Thursday 3 May 2018

Tennis Anyone? By Sarah Evans




I recently started playing wheelchair tennis. I found out about this opportunity through the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association at the Abilities Expo, which came to Toronto in January. It was a godsend and encouraged me to get out into the community and be more active like I used to be. 

l play tennis on Monday evenings at a tennis center in Scarborough that is run by the city. We play in a large bubble, which I like. As the summer is coming, I look forward to playing on outdoor courts. 

The session is two hours each week. We begin by driving around pylons in sort of an obstacle course, which is easy for me because I use an electric wheelchair. Then we practice a series of skills,  which include rallying (that is hitting the ball to each other),  hitting high balls and serving. We usually end by just playing a game. 

I am really enjoying tennis.  I play with a nice little community of people.  Sometimes I get discouraged and think that I am not very good because I miss a lot of balls, but then someone tells me that I did well or that I am getting better and I am reassured and remember to be patient with myself. It has also motivated me to work out and build the muscles in my arms so that I can hit the ball better.


To find out more about wheelchair tennis is the GTA, please visit https://owsa.ca/wheelchair-tennis/

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