RC Antigua Sundown Funds Recreational Tennis Program for Children With Intellectual Disabilities
Posted by Sean Paddy on Feb 01, 2017
St. John’s, Antigua – The Rotary Club of Antigua Sundown (RCAS) partnered with the Wadadli Gems to offer a tennis program for children with intellectual disabilities and on 31st January 2017 launched “Tennis With Samantha”. RCAS’s investment will provide: tennis equipment, water coolers, first aid kit etc. for the program.
“Community is at the heart of what we do,” said RCAS President Herald Rolland. “So we’re constantly working on building stronger relations with schools, local community groups and others. Our club has been championing the cause of autism and other special needs broadly so this initiative is aligned with our goals.”
The goal of the program is to provide a setting where children with intellectual disabilities can not only get exercise but work on their motor and social skills. Through tennis fundamentals, the program will also work with the children to develop their attention and rational thinking (e.g. strategy and tactics), as well as, promote sportsmanship on the court and in their daily lives.
“Our mission is simple – teach this special population of children how to play tennis by ensuring that they have access (with a helping hand) to the sport,” shared Samantha Johnson, member of Wadadli Gems and Tennis Instructor for the program. “This program is actually the brain-child of our (Wadadli Gems) founder Maylene Hector, who is a parent of a special needs child and knows the benefits that a sport like tennis could bring to these children. We’ve seen the work done by Rotary Club of Antigua Sundown in the area of disabilities, specifically autism and we knew they would make a great partner. We were right – they said yes and now these children have a chance to play. We are grateful for their (RCAS) commitment and support.”
The goal of the program is to provide a setting where children with intellectual disabilities can not only get exercise but work on their motor and social skills. Through tennis fundamentals, the program will also work with the children to develop their attention and rational thinking (e.g. strategy and tactics), as well as, promote sportsmanship on the court and in their daily lives.
“Our mission is simple – teach this special population of children how to play tennis by ensuring that they have access (with a helping hand) to the sport,” shared Samantha Johnson, member of Wadadli Gems and Tennis Instructor for the program. “This program is actually the brain-child of our (Wadadli Gems) founder Maylene Hector, who is a parent of a special needs child and knows the benefits that a sport like tennis could bring to these children. We’ve seen the work done by Rotary Club of Antigua Sundown in the area of disabilities, specifically autism and we knew they would make a great partner. We were right – they said yes and now these children have a chance to play. We are grateful for their (RCAS) commitment and support.”
"Tennis With Samantha" will run for ten weeks and will be hosted at the National Tennis Centre at Campsite, St. John's. Lessons will take place twice weekly for ninety (90) minute sessions. The students currently enrolled in the program are from the Adele School but there are plans to expand the program in the future.
Each session includes: warm-up; basic hand-eye coordination skills; volleys at the net; groundstrokes from farther out; and an obstacle course. The session will also include a group game and picking up balls.
For more information on the Rotary Club of Antigua Sundown, please visit them on Facebook.