Tennis Clinic For Players With Disabilities
(Staff Photos By Herb Nygren Jr.)
TENNIS CLINIC: Nakia Myers hits a volley at the “First Volley” adaptive tennis clinic at TJC on Saturday. Myers, a leg amputee, plays with a prosthesis.
By CINDY MALLETTE
Staff Writer
Tennis balls were flying around Dr. Mac McClellan's head as Tyler Junior College Tennis Tech students practiced drills on the courts of the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center.
As a fuzzy green ball rolled to his feet, McClellan pinned it between his crutches, then launched it into the air. With the racquet balanced in his right hand, he popped the ball back over the net.
"I think this is excellent," he said. "I wasn't missing this for the world."
Staff Writer
Tennis balls were flying around Dr. Mac McClellan's head as Tyler Junior College Tennis Tech students practiced drills on the courts of the JoAnn Medlock Murphy Tennis Center.
As a fuzzy green ball rolled to his feet, McClellan pinned it between his crutches, then launched it into the air. With the racquet balanced in his right hand, he popped the ball back over the net.
"I think this is excellent," he said. "I wasn't missing this for the world."
Clinic participants discuss tennis.
McClellan and a handful of people who use prostheses, crutches and braces were learning how their disabilities don't keep them from playing sports. The free tennis clinic was sponsored by Prosthetic-Orthotic Associates, a Tyler company owned by McClellan, who's been in an orthosis himself from a young age.
The clinic was led by TJC alumnus and First Volley Director of Tennis, Darren Kindred. Kindred operates a tennis training facility outside Philadelphia, Penn., and helped establish First Volley with his friend, Robin Burton, in 2005.
Ms. Burton explained she'd heard of groups that helped disabled people play other sports, like golf. She knew Kindred helped a woman who was a quadrilateral amputee learn tennis, with the help of special prostheses.
"When she told me that no one was teaching tennis like this, I thought it was sad," Kindred said.
Two years later, the group now gives 15 tennis workshops each year throughout the United States and Canada.
Participants learned basic tennis strokes and drills. When the clinic drew to a close, they played a round of "Hitting for Prizes." If a participant hit a ball near a pile of tennis equipment, supplied by Prince Sports, they got to keep everything in the pile.
Each player also went home with a beginner's tennis racquet donated by Billie Jean King and World Team Tennis. Ms. King and World Team Tennis gave 120 racquets to the Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc., which operates the First Volley Clinics.
Nakia Myers said Saturday was the first time she'd participated in sports since losing the lower half of her left leg in an accident nine years ago. She never played tennis before that day, but her doctor, Dr. McClellan, encouraged her to try it out.
"I'm inspired by looking at him," she said. "He's been doing this for decades, and I've only been doing it for nine years."
Ms. Myers said she used to swim often before her accident, but was afraid to try it with part of her leg missing. She's not afraid anymore, she said.
"I think I'm going to try that next."
The clinic was led by TJC alumnus and First Volley Director of Tennis, Darren Kindred. Kindred operates a tennis training facility outside Philadelphia, Penn., and helped establish First Volley with his friend, Robin Burton, in 2005.
Ms. Burton explained she'd heard of groups that helped disabled people play other sports, like golf. She knew Kindred helped a woman who was a quadrilateral amputee learn tennis, with the help of special prostheses.
"When she told me that no one was teaching tennis like this, I thought it was sad," Kindred said.
Two years later, the group now gives 15 tennis workshops each year throughout the United States and Canada.
Participants learned basic tennis strokes and drills. When the clinic drew to a close, they played a round of "Hitting for Prizes." If a participant hit a ball near a pile of tennis equipment, supplied by Prince Sports, they got to keep everything in the pile.
Each player also went home with a beginner's tennis racquet donated by Billie Jean King and World Team Tennis. Ms. King and World Team Tennis gave 120 racquets to the Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc., which operates the First Volley Clinics.
Nakia Myers said Saturday was the first time she'd participated in sports since losing the lower half of her left leg in an accident nine years ago. She never played tennis before that day, but her doctor, Dr. McClellan, encouraged her to try it out.
"I'm inspired by looking at him," she said. "He's been doing this for decades, and I've only been doing it for nine years."
Ms. Myers said she used to swim often before her accident, but was afraid to try it with part of her leg missing. She's not afraid anymore, she said.
"I think I'm going to try that next."
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