On Saturday, June 25th, the First Volley Adaptive Tennis Clinic for Shriners Hospital for Children® patients was held at Forest Park in Springfield, Mass. Twelve children gathered for a morning of tennis instruction from Marie Vanasse, certified instructor and Conrad McIntyre, tennis pro. The participants practiced front and back hand volleys and partnered for a round-robin tournament. It was great to see the smiles on the kid’s faces as they made contact with the ball.Â
The free tennis clinic was sponsored by the Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF) and funded by a grant from the United States Tennis Association, USA Serves. Robin Burton, Director of OPAF organizes the tennis clinics which are held around the country for people of all ages with physical challenges. Four years ago I met Robin at a prosthetic and orthotic conference in Mystic, CT where we discussed bringing the adaptive program to Springfield for Shriners Hospital patients and other physically challenged members of the community. After securing the needed funding, Robin was finally able to bring the program to Springfield. Based on the fun the kids had and the friendships they made, it was well worth the wait!
A great big thank you to Forest Park for the courts, Whole Foods for the refreshments and all the volunteers from Shriners Hospital who helped make this a successful event.Â
OPAF and The First Clinics develop, implement, partner and host adaptive recreational sports programs and clinics for people with physical challenges. For more information, visit the OPAF website at www.opfund.org.
Submitted by:Â Tracey Sabolevski, CPO, SHC-Springfield, MA
