The Adaptive Athletics Association and Mission Hills Country Club were honored to host a weekend of Quick Start tennis sessions concurrently with the 2010 DPOG Wheelchair Tennis Classic held November 5-7th. This marked the third year of this growing tournament that accommodated over 40 players traveling from coast to coast to partake in the beautiful weather and surroundings of Palm Springs, CA.

The Quick Start tennis sessions mixed well for beginner players who could watch their peers compete and then play under the supervision and guidance of the professional tennis staff on hand who aided in their introduction to this wonderful sport. The first Quick Start session was held Friday evening which doubled as a player welcoming for the tournament participants, and it enabled all of the veterans of the sport to assist the many newly interested attendees gladly answering questions about equipment and the tour. Players were assigned to courts according to skill levels spanning over 5 courts each with professional coaches assisting with drills, techniques and the basics of movement and racquet handling options. Sessions also were provided on the Saturday and Sunday for those who were able to peel their eyes from the ongoing tourney and take advantage of the more personal attention to the nuances of the game. Thank you once again to our friends at the Mission Hills Country Club and at the USTA for helping our organization provide this opportunity.

The Adaptive Athletics Association strives to introduce and coach these new and existing players in the art of tennis, but also aims to generate greater overall interest in the sports they promote. On March 17th, 2011 the Adaptive Athletics Association assisted in orchestrating a center stage event at the BNP Paribas Open hosted at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the second largest tennis facility in the United States next to our revered USTA Headquarters at Flushing Meadows, NY. At this year’s exhibition wheelchair tennis players: Anthony Lara, Kaitlyn Verfeurth, Tom Ayala and Marty Anderson, played alongside the likes of Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - 2010 French Open Champion and Bethannie Mattek-Sands (USA). The exhibition which lasted more than an hour on center court was a smash creating an even bigger buzz for continued inclusion in the years to come.

As many programs have done for years across our Nation, the Adaptive Athletics Association was founded to promote an active lifestyle through the introduction of wheelchair tennis and other adaptive sports for children and adults along with their families. Envisioning that through their participation in sports and recreation activities, all participants will increase their physical fitness, personal socialization, confidence, and independence. We provide professional tennis instruction and coaching to children and adults. We encourage their family members to join them in the fun as tennis is one of the only sports whereby people in wheelchairs can play or compete alongside their standing fellow athletes.

The Adaptive Athletics Association holds weekly tennis clinics provided at the JW Marriott in Palm Desert, CA from 5:30-6:30 p.m. led by professional coaching staff for wheelchair tennis players. So make your way to the desert and join us.