On June 27, 2023, eight Special Pops Tennis Athletes had the opportunity to participate as Ambassadors for the upcoming Atlanta Open at Atlantic Station. The event was Media Day and each Athlete was given a display with the name of one of the players to be competing in the Tournament starting on July 23 – July 30. This Media Day event gave the Athletes an opportunity to rally a few tennis balls with one of the wildcard entries Andres Martin, a Georgia Tech student who competed in the 2022 event.
“It was a very fun day with a uniquely rewarding experience for everyone in attendance,” said Jim Hamm, Special Pops Tennis Executive Director.
As part of the Atlanta Open, the USTA Georgia is conducting a clinic for Special Pops Tennis Athletes on Thursday, July 27th, from 11:00 am to noon. Also on Thursday, Special Pops Tennis will have a booth and welcome the chance to meet as many tennis people as possible. There will be information about their programs and a spinning wheel with some fun giveaways.
Enjoy the video and know that countless volunteers and supporters have played a positive part in the lives of the Athletes shown in the video as representatives of the many other Athletes.
About Special Pops Tennis
Special Pops Tennis (SPT), a non-profit organization since 2005, offers programs and services to our Athletes (children and adults with intellectual disabilities) to “Play Tennis; Make Friends; Live Life.” Without our programs, people with intellectual disabilities have limited experiences to gain the social and physical benefits of tennis from “outside the fence.”
Adaptive tennis programs provide the opportunity for the Athletes to come inside the fence. SPT programs are designed to develop life skills such as an active lifestyle, healthy food choices, positive self-esteem, respect for others, social interaction and problem-solving.
The Athletes face the challenge of learning differently in their life’s journey. Built upon healthy relationships with our volunteers, the Athletes and families develop friendships and participate in a sport that is based on inclusion and unconditional love for others. Beyond metro Atlanta, we are recognized as the training arm for launching additional adaptive tennis programs throughout Georgia.
For more information, please visit www.specialpopstennis.org or contact Jim Hamm at 404-702-5820 or send an email to serve@specialpopstennis.org.
