CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Tennis for Fun program held its annual banquet on Wednesday, bringing together everyone involved to celebrate their accomplishments from the last year.
Nathan Minnerly has been apart of the Tennis for Fun program at the Charleston YMCA for around three years. When asked what he enjoyed most about the program Nathan said having fun with his friends.
“Having a blast,” Nathan said.
Tennis for Fun allows athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities like Nathan to come together once a week to learn tennis and be surrounded by others like him. Both Nathan and his mom Susan said the group he plays with is one of the best parts of the program.
“Unless you’ve been there, I don’t think you could even imagine what it’s like,” Susan said. “This is truly, I can say, a place of freedom. He comes and he has a ball, or as he says, a blast. He has made friends with a couple of young men. They’ve been out to dinner a couple of times, so that’s just exceptional.”
Susan said the program allows a sense of freedom that can sometimes be hard to find.
“It is so wonderful because it is just a place of absolute freedom and acceptance,” Susan said. “Everybody who works as a volunteer there is just beyond kind. And they have fun and they all just look forward to coming to play.”
Tennis for Fun Director Sandy Campbell said Nathan has been with the program since the beginning.
“Nathan came as one of our first athletes,” Campbell said. “He is so sweet and so real. And he’s pretty bright. He calls me about every week to tell me he loves me.”
Campbell said tennis is only a small part of the overall goal of the program.
“We do teach tennis, but its really about love and socialization for these special needs folks,” Campbell said.