Hospital Sponsors Tennis Lesson for Kids with Special Needs

The Adaptive Sports Academy at Hospital for Special Surgery’s Lerner Children’s Pavilion recently sponsored a tennis trip for patients with special needs. Thirteen kids and teens were treated to a tennis lesson by staff at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

The Adaptive Sports Academy at the Manhattan hospital enables young patients with cerebral palsy or another physical challenge to participate in athletic activities they never dreamed possible. Academy trips and recreational experiences aim to build their self-confidence, encourage independence, and increase physical activity and mobility. The trips are offered without cost, thanks to the generosity of donors.

Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports for people with disabilities. Sometimes rules or equipment is modified to meet the needs of participants. Some of the kids are not sure at first how well they’ll do, but they almost always exceed their own expectations. Parents sometimes cry when they see what their child can achieve.

Previous outings, including rock climbing, horseback riding and even surfing, have proven to be life-changing for many children and teenagers, enabling them to participate in a sport for the very first time.