Last night’s Adaptive Athletics Association weekly Wheelchair Tennis clinic at Gold River Sports Club in Sacramento was one of those sessions that reminds me exactly why we do this. Despite the 50° weather, we had a solid group show up, Mark Mason, one of our newest players, veteran Marcus Oden, and myself and the cold never slowed us down.
What made the night even more special was that Gold River was also hosting a sectional able-bodied tennis tournament. Being there alongside that level of competition was incredibly important to us. Representation matters. Getting wheelchair tennis out in the open, letting people see our game, our skill, and our intensity—that’s always a win for the sport and the community.
At the same time, sharing the courts with a tournament meant we had to be locked in. We were very conscious of not interrupting play on nearby courts, which forced us to be extra disciplined. That awareness led to better ball control, smarter shot selection, and a higher level of focus from everyone on court. Sometimes constraints push growth, and that’s exactly what happened last night.
We started the session at the net, working on touch and control, then gradually moved back toward the baseline as we built rhythm. As the night went on, strokes got longer, rallies got bigger, and everyone settled into a great competitive flow.
After about an hour, we switched into one of our favorite three-player games—what we call Australian. It’s a perfect format when we have three players: two players form a doubles team on one side, while one player serves and plays singles on the other side. After each game, we rotate. If the singles player wins, they earn two points; if the doubles team wins, they split the points. It’s a race to six games per set, and you play best of three sets.
We ended up playing three full sets. I won the first, Marcus took the second, and I closed out the third. More importantly, it was great tennis all the way around—competitive, physical, and purposeful. Everyone got a strong workout and meaningful reps as we continue preparing for the upcoming tennis season.
Being part of that night—sharing space with the tournament, representing wheelchair tennis, and just having fun competing—was truly special. Nights like these are what keep the momentum going and remind us how powerful this sport really is. 🎾♿