Love All: Pittsburgh’s Inclusive Tennis Programs Thrive
- Pam McCrory
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Adaptive sports are important because they offer physical, emotional, and social benefits for individuals with disabilities. In Pittsburgh, there are many resources for adaptive sports. The Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports and Recreation at the University of Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Adaptive Sports, and BOLD (Blind Outdoor Leisure Development) are just a few examples of organizations that provide opportunities for disabled athletes to learn and participate in sports. In Pittsburgh, adaptive tennis has been around for the last five years and is thriving thanks to strong programs and a network of committed volunteers.
The Highland Park Tennis Club (HPTC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2002 by a group of avid tennis players in Pittsburgh. They work with Pittsburgh Citiparks to maintain the nine courts on Stanton Avenue at the entrance to Highland Park. The mission of HPTC is to promote and develop the growth of tennis in Pittsburgh’s multicultural community. They also strive to increase tennis participation by supporting programming that promotes and fosters diversity. Membership dues and donations fund a variety of programs that promote tennis in Pittsburgh. Membership is optional, and there is no fee to use the courts. HPTC offers summer clinics to everyone, including blind and wheelchair athletes.
Jake Schmalzriedt, a wheelchair tennis pro and coach, created the wheelchair tennis program at HPTC. The club offers beginner to advanced clinics to the public on Saturdays from May to July. When Schmalzriedt moved to Portugal a few years ago, Bob Gibbs took over the wheelchair tennis committee. Now in its sixth season, the wheelchair tennis program continues to expand. Play moves indoors to the Mellon Tennis Center during the winter months. The program owns four specially adapted tennis wheelchairs, designed to aid with stability and reach, and featuring a wider wheelbase to prevent tipping. The chairs are lightweight to allow for quick acceleration and easy maneuverability. Tennis-adapted wheelchairs can cost anywhere from $3,500 to $3,900 each. HPTC was able to acquire the chairs through various foundation grants.
Wheelchair tennis requires good upper body strength, and players learn special techniques to move around the court in the wheelchairs. Players use regular tennis balls and are allowed two bounces. Provided the first bounce is within the court lines, the second bounce can be outside of the court. During clinics, a non–wheelchair-bound volunteer feeds the ball so players can learn how to use the wheelchair. “It is incredibly satisfying to see players learn and improve. Giving these individuals the opportunity to compete and become champions is what is most important,” said Gibbs.
Former Wimbledon Champion and Paralympian Dana Mathewson came to Pittsburgh on May 5 to host a clinic at the Mellon Tennis Center. Mathewson led a small group of wheelchair players through the clinic and offered tips and insight into the sport. Since her retirement from the professional circuit, Mathewson has traveled the country as a motivational speaker.
Dana Costa was inspired to start a blind tennis program to get her daughter, Domiana, onto the court. Costa, an avid player herself, was serving as president of HPTC when she decided to launch the program. Along with Jen Roth and Dave Dilettuso, Costa founded the United States Blind Tennis Association (USBTA). With a core group of volunteers, USBTA aspires to make tennis accessible to blind and low-vision players. They developed a pilot program at HPTC in 2019. USBTA works closely with the United States Tennis Association, both locally and nationally, to bring tennis to a community that has been underrepresented in the past. HPTC hosts public clinics on Saturdays and moves to the Mellon Tennis Center during the winter months.
Allegheny County Parks has worked with USBTA to provide courts with permanent high-visibility lines for low-vision players; these courts are the first of their kind in the U.S. Blind and low-vision tennis is played on a shorter court. There are now courts with these special lines at Boyce Park, North Park, Settlers Cabin Park, and Highland Park. Players also use a special ball that makes a rattle when hit or bounced. Players start a point by saying “Ready?” before serving the ball, and each player is allowed two bounces to return it. “The best part of this program is that it breaks down barriers and gives blind and low-vision athletes the freedom to be on the court and play a great sport,” said Costa.
Both Gibbs and Costa credit the current HPTC president, Lori Geist, with helping build a cadre of volunteers to support these incredible programs. Through advertising and social media posts on Facebook and Instagram, Geist has created a database for the many programs that HPTC offers. Geist is proud to be one of those volunteers. “I volunteer with our tennis programs to share my love of the sport and to promote Highland Park Tennis Club’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive community that is open, accepting, and encouraging to all members. It’s fun and rewarding to see others experience the joy and connection that tennis among friends brings,” said Geist.
Another excellent program for disabled athletes is Buddy Up for Life, which provides adaptive programming for individuals with Down syndrome. The Pittsburgh chapter of Buddy Up for Life holds weekly clinics from October to April at Alpha Tennis and Fitness in Harmarville. Clinics are open to children and adults with Down syndrome who are five years or older. Rochelle Seilhamer, a retired tennis teaching professional, runs the 90-minute clinics and has been with the program since it began at Monroeville Racquet Club. Each clinic begins with 30 minutes of conditioning, including activities such as stretching, jumping jacks, or jumping rope. The second 60 minutes are dedicated to learning tennis skills. “Some of our participants have never done any type of sport, so to watch them learn a skill such as jumping rope is truly inspirational,” said Seilhamer.
Athletes are paired with a volunteer ‘buddy’ who provides support and encouragement and assists each athlete in following the coach’s instructions. Buddy Up for Life allows participants to flourish physically and socially, as well as form social bonds with their buddies. “Each athlete has their own unique personality, and I love getting to know them as individuals. Over my teaching career, this program remains one of my favorites. I absolutely love watching them grow and improve,” said Seilhamer.
For more information:
Highland Park Tennis Club at highlandparktennisclub.org
USBTA, Dana Costa at 412-576-4103
Buddy Up for Life, Rochelle Seilhamer at 412-527-5703