Randy Snow’s Blog

“The ITF Silver Fund sent me to Brazil and Ecuador to support the development of wheelchair tennis in Latin America. In each country I was lucky enough to visit a number of regions and was invited to participate in a number of special events with wheelchair tennis player communities and was happy to promote the sport of wheelchair tennis at every given opportunity.

The first stop in Brazil was Nitaroi, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, where I worked with Carlos Morias. Carlos, who represented Brazil in both the World Team Cup competition and the Paralympics, set up a half-day coaches workshop where we held an interactive event on ball delivery, mobility outcomes and stroke analysis. After a couple of days in Rio, a short flight to Goiânia took me inland to the capital city of Goias. I toured the Brazilian wheelchair manufacturer, Tokleve, and taught a junior tennis clinic for 15 players at their tennis facility. Brazils capital was the final stop of my Journey. In Brasilia I worked with the very progressive and internationally renowned Wanderson Cavalcante. We were able to conduct a number of training sessions with children and adults of a variety of ages. We also hosted a couple of one/up one/down exhibitions to promote our sport at a club that supports wheelchair tennis. There we also worked with some top players in match play, outcome specific drills and discussion. Wanderson has an excellent program. I even witnessed him teaching the inverted backhand grip to a seven year old. 
This youth was hitting incredible topspin backhands AT SEVEN!!!!!

Following a brief stay back in the USA it was then off to Ecuador. I was able to travel along with teaching pro and my coach from the United States, Lea Sauls. He was the Assistant Women’s Coach for the University of Texas tennis team that won national championships in 1993 and 95 and has worked with me in my competitive game. He was invaluable in teaching and discussing the psychology of the game and worked hard on court to help benefit the players we met.

The first stop on this visit was to the capital Quito and where Alex Pena hosted me. Alex Pena has been involved in wheelchair tennis for many years now since an accident left him compelled to work with disabled athletes in Ecuador. The president of the Ecuadorian Paralympic Committee met with us to discuss tennis on my first day in Quito and we ran a tennis clinic for 20 players at the Circulo Militar Club and also met with the President of Deportiva de Pichincha. We rounded off our time in Quito with a half-day clinic for all skill level players. Following this clinic we travelled to Cuenca, where we rendezvoused with Esteban Ortiz, a dedicated ambassador for the sport of wheelchair tennis in Ecuador and a national player who has competed at the Invacare World Team Cup. Several clinics for a diverse population of players were held we were able to visit a future Olympic Training Centre that will be utilised by Paralympic athletes. Finally in Guayaquil City, with Mr. Ortiz, we held two clinics and an exhibition for the President of Ecuadorian Tennis Federation and discussed proposals of hosting a South American championship in Ecuador. There was a great deal of television, radio and newspaper coverage during the entire trip to Ecuador and Brazil.

In both countries that I visited the take away that was intended was three-fold. The tennis community was reminded that the player, the teaching pro and the club all benefit from getting involved in wheelchair tennis. 

1) From the player’s perspective the influence of tennis can include being rehabilitative, recreational or competitive. Players can pick and choose what kind of relationship with the sport and how far they want to take it, all the way to the Paralympics if they so choose.

2) For the professional, they benefit because teaching wheelchair tennis will demand that they get outside of the teaching paradigms they comprehend in order to find new ways to produce successful wheelchair tennis players. They will become better teachers by learning new ways to teach the sport of tennis. Additionally, members of their club will witness the pro working with the disabled population and this will increase the profile of the sport and the coach. 

3) For a club that has a wheelchair tennis program, there will be constant media exposure as television and newspaper coverage happens frequently. The wheelchair program provides an excellent opportunity for inspiration for club members and especially junior athletes. And who doesn’t want to be a member of a club that is involved in a community program such as wheelchair tennis for adults and juniors. The image of the club will certainly be enhanced through hosting a wheelchair program.

The Silver Fund provides people the amazing opportunities that sport can offer to those that may have been overlooked in the past. There have been many players whose start was sparked from Silver Fund events, some of which have played for their countries at the Paralympics. The real message behind the Silver Fund though is more than tennis. The message that is promoted is one of changing negative stereotypes, achieving goals and community development.”