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Community Corner

Tolland High School Students Give Back with Tennis

Michelle Zimmerman and Jackie Wolff, members of the high school tennis team, are offering a free tennis program for kids with special needs.

Tolland High School students Michelle Zimmerman and Jackie Wolff are giving back to those in need with what they know best:  a great tennis game.

“We want people to learn a new sport,” Wolff, an incoming junior, said. The students and tennis team members want to give the gift of a lifetime sport through their upcoming program, which is designed for kids with special needs.

“Unless you get a chance to play, you don’t know if you’ll like it,” Zimmerman said, explaining why exposure to new games is so important to lifelong fitness. 

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Zimmerman, who is going into her senior year, was inspired to pass on her tennis skills after volunteering for Buddy Bowling, a similar program that teaches kids with special needs how to bowl.

The girls, who play as a doubles team for the high school, have decided that the program will teach important skills like hand eye coordination, but have a strong focus on fun.

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The camp starts on August 25 and will run each Thursday from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. until October 6. Zimmerman and Wolff will gather six to eight volunteers to assist with the campers and will always have a parent attend the practices, in case of emergency.

Each weekly session will start out with a focus on a certain skill, such as a proper grip, before transitioning into a game, modified for the various skill levels of the participants. 

Tammy Domian, who has a daughter with special needs, said that she’s glad to give her already active daughter another opportunity to learn a new sport.

“My daughter has intellectual disabilities, and she’s involved in different sports around town,” Domian said. “This is another one she hasn’t experienced. I thought this would be a good experience for her.” Domian added that her daughter is already active in basketball and soccer, and has even tried her hand at bowling.

But besides broadening her daughter’s horizons, Domian, who is a substitute teacher and knows many of the kids in town, just enjoys seeing Tolland kids having a blast.

“I love to go and see their happy faces,” she said.

In general, Zimmerman and Wolff want their program to be fun, but relaxing for their students. Participants can show up on a weekly basis, and don’t need to fret if their schedule gets busy.

“We don’t want people to feel like they’re committed,” Zimmerman said. But she hopes that the players will make an effort to come, just for the fun.

“People have been really enthusiastic about it so far,” Zimmerman said.

The free camp will cater to children of all ages and skill levels. The Manchester racquet club has donated used balls for the campers, and Zimmerman and Wolff will provide their old racquets for beginners.

The camp will meet at the tennis courts across from Tolland Middle School. Anyone looking to volunteer or sign up can call 860-977-7747 or email tollandacetennis@gmail.com.

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