After 38 years as a tennis coach, Grand Slam pro Felicia Raschiatore of Minnesota is gaining recognition for her efforts to expand the tennis scene in the Twin Cities.
“If I see a niche or a vacancy that something could be added, let’s see if we could do it, and then let’s do it, so more people can play tennis,” Raschiatore told CBS News last month.
Recently, Raschiatore was honored with a Champions of Equality prize for starting the first wheelchair tennis club in her area. Presented at the U.S. Open in September, the second annual Billie Jean King Champions of Equality honors were presented to 15 women who “have led the fight for equality in sports and entertainment.” The awards were presented to winners by none other than women’s tennis icon Billie Jean King herself. As part of the celebration, King was honored with the Congressional Medal of Honor.
While new to the Twin Cities, wheelchair tennis has been around since 1976. According to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the sport was founded by Brad Parks, a former U.S. freestyle skier. Wheelchair tennis became a paralympic sport in the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992 and has been growing ever since.
Wheelchair tennis is almost identical to traditional tennis. “There are no modifications to the size of the court, rackets or tennis balls,” says the IPC. “The main differences are the specially designed wheelchairs and the ‘two-bounce rule,’ whereby the ball can bounce twice before being hit.”
Raschiatore’s students couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to play tennis.
As club member Kate Aquila told CBS News, “I’m never happier than when I’m out on the tennis court. I have been playing tennis since I was a little kid, but I came to wheelchair tennis after my spinal cord injury, so kind of revisiting the game in a different way.”
Aquila’s clubmate Susan Banal shares her enthusiasm. “All aspects have been transformative for me in my life at this time,” said Banal, “It’s taught me that I still have that competitive nature, athleticism. I still have that in me in spite of an injury.”
Interested in joining a wheelchair tennis club? Opportunities exist around the country. To find a club in your neck of the woods, check out USTA’s list of programs.
