Military
USTA/Virginia Tennis has joined forces once again with USTA’s Adopt-a-Unit program...
Join the effort to help our deployed military service members…
Let the countdown begin...Help us support our troops!
USTA/Virginia has adopted a 70 person unit out of Ft. Belvoir, VA, currently stationed in Afghanistan. USTA will be sending them nets, balls and rackets and USTA/Virginia is ready to pack their “goody” bags. With your assistance we hope to get these items shipped by the end of March. Help us meet the goal & support our hometown hereos! Items can be donated at any USTA/VA event through March, or request for larger donations/items to be picked up by a USTA/VA staff member. Contact Shell Wood at CLOAKING CLOAKING for pick-up information.
The 2011 Adopt-a-Unit Campaign was a huge success...
With the generous item & monetary donations provided by USTA/VA league players, event participants, staff, Board, and various medical & dental offices throughout the state, we were able to collect plenty of items to ship to our first adopted unit of 500 soldiers for the holidays. THANK YOU to all who helped support the campaign.
For more information on how & where you can donate, check our events calendar on www.virginiatennis.com or contact USTA/Virginia at CLOAKING ; 540.982.5524
Click here for information on how YOU can start an Adopt-a-Unit program in your area.
Wounded Warriors
The Wounded Warriors Tennis Program in Virginia connects both USTA/Wheelchair Tennis and USTA/Adaptive Tennis to provide tennis programming for our disabled military personnel.
The take away from conducting a USTA/VA Military Tennis program is basically a three-fold goal. The player, the teaching pro and the military base that hosts a program will all benefit from getting involved in wheelchair and/or adaptive tennis. From the player’s perspective, there are three domains that a physically disabled person can tap into: rehabilitative, recreational, and competitive. Players can pick and choose what kind of relationship with the sport they want and how far they want to take it. From rehabilitation, the player certainly benefits from not only the physical aspects but also the psychological benefit, one of risk taking, is experienced in a positive way. Recreational benefits are physical, mental, social, psychological and wellness. And finally, if the player chooses, they can take the sport all the way to the Paralympics.
Tennis benefits both mind and body. Physically, playing tennis helps to improve balance, mobility, agility, strength, fitness, and to burn calories.
Mentally, tennis works on one’s focus, concentration, and reactive and problem-solving behaviors.
Emotionally it can promote self-confidence, instill feelings of success, relieve stress, and provide social outlets to meet new friends, enhance relationships, or experience great family outings.
These benefits are so much more important for those with disabilities, in special life situations, or with special circumstances.
For people with special circumstances or disabilities, these benefits are enhanced with new elements added to success as typically defined. A different way of looking at some benefits is as follows:
- Tennis is for everyone and the game of tennis can be adapted to accommodate any age, environment, condition, or disability
- Tennis is fun
- Tennis provides a venue for positive social interaction
- Tennis participation enhances self-esteem and self-confidence
- Tennis is good exercise and improves overall fitness
- Tennis improves flexibility, strength, and weight control
- Tennis helps develop eye-hand coordination and body control
- ...and finally, Tennis can be played for a lifetime.
USTA/ Adaptive Tennis’ goal is to promote and develop recreational tennis opportunities for individuals with differing abilities and circumstances through inclusion, knowledge, and support, and by providing, where needed, adaptive programming, equipment, and teaching techniques.
USTA/Virginia Tennis Organizations Incorporating a Military Tennis Component:
Fort Belvoir – USTA Adult Leagues, USTA Junior Team Tennis, Junior programming, Tennis Block Party
Fort Eustis – Tennis Block Party, Junior Programming
Fort Monroe – Tennis Block Party, Junior programming, Adult programming
Fort Myer - Tennis lessons, Camps, Officer's Club Tennis Memberships
Resources
USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Military Tennis
USTA/Virginia Military Tennis News
For more information or to get your military base involved, contact Alex Chan at CLOAKING
