By Jim Hamm, Executive Director, Special Pops Tennis
Special Pops Tennis (SPT) is an adaptive tennis program offered at more than 17 locations in metro Atlanta. The programs are supported by local tennis enthusiasts, business sponsors, area public parks, country clubs, neighborhood tennis associations, and many others. But the one organization that has consistently been supportive of this organization is the ALTA Foundation.
The Fall Classic has become a destination event for so many athletes with special needs, their families, and volunteers. This can be attributed to the support of the metro Atlanta tennis community in sharing their passion for the sport of tennis and helping others. This three-day event showcases the spirit of the athletes in competition and in a social setting. The central theme of the feedback we hear is that the event has created new friendships and lifetime memories. Some SPT athletes refer to it as their “US Open event.”
We share this information with you to highlight your value as an ALTA league player. A portion of your annual membership fees is aimed at building stronger communities through the lifetime sport of tennis. The leadership of the ALTA Foundation has been consistently supportive of SPT from our early days of organizing and starting this journey.
The best way to understand adaptive tennis is to recognize the population served by SPT. The athletes are individuals with intellectual disabilities and the partners/coaches are a variety of tennis enthusiasts and/or persons with a passion for serving others.
Thank you to all ALTA league players and to the ALTA Foundation leadership for the continuing support!
Special Pops Highlights:
- The Fall Classic is our marquee event that provides this special population an opportunity to experience an event that is bigger than themselves, to play competitive tennis, and to make new friends resulting in a more fulfilling and enriched life.
- The partnership and support of the ALTA Foundation ensures that we can recruit volunteers who are enthusiastic about playing tennis.
- More than 130 athletes and 250+ volunteers, including playing partners, participate each year.
- Social features include karaoke and a Saturday night dinner/dance with a DJ.
- We provide colorful t-shirts for athletes and volunteers, and quality medals are earned and awarded.
- Competition includes both singles and doubles play.
- The location for tennis competition is at the first-class venue of Lifetime Athletics and Tennis – Peachtree Corners.
- Matches begin Friday, September 20 at 10 a.m. and go through Sunday, September 22 at noon.
- Get involved by registering to volunteer at specialpopstennis.org, or email jhamm@specialpopstennis.org. Registration for athletes closes September 7.
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