Mission Viejo Tennis Coach Leads U.S. Wheelchair Tennis Team in Toronto Games

Mission Viejo head tennis coach Jason Harnett is in Toronto, Canada this week leading the U.S. Wheelchair Tennis Team in the Parapan Am Games.

The U.S Wheelchair Tennis Team includes Jon Rydberg of Minnesota, California’s Steve Baldwin, Arizona resident Kaitlyn Verfuerth and Emmy Kaiser of Kentucky. Along with Harnett, the team is coached by Dan James of Washington, team leader Emily Sandor of New York and physical trainer Jenna Street of Colorado.

The Parapan Am Games are represented by all qualified countries from North, South and Central America. The top seeds this year are Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez and U.S. team member Kaitlyn Verfuerth. The gold medalist in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions will receive a wild card direct entry into the Summer Paralympic Games hosted in Rio next year.

Fernandez, Baldwin, Verfuerth and Kaiser have all competed in the UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters in Mission Viejo at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion. This year’s Doubles Masters competition is set for November 3-7.