LITM, Bethpage Park Tennis Center Team Up For Annual Free Clinic For Special Needs Individuals
Special Olympic athletes along with autistic and other special needs individuals were treated to a free clinic at Bethpage Park Tennis Center. The annual event is run by Long Island Tennis Magazine’s (LITM) event staff, as well as staff from the Special Olympics and Bethpage Park Tennis Center
The athletes were provided a fun and exciting afternoon while surrounded by supportive people. The event staff organized drills and games on court to keep all the kids active and having fun, while helping to teach and, in some cases, introduce tennis to many of these athletes of all ages.
“Working with all of the talented athletes was a great experience and taught me that tennis can be played and picked up by anyone with some instruction,” said Hana Deckman, LITM intern and a senior at Harborfields High School. “Connecting through tennis has always been a great way for meeting new people and making friends!”
Chloe Zigman, another member of the LITM intern and a senior at Half Hollow Hills East High School, added:
“From working with these talented athletes i noticed they have a lot of passion and excitement to play the sport. I can see how determined they are to play and it makes me really happy knowing they also love the sport as much as I do and seeing them succeed and be happy puts the biggest smile on my face.”
The Special Olympics athletes competed in King and Queen of the Court towards the end of the clinic, where the players in the programs teamed up with local varsity high school tennis players who are also Long Island Tennis Magazine event staff to compete in doubles play. While the activity was a fun one with tons of laughs, it also brought out the competitive side in everyone, especially the special needs athletes.
At the end of the on-court portion, players enjoyed pizza courtesy of Mike Pavlides and USTA Eastern Long Island to cap off a fun afternoon.
This clinic was unique in the fact that it consisted of special needs individuals from multiple local organizations and those with a variety of needs. Throughout the year, Bethpage Park hosts weekly programming for special needs individuals, and events such as these serve as a pathway to added programming, more players and a way to showcase all that these athletes can do.
“Tennis is a very humbling game so having the reminder that having the opportunity to play and grow is most valuable. I’ve always been amazed at the resilience that special needs athletes display and the joy they derive from playing tennis,” said Steve Kaplan, Founder and Owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center. “The unification of able and special needs athletes provides that chance for both players to ascend one another.”
Long Island Tennis Magazine looks forward to continuing to partner with local organizations and groups to maintain its objective of providing tennis opportunities to all.
“We were thrilled to once again team up with Steve Kaplan to host this free clinic and share the love of tennis with these deserving individuals,” said David Sickmen, Publisher of Long Island Tennis Magazine. “It’s our goal to continue to grow the game of tennis, and that means bringing the sport to as many people as possible. We have seen the progress in the level of these athletes and are excited to host more events like this in the future.”
Click Here to see more photos from the annual Special Needs Clinic
