Introducing Blind Tennis
SLIGO has become the first county outside Dublin to introduce Blind Tennis sessions. Blind Tennis, an incredibly skillful form of tennis, is one of the newest sports in Ireland and it has recently been launched in Sligo Tennis Club by Enjoy Tennis. Enjoy Tennis is working in partnership with Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, and Sligo Tennis Club to launch these sessions.
Blind tennis is played on a realigned tennis court with special tennis balls that emit sound. Raised tactile lines are used as navigational markers to assist the visually impaired athletes to recognise their position on the court. Players use their heightened sense of hearing and develop their spatial awareness to track and hit the Blind Tennis balls. Connacht Regional Development Officer and Sligo Blind/VI coach Olwyn O’Toole said it’s already proving very popular. She said: “The aim of the classes is first and foremost to give access to a sport that these athletes did not believe they would ever play again. So far the standard of play has been remarkable and we are already aiming to have some Sligo players challenging for places on the Irish team in 2018. The feedback from the players themselves has been phenomenal, and frankly for me heartwarming, and we are really looking forward to getting more coaches on board, and to grow the number of venues around Connacht.” One of Sligo’s players Jackie McBrearty added: “I have always loved tennis, as a kid I would have played it, like every kid during Wimbledon the tennis racket would have been bought and tennis was played out the front of the houses. When I lost my sight I still loved the sport but playing it again was only a dream. To have a tennis racket back in my hand and to serve a ball over a net is such an amazing feeling. My dream has come true. Playing tennis makes me feel so happy. I’m playing a sport I love and a sport when you tell a sighted person you play, they look at you like you have two tennis balls growing out of your head, as no one can believe it’s possible. I know with practise and coaching I can be good. I joke about playing on centre court at Wimbledon but “I now know that playing tennis on a big stage like centre court is no longer a fantasy but it’s a reality.” Classes are ongoing at Sligo Tennis Club. For more information or to join contact Olwyn on 086 351 4123.