We offer Skills, Singles, Unified doubles and Traditional Doubles Teams (where both team members are Special Olympic athletes). Training consists of basic tennis skills with the goal of advancing each player to mixed doubles with a Unified Partner, or to Traditional Doubles.
Like mainstream tennis, Special Olympics Tennis gives athletes the opportunity to learn and perform a variety of skills that can be played throughout life. In addition to offering traditional singles and doubles events, Special Olympics offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic tennis skills before advancing to playing tennis matches. These skills include racket bounce, “ups,” forehand volley, backhand groundstroke, serve-deuce court, serve-advantage court and alternating groundstroke with movement.
| Coaches | Head Coach – Vacant Additional Coaches Needed Team Manager – Claire Louis |
| Season Dates & Times | Practices: TBD we’re still confirming facilities and coaching Qualifiers: TBD State Games: Fall Fest October 19, 2024, Mt. St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg |
| Medical & Volunteer Expiration Date | Sport’s State Games competition date: October 19, 2024 The expiration date on an athlete’s Medical form, or a Volunteer’s certification, must be after October 19, 2024 Check athlete status here. Check volunteer status here. |
Athletes will need to provide their own tennis racket. SOMO does have a few that we can lend out if needed. SOMO will also provide tennis balls. Athletes should bring a water bottle to practice as it can get very hot on the courts.
SOMO will provide new athletes a SOMO shirt for Tennis Qualifiers and State Competition. Athletes must also wear black tennis shorts and tennis shoes with white socks for competition.
Required qualifier – tentative date, first weekend in October at Towson University. Additional qualifiers to be announced later.
Fall Festival held at Mt. St. Mary’s University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Rd., Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Athletes must attend the required qualifier and one other qualifier to be eligible for competition at Fall Fest. Athletes must also have no unexcused absences from practices.
Athletes can participate in other SOMO sports so long as the athlete can maintain full practice participation in all of their sports.
