MANY WAYS TO PLAY!
Abilities Tennis Association partners with the USTA, local Community Tennis Associations, private tennis clubs, school systems, and Parks and Recreation departments within the state of North Carolina to provide tennis programs for people with intellectual disabilities. ATANC currently offers clinics in approximately 30 locations across the state and hosts six statewide tournaments. Designed for ages 8 and above, all of our programs are free of charge to all participants.
Abilities Tennis brings specialized knowledge, connections with local coaches, and expertise in delivering adaptive tennis instruction at many levels. ATANC also provides equipment, curriculum, training for coaches and volunteers, and extended programming such as tournaments, OnSite programming at day facilities, play days, exhibition matches, and leagues.
CLINICS
Tennis instruction and practice for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Players are placed on a court for their skill level and can receive 1:1 attention from coaches and volunteers. Choose from over 30 locations around the state of North Carolina!
TOURNAMENTS
The competitive spirit is alive in our community! Tournaments give athletes the opportunity to experience the drive to compete against their peers and feel the joy of community and inclusiveness. Players compete at all skill levels in state tournaments hosted across North Carolina. It's an experience our athletes will never forget!
PLAY DAYS
Let’s get together and play tennis! Socialize, exercise, and meet new people. Many of our Play Days are run by college/university or high school teams who do everything from teach fundamentals to play full-court competition with athletes. All levels welcome.
Abilities Tennis Onsite
The Abilities Tennis OnSite program brings the game directly to organizations that serve individuals with intellectual disabilities—such as day programs, schools, and residential facilities—removing transportation and scheduling barriers.
We partner with each site to provide everything needed—portable nets, red balls, racquets—and a certified adaptive tennis instructor to lead the sessions. Clinics can be held indoors or outdoors and are scheduled to fit seamlessly into daily programming.
UNIFIED DOUBLES
Why is unified doubles popular among athletes and volunteers? In unified doubles, a player with an intellectual disability partners with a player without an intellectual disability to compete against similarly paired opponents. These unified sports promote inclusion and foster a deeper understanding of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Besides our annual Swing into Spring unified doubles tournament in Wilmington, we host various events across the state that offer opportunities for unified play.
ALL PROGRAMS FREE OF CHARGE
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and sponsors, plus grants from the USTA and NC Tennis Foundation, we are able to provide all tennis programs free of charge to participants.