7 October 2021 | Tennis Queensland

Fresh from Dylan Alcott’s inspirational Golden slam victory, Queensland tennis clubs and coaches are preparing for the inevitable growth spike for wheelchair and inclusive tennis.

A unique professional development coach workshop will be hosted in Caloundra this weekend to give the skills and confidence to coaches across the Sunshine Coast to train blind and low vision players and wheelchair players.

Tennis Australia’s State Inclusive coach, Alison Scott will provide on-court guidance on Saturday for coaches to then implement during a Come n’ Try day session later in the afternoon.

“Any coach is capable of teaching a player with a disability how to play tennis.  Attending a professional development session can provide the opportunity to experience and learn.  This will provide coaches with the tools and confidence to enable Queensland Clubs to deliver quality inclusive tennis programs.” Alison said.

A Movement Disorder Foundation and Inclusion Workshop will also be held for tennis coaches at the Queensland Tennis Centre on October 19.

Tim Low at Bayside Tennis Academy is an example of how Alison’s extra on-court guidance immediately opened up tennis to a new and local cohort with 30 children from two schools in Calamvale and Redlands attending a Come n Try inclusive tennis day for the first time this month. Bayside Tennis Academy received corporate funding through Lendlease to host the event.

In Brisbane, Sunshine Tennis club has an established Low Vision tennis program under the passionate guidance of Jesse Parker who is also a regular coach for Mitchelton Special School.

In Far North Queensland, Fred Lay at Grit Tennis is recognized for his pioneering Run n’ roll sessions where able bodied players partner wheelchair players in doubles matches. Fred also coaches Queensland’s young promising wheelchair player Ben Wenzel and is running a four week Blind and Low vision camp in partnership with the Cairns Regional Council.

Queensland’s wheelchair players will compete at the Coolum Classic on October 16 and 17, whilst the state’s elite wheelchair players will compete for 3000 US dollars in an ITF tournament later this month at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Find your nearest inclusive tennis program here