Many of us will have been inspired this summer by the Tokyo Paralympics and the amazing talent on display.  However for those wanting to get involved in parasports, opportunities in the local community can be hard to find.  

 

Barnet Lawn Tennis Club, a thriving local club based in Gloucester Road, are looking to change this and have recently introduced Visually Impaired tennis for the first time, inspired by new member Maja.

 

Maja has been playing VI Tennis for three years and before the first lockdown, she attended a VI centre in Islington.  However when this became inaccessible, she approached BLTC, and they responded by setting up regular sessions with volunteers playing the adapted VI tennis format with Maja.

 

I visited one of these sessions, and spoke to Maja and some of the volunteers.  Maja described how VI tennis is different to able-bodied tennis, with the court being shortened, audible cues dictating the game and most obviously, with the use of a sponge ball containing a bell.  VI tennis originated in Japan and first came to the UK in 2007, although Maja said that despite this it “isn’t very widespread in larger clubs… at my previous club in Islington, it was entirely self-run but it is in demand with a lot of VI players”. 

 

I watched a doubles game that Maja and some of the volunteers played together, and it was interesting to observe how easy it was to adapt to the VI rules and how both Maja and the volunteers enjoyed playing this different form of tennis. It requires a slightly separate skill set but it was clear how enjoyable these games can be. However, because it needs volunteers to run, Maja encourages anyone with an interest to make contact with the club: “It isn’t just for VI players or for people with tennis experience. Anyone can learn how to play it and it’s a nice way to connect with your community.”

 

Judy Willamson, the Membership Secretary of Barnet Lawn Tennis Club, said that “they have been considering disability tennis in general and looking to see if we can set up something for other disability groups at the club” and that they are “hoping to develop this side of things in the coming weeks and months”. 

 

After seeing how the event is run and how important it is to provide accessible options for all players, it would be good to see how these events grow over time and how players of different abilities and skills can play together. The club is extremely welcoming and if any VI players or people with other disabilities have an interest in learning a new skill and contributing to their local community, I would highly recommend doing so. 

 

The lockdowns of the 18 months have given us a greater appreciation for our communities and this initiative at BLTC will hopefully lead to more local opportunities for all.  Anyone interested in getting involved can find details at https://www.barnetltc.com/contact-us