International Deaf Tennis Competitions A Player example essay topic

Tennis Populations 1. Wheel chair tennis 2. Hearing impaired 3. Learning disabilities Wheelchair tennis won't come easy to a new comer but with practice you can only get better. I would rate wheelchair tennis not a 1 or 2 (easy) because its hard to do two things at once. Positioning yourself in a wheelchair to hit a tennis ball before it bounces twice can be difficult.

I would rate this activity a 3 due to having tennis skill and wheelchair handling capability. Wheelchair tennis is for every level but to have the basics of moving around the court and learn how to hit different types of shots with a tennis racquet can be challenging. Wheelchair tennis started in 1976, when Brad Parks introduced the potential of this new sport. Since 1976, wheelchair tennis has been the fastest growing and one of the most challenging and exciting of all wheelchair sports. It has provided opportunities for many disabled people to enjoy competitive tennis, as well as sharing experiences with both able-bodied and disabled friends of all age groups. A little over a decade later since it was first introduced, with its fast growth and popularity, the ITF (international wheelchair tennis federation) formed in 1988.

The new sport grew throughout the country and even overseas. As fast as the sport grew one of the major problems was lack of equipment. Over the year, many players have donated their old wheelchairs to new and developing countries to help them start a wheelchair program. Wheelchair tennis has the same rules as a regular tennis game, except the only rule difference is the ball can bounce 2 times instead of once. The Mission statement for Wheelchair Tennis: The ITF is the international governing body for tennis, including wheelchair tennis. It aims to provide, promote and develop opportunities for men, women and children with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair tennis at all levels from novice to the professional player.

As the governing body of tennis, the ITF provides a leading role in the administration of wheelchair tennis. The ITF aims to ensure that a fair and equal opportunity is provided for all those entitled to play under its eligibility rules and that the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis are implemented according to the standards expected of an international body. The ITF aims to work together with National Tennis Federations, National Disabled Sports Organizations and National Wheelchair Tennis Organizations to provide opportunities for all involved in wheelchair tennis and to encourage integration with able-bodied tennis whenever possible. The ITF will, through a range of events and initiatives, ensure that wheelchair tennis is seen as a "world class" sport and as such recognizes its World Champions alongside their peers. The ITF aims to work together with the Paralympic movement to ensure that wheelchair tennis is a part of Paralympic Games every four years.

The ITF aims to provide an international Tour which will result in a year-end Masters event in singles and doubles for the top 8 players or teams as a showcase event for the sport. The ITF aims to provide an annual team competition, the World Team Cup, for Nations to compete at the highest level and to determine the team champions within wheelchair tennis. The International Tennis Federation is the organization that runs 198 National Associations, including wheelchair tennis. The ITF is responsible for the rules of tennis, including the technical specifications for courts and equipment. They offer tournaments all around the world for different abilities and ages. A serious player who wants to get improve his game can get a coach through the ITF.

Tennis clubs around the world offer wheelchair tennis programs. A tennis club in Atlanta Georgia, is the ALTA Foundation, which provides free wheelchair instructional clinics for children in the spring and fall. They make it possible for coaching and tournament travel support to the ALTA Foundation Traveling Wheelchair Tennis Team, Atlanta's premier wheelchair players. Wheelchair Tennis in Georgia highlights the achievements of ALTA physically challenged athletes. The ALTA Foundation purchases special sports chairs allowing disabled persons the opportunity to play competitive tennis. There are tennis clubs like this all over the world.

In a Wheelchair organization they want to ensure the players are having a fun time. For a recreational wheel chair tennis player, you can play with other wheelchair players at your ability level. The only cost is for this type of player is a racquet a can of balls and wheelchair, which the person should already have. Depending how much they want to get involved in wheelchair tennis there are a variety of sport chairs available they can upgrade too. There are even powered wheelchairs for those who have a hard time pushing and maneuvering the chair by hand while trying to play tennis. A more competitive player will want to do tournaments.

At these tournaments they provide all levels of ability nation and world wide. Here are some types of tournaments available: Regular local tournaments will help you get ranked for ITF Wheelchair Tennis Ranking in singles and doubles. Such events fall into the following groups: Super Series and Championship Series 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (5 for the beginner and 1 for championships / masters ) The World Team Cup is the official wheelchair tennis Team Event of the ITF. The World Team Cup is played in a different country, once a year, for men, women, quads and juniors.

