TENNIS
for Individuals with
Mental Retardation, cont'd

Developing Tennis Fundamentals
Many times students need some preparation for learning tennis strokes. This can include developing hand-eye coordination, improving footwork, agility, and other important factors that can contribute to improved performance. These basic fundamentals can greatly facilitate learning the sport.

All tennis instructors, including those working with individuals with mental retardation, can greatly benefit from information provided in the book, Munchkin Tennis (1998). It provides a great selection of games and activities that can be used to increase the enjoyment of learning tennis. Although originally written as a parent's guide to teaching tennis to children nine and under, Munchkin Tennis has been used by many instructors as a reference for providing fun and organization to activities that develop physical and perceptual skills in players of all ages. Tennis instructors always have the ability to change or modify an activity to suit age, skill, and mental development of their students. Munchkin Tennis activities also promote several important social objectives including cooperation, sportsmanship, memory, sharing, listening, and etiquette. These are skills often requiring attention in addition to physical skill development of students.

Standard Method, Instant Tennis, and Munchkin Tennis have been used worldwide to introduce tennis to new players, both young and old. Players with special abilities, players who use wheelchairs, and individuals with mental retardation have also greatly benefitted from these same basic progressions. USPTR provides instruction in the use of the Standard Method and certifies tennis teachers in the technique.

Special Olympics Tennis
Special Olympics is a nonprofit program of sports training and competition for individuals with mental retardation. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round training and athletic competitions for more than one million athletes in nearly 150 countries and all 50 states in the United States.

The tennis program is one of 26 sports offered by Special Olympics. Tennis competitions consist of traditional match play, Unified Sports® doubles and individual skills competitions. In traditional match play, athletes play one six-game no-add set in both singles and doubles competitions. Unified Sports® doubles is traditional doubles play with teams consisting of one player with mental retardation and one player without mental retardation of similar age and ability. Individual skills competitions are designed for athletes with lower abilities who are not proficient in the basic fundamental skills required to participate safely and meaningfully in traditional match play. The individual skills competitions consist of nine tennis skills events assessing racket control, forehand and backhand groundstrokes and volleys, and serves.

Global Tennis Opportunities
Special Olympics tennis is growing throughout the world. In 1987, tennis was introduced to the Summer World Games with 18 athletes from 3 countries competing. During the 1995 World Games, 138 athletes competed in tennis, representing 15 countries. At the 1999 World Games, 129 athletes from 22 countries participated in tennis competition. New Special Olympics programs in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the USA are providing more Special Olympics athletes with opportunities to train and compete in tennis.

In March 2000, a regional conference was conducted in La Paz, Bolivia, with representatives from the South American Confederation of Tennis, the National Tennis Programs, and National Special Olympics programs from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. These countries, which have identified tennis as a priority sport, will be joined by programs in Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Guatemala next year. Currently, tennis is a Special Olympics sport in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela.

Tennis programs are currently developing in Austria, Germany, Monaco, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Special Olympics tennis athletes from those European countries, as well as athletes from the USA, recently competed in singles and doubles match play at the 2000 European Games in Groningen, The Netherlands. Austria and Switzerland currently conduct National Tennis Championships.

Special Olympics tennis began in Japan last year with athletes training at Tokai University. The program conducted by professional tennis coaches will include additional athletes, coaches, and family members next year.

USPTR Partners with Special Olympics
A new partnership with the United States Professional Tennis Registry will help expand tennis opportunities to Special Olympics athletes around the world. This partnership has the potential to make a significant worldwide impact on the number of Special Olympics athletes participating in tennis training and competition. USPTR officially became involved with Special Olympics tennis when it helped launch a new tennis player rating program designed to assess the ability of athletes competing at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

The United States Professional Tennis Registry is the fastest growing tennis teachers' organization in the world. Founded in 1976 by Dennis Van der Meer, USPTR provides education, international certification, and service to tennis teaching professionals and coaches. The organization consists of over 10,500 members in 128 countries. USPTR professionals utilize the unique Standard Method of teaching based on a system of progression allowing students to learn faster and more effectively.

USPTR assists Special Olympics in providing training and competition opportunities for Special Olympics tennis players. USPTR supports Special Olympics by identifying USPTR teaching tennis professionals who assist in development of Special Olympics tennis programs in their communities. Initially, tennis pros are asked to donate a 30-minute session to the local Special Olympics program, assisting the local coach in rating players and planning training programs. Local programs then are able to involve the interested pros as coaches, officials, and tournament volunteers.     Regarding the partnership, Van der Meer noted, "We are happy to work with Special Olympics to bring together Special Olympics athletes and USPTR members in 128 countries."

USPTR founder Dennis Van der Meer hosted the 1st Southeast Region US Tennis Tournament.

Southeast Region USA Tennis Tournament
To offer more competitive opportunities for Special Olympics tennis players, USPTR, the Van der Meer Tennis Center, and Special Olympics South Carolina USA joined to host the 1st Southeast Region USA Tennis Tournament on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in the Spring of 2000. Competitions featured 56 athletes from Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Competitions took place in both match play and individual skills competitions. An additional 12 athletes from Special Olympics Oregon competed in individual skills competitions via a special website, www.onlinesports.org.

The tournament was held at the famous Van der Meer Tennis Center, one of the country's premier tennis teaching facilities. Tournament Director Julie Jilly of USPTR and Gavin Cox of Van der Meer Center, provided first-class tennis experiences for athletes and their families. Dennis Van der Meer, President and founder of USPTR, and Judy Levering, President of the United States Tennis Association, were on hand to celebrate achievements of Special Olympics tennis players at the Tournament. Van der Meer welcomed the athletes to Hilton Head Island at the opening ceremonies. He returned for the awards presentation to join Levering in presenting athletes with their medals and posing for photographs with athletes and their families.

USTA President Judy Levering
was present to award medals
at the Special Olympics Southeast
USA Region Tennis Tournament

Selected References

Hustlar, J. (1998). USPTR Manual on Munchkin Tennis. Hilton Head, SC: USPTR.
Special Olympics (1997). Special Olympics Tennis Sports Skills Program.Washington, DC: Special Olympics, Inc.
USPTR (1999). USPTR Instructor's Manual. Hilton Head, SC: USPTR.
Van der Meer, D. (1999). Instant Tennis Instructional Video. Hilton Head, SC: USPTR.

Photos taken by Sue Maner, Special Olympics South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina

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