
Dave Lenox, Special Olympics, Inc.
Sue Maner, Special Olympics South Carolina
Kellie Walls, Special Olympics, Inc.
Paul Whichard, Special Olympics, Inc.
Professional Tennis Registry
Dan Santorum, CEO and Executive Director
Julie Jilly, Vice President of Operations
Special Olympics North America
Dennis Van der Meer, Founder and President of Professional Tennis Registry
Pat Van der Meer
Van der Meer Tennis Center, Use of facilities for filming of video clips
Video Clips Starring Athletes from Special Olympics North Carolina
Rob Williams
John Gray
Video Clips Starring Athletes from Special Olympics South Carolina
Sue Taylor
Steven Cole
Suzanne Darveau
Peggy Cole
Betty Strathern, Coach