Local organization provides tennis for those with special needs
By Samantha Day
On Saturday, Dream Court held its annual Unified Doubles Tennis Play Day. Over 40 athletes with special needs from Montgomery, Dothan, and Atlanta competed.
“It involves people who have intellectual special needs such as down syndrome, autism, developmental delays, and others with physical special needs such as loss of limbs or spina bifida and they play in a wheelchair,” said Dream Court Founder and Director Jessica Weryreuter.
She got the idea for Dream Court in 2013 after her friend was involved in an accident. “A friend of mine had a ski accident and became paraplegic and that opened my mind to people with special needs,” Weryreuter said. Since it’s beginning, Dream Court has served over 100 athletes from across the River Region. People like 18-year-old Anthony Le. Save
“I’ve been playing tennis since I was in third grade but then I started putting my heart into it since I was in 10th grade,” said Le. His partner for Saturday’s tournament was volunteer Peyton Miller. “Anthony is just a ball of energy. He’s so much fun and he’s got the right balance of intensity and wanting to be here and doing his best,” Miller said.
Miller has been playing tennis for five years. “It gives me the opportunity to share something, like tennis, that I really love,” Miller said.
Dream Court has programs year round. It offers one hour of tennis weekly during its Spring (Saturday mornings in March and April), Summer (third week in July) and Fall (Sunday afternoons in September and October) Sessions.
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