“Ready?” asks Theo Buckhalter.
“Ready!” replies Harper Ingram.
That starts the tennis match between the two students from the Washington State School for the Blind.
Wait, tennis for people who are blind or who have low vision? How does that even work?
Yes, it’s a challenge, but tennis is also a challenge for those of us with sight. It just takes practice and a dedicated group to make it happen.
The Vancouver Tennis Center is more than up for the challenge as it has offered a blind and low-vision tennis program since last spring. It was introduced to the center by Murray Elbourn, the president of the United States Blind Tennis Association.
“Murray contacted us, asking if we wanted to start a program,” said Sanja Lemes, the center’s director of tennis. “He connected us with the Blind School. Last spring was the first eight-week session and the kids just loved it. And the coaches loved it and volunteers at the club as well. It’s just a neat program.”
Participants come to the center from the Vancouver-based school for 90 minutes of racket swinging, tennis ball hitting and some match play too.
Their rackets are more compact than a regular racket, the courts are shorter and the tennis balls are softer, with a bell inside. The server asks if the opponent is “ready.” Once a “ready” is returned, the ball is put in play. As it bounces, the jingling sound helps the player locate the ball so they can take a swing.
Rules are based on the participants’ vision. B1 players are totally blind and are allowed three bounces before returning. Those with partial sight (categorized as B2 to B5) are allowed two bounces. But really, it’s whatever makes it fun.
“We tailor games to fit their needs,” Lemes said. “It’s two bounces really, but sometimes three. We want them moving in the right direction toward the sound. They are really good sports and trying to be successful.”
A low-vision player has the most success when the ball bounces in front of them. Balls that are hit high prove to be more challenging. And for some, just making ball-to-racket contact is a big victory.
Student Lee Rivera, who is blind, worked with tennis center pro Sebastian Game and volunteer Teresa Darling. One would bounce a ball to Rivera and the other would help with the swing. After doing that for a bit, Rivera was eventually swinging and hitting the ball on his own. The cheers in the back of the court echoed throughout.
“These kids are super-special,” Lemes said. “Just meeting them changed my world. It puts a different perspective; they really motivate me. As much as we are trying to change their lives, they are changing ours.”
The program is geared toward anyone age 10 and older with any level of visual impairment. A participant does not have to be a student at WSSB.
Sunni Ricks, a 1992 graduate of WSSB, is just three weeks into giving tennis a try. She takes her swings from a chair as balls are bounced to her by a volunteer.
“I wanted to try it and see what I thought about it,” Ricks said. “It gives me something to do from a sitting position.”
And that’s what tennis is really all about.
“Anyone who is able to play, can play,” Lemes said. “We are a public facility and want everybody involved and playing and having a good time.”
Volunteers are very involved as well. They hit balls with the kids, work on tennis swings and even pitch balls to be hit.
Faith Grisham, a Columbia River High graduate and former standout high school tennis player, works in special education at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. She has been a part of the blind tennis as well as the center’s Love Serving Autism programs.
“I’m proud of being part of an up-and-coming sport,” she said, adding that the participants “are determined to get better” despite their obstacles.
The center is taking an active role in making tennis available to anyone. Its autism program is ongoing and a wheelchair tennis program is about to start. The tennis center holds fundraisers to help with program costs, including scholarships for participants. Lemes said the blind and low vision program costs $10 a session and WSSB takes care of that for its students.
