Wheelchair Tennis Tips

Series Summary

Wheelchair tennis was formed in 1980 by a young man named Brad Parks who was injured on a ski jump just three years earlier. After practicing tennis for two years in Los Angeles he began the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis and today there is even a section in the great tournament of Wimbledon for wheelchair tennis and a champion is crowned every year. The only difference from everyday tennis is that the ball can bounce up to twice and the second bounce can be outside the playing field. Other than that all the rules and regulations are the same for these great athletes. This free video clip series will address some of the difficulties and benefits of playing wheelchair tennis and how it has caught on the way it has. You will learn warm up tips, forehand and backhand shot tips and even tips on serving and volleying. These players are great athletes and the strength and determination it takes to play this sport should not be overlooked. Wheelchair tennis has a bright and ascending future ahead.

Video Transcript

"Hi, Mike Schlappi. So in addition to running marathons and playing basketball in the winter, tennis kind of became my summer cross training sport. This is a great game for someone that's disabled. Because I may not be able to go put a wheelchair basketball team together. I may not be able to go buy four snowmobiles and get out in the snow that's this deep, but I can grab a racket, give me a tennis chair, get one friend, get on a court, in the sunshine, get in my tennis chair, put on my t-shirt, no microphone, and just go play. And I mean, I've been playing for twenty years, and I'm a little rusty and old right now, but we can come out and have a real game of tennis. Now my opponent, if they're on their feet would get one bounce. I would get two bounces. Other than that, we can have a real game of tennis. If you're new, you want to get used to all this. You're rallies may not be five shots, they may be one or two. And you might have a few blisters, but I guarantee you within a few years, you would get to where you'd go out with your buddies and have fun playing wheelchair tennis. And that's the whole idea, to get out of the house, get in shape and not think your wheelchair means you have to sit at home and feel sorry for yourself. I really think it's the same game. We just can't cover the court quite as well. And we're not as tall. And so that changes the game, but we get the second bounce which sometimes saves us occasionally. But a good, a good, if your opponent hits a good shot, the second bounce half the time is in the net anyway. We can't use it so."