In order to participate a country must be a member of the ITF and IWTA. The Wheelchair Tennis Masters, in singles and doubles, are the year-end events of the Wheelchair Tennis Tour. The top 8 men and top 8 women on the rankings will be invited to participate in the Singles Masters. For the Doubles Masters the top 8 women's and men's doubles teams will be accepted based on the combined doubles ranking of the players. After being an exhibition sport at the 1988 Paralympic Games, wheelchair tennis is a full medal sport from 1992 onwards. The regulations are decided by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Paralympic Organizing Committee in conjunction with the ITF.

Deaf Tennis I would rate deaf tennis a 1 or 2 (easy) because tennis involves little communication. The only communication necessary for tennis is keeping score, settling arguments, doubles communication, and taking in verbal instructions. There are tennis instructors that know sign language this will not be a issue. If you already know the game of tennis and can play, the game of tennis can be played without any communication between the players, as long as they keep track of the score with score cards so they don't get confused or in disagreement.

The British Tennis Foundation works in partnership with organizations, including the British Deaf Tennis Association and the British Deaf Sports Council to develop and promote tennis for deaf and hearing impaired people in the United kingdom. As deafness is not a physical disability anyone with a hearing impairment can play tennis, and the rules of tennis apply. A person's degree of deafness will determine whether they are eligible to take part in organized deaf tennis competitions. To increase the number of deaf people playing tennis, and to encourage more players from beginner right through to competition level, the British Tennis Foundation administers a number of incentives in partnership with the British Deaf Tennis Association.

The British Tennis Foundation is involved in running tennis 'Have A Go's es sions during sports days organized by Friends for Young Deaf People, as well as organizing its own sign language coaching. In 2001 the British Tennis Foundation organized a new way for beginners with hearing impairments to try out tennis. The Deaf Tennis Festival, sponsored by Am bro Sports and supported by Sports match, alongside the National Deaf Tennis Championships. This gave young players the chance to try tennis for the first time or to learn new skills to improve their game. Degrees of Deafness People with a mild hearing loss (25-40 dBHL) have some difficulty in following speech. People with a moderate hearing loss (41-70 dBHL) find it difficult to follow speech without a hearing aid.

People with a severe hearing loss (71-95 dBHL) find difficulty following speech even with a hearing aid and have to rely on lip reading. People with a profound hearing loss (96+ dBHL) find hearing aids are often of little or no use at all. Sign language will be used in most cases of severe and profound hearing loss. For national or international deaf tennis competitions a player must have an average hearing loss of 55 dBHL or more in the best ear. In all competitions all players must remove their hearing aids before going on court. The World Deaf Games, or Deaf Olympics took place in Rome in August 2001, with British players collecting two bronze medals.

The next World Deaf Games will take place in Melbourne, Australia in 2005. The Great Britain Tennis team the went to the 2001 Deaf Olympics (World Deaf Games) in Rome. Special Olympics Learning how to play tennis with a mental or psychological disability would rate a 4-5 (hard). Tennis game involves mental and physical abilities.

These traits are hard for Special Olympic people to learn. Lleyton Hewitt, a former #1 tennis player in the world, hosted a tennis clinic for Special Olympics athletes on Thursday, 21 August 2003. Special Olympics tennis athletes from New York and New Jersey performed skills and drills under the direction of Hewitt at 3 p.m. on Court 4 at the world-class USTA National Tennis Center as a prelude to the U.S. Open. His role as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics means he has been spreading the Special Olympics throughout the world, including China, Ireland, Canada and his home country, Australia. Throughout his travels he works with Special Olympics athletes, helping them to not only develop their tennis skills but increase their self-confidence. Hewitt is also part of a public service campaign encouraging people to be a champion for Special Olympics by volunteering, coaching or supporting what he is doing.

At the Flushing clinic, Hewitt hits with Special Olympics tennis players. He participated in a question-and-answer session, talking about everything from proper racquet grip to his career; and he participated in Unified Sports doubles play. He and his coach, Roger Rasheed, took turns pairing up with Special Olympics players. Hewitt's team tended to come out on top, thanks to his crowd-pleasing trick shots. He also encouraged the athletes on both sides of the net non-stop, clapping, exchanging high-fives and sayings things such as 'Good shot, mate!'.