Taking Their Seats at Center Court
The doubles tennis partners often pull into “handicapped” parking spaces, but Dan Bennett does not consider himself disabled. Bennett, 18 from Los Alamitos, was born with spina bifida, leaving him without use of his legs. He and Rick Tirambulo, his 33-year-old partner from Norwalk, took the courts recently for a warmup before the second Wheels and Heels Up and Down
Tennis Tournament at Woodbridge High School.
Organized by the Irvine Community Services Department, the tournament featured 36 doubles teams, each comprising a wheelchair-bound player and an able-bodied player. Competition took place at three ability levels.
“We are trying to get the word out about these athletes,” said Julie Holson, director of disability services for Irvine’s Community Services Department. “We are not looking to specialize programming but to integrate wheelchair sports into the programs we already offer.”
For the next few hours, Bennett and Tirambulo hit some balls over the the net and others into it.
“Dan has improved a lot since last year,” Tirambulo said, “but I’m not so sure how good I will be, though.”
The two met at the Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, where Tirambulo works as an assistant coach in the wheelchair sports department. Bennett, who is a student at UCLA, plays wheelchair tennis, hockey, basketball, and football.
The medical center staff works with wheelchair athletes in the early stages of adjustment and helps them build self-esteem.
“We are attempting to heighten ability awareness and end the stigma of people in wheelchairs,” said Lisa Hilborn, director of the center’s wheelchair sports department. “It’s amazing when you see a walking person get aced by a person in a wheelchair. The look on [the able-bodied person’s] face says it all.”
Bennett began playing tennis at Rancho Los Amigos a year ago, but hasn’t won any trophies in the two tournaments he has entered. However, he continues to enjoy the competition.
“We just came out here to have fun,” he said. “The score is not that important.”
During warmups, Bennett zig-zagged around the court like a lightning bolt. He was in constant motion while patrolling the baseline. He used both his arms to pump the wheels for a sudden burst of speed. After hitting the ball, he was able to freeze one wheel with a single hand and spin his chair in the opposite direction.
Wheelchair tennis uses standard tennis rules except that two bounces are allowed before the ball has to be returned. That modification does not simplify things.
“The hardest part is starting, then stopping, then starting again,” Bennett said. “You really have to get used to always being in motion.”
For many wheelchair players, positioning is the hardest skill to learn. Players must make up for their lack of lateral movement with quick decisions, timing and speed.
“Even people who played before have to get accustomed to pushing the chair,” said Mike Watson, a coach and nationally ranked wheelchair tennis player. “It’s a strong mobility game. If you can’t get into position, it doesn’t matter how well you stroke it.”
Because of the movements required, players use wheelchairs that are different from the ones used on a day-to-day basis.
Though there are chairs specifically designed for tennis, Bennett uses a chair designed for hockey. The chair’s wheels flare outward at the base for stability and agility, like most other wheelchairs designed for sports participation, but his chair is 10 pounds heavier, has two smaller wheels in front and is surrounded by iron bars to protect against collisions.
Watson said wheelchairs specialized for sports cost an average of $2,000.
“Sometimes chairs get donated or presented at camps, and sometimes people can join teams where the chair is provided by a team sponsor,” Watson said. “Wheelchair sports are growing in general, so there is a need for all the specialized chairs.”
The growth of wheelchair tennis is most evident at the annual U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in Irvine. The October event is one of the major outdoor wheelchair tennis championships and attracts more than 600 players from around the world.
The U.S. Tennis Assn. has run wheelchair tennis programs for years, but this is the first year it’s acting as the governing body for wheelchair tennis.
“It’s just tennis,” said Annete Buck, director of adult and senior events for the Southern California office of the USTA. “They get two bounces, but other than that we consider it in exactly the same way we consider other events.”
Which is exactly the way the players want it.
“Some able-bodied people are amazed that I get into my truck and drive, let alone swing a racket,” said Joe Babakanian, a 34-year-old from Tustin who has competed in tennis events for eight years. “The more we play, the more words like ‘handicapped’ and ‘disabled’ can begin to disappear.”
Jerry Russell, a touring wheelchair tennis player who raced motorcyles in the desert before an accident 11 years ago cost him use of his legs, said no matter where the sport goes, he will enjoy it for the relationships he has developed.
“We have all been through a lot together and we just have a good time being competitive on the court,” Russell said. “After the matches, we go out and have some drinks.”
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Resource Guide
Here are some programs and activities for wheelchair athletes.
* Rancho Los Amigos Medical
Center
Wheelchair Sports Department
7601 E. Imperial Highway
Downey, 90242
(562) 401-8156
* Irvine Community Services
One Civic Center Plaza
P.O. Box 19572
Irvine 92623
(714) 724-6637
* Ione Harter Memorial
Wheelchair Junior Tennis Camp
June 15-17
Coronado
(949) 551-3641
* Irvine Valley College Classic
Wheelchair Tennis Tournament
July 10-12
(949) 551-3641
* Access to Sailing
Mike Milne
(310) 438-2007
* Hockey League
Dave Buck
(949) 857-0881
* Disabled USA-Skiing
Mike McCade
(949) 540-2698
* Quad Rugby and Billiards
Keith Lawson
(949) 733-3537
* Women’s Basketball
Irvine Valley College
(949) 551-3641