Game on, Anywhere

This year, Abilities Tennis gave a name to and began expanding a growing initiative: Abilities Tennis OnSite—tennis programs designed for your space, your schedule, your athletes. OnSite brings tennis directly to the organizations that serve individuals with intellectual disabilities.

By meeting people at day programs, schools, and residential facilities, OnSite removes barriers like transportation and complex scheduling. One program director put it best: “There have been tons of smiles, and laughter, and volleys, and forehands. When I put it on the board that tennis is coming this week, our people get so excited.”

Thanks in part to a grant from USTA Southern, each OnSite location receives a customized clinic series led by a certified adaptive tennis coach. ATANC provides everything from portable nets to racquets and red balls and even leaves behind equipment so athletes can keep playing between sessions. Indoors or out, in a gym, cafeteria, or shaded courtyard, tennis becomes part of their world.

The response has been remarkable. In just a few months, OnSite has engaged hundreds of participants in the Triangle area through 56 clinics, with 27 more planned by the end of 2025. One site director said she’d never seen that level of participation in a new activity. It’s a clear sign of how eager these communities are for inclusive, joyful movement.

OnSite is more than a new program; it’s a new way forward. By bringing the game to these sites, Abilities Tennis is expanding access, building confidence, and creating lasting opportunities for play, fitness, and connection.