Jserra’s T3 Tennis on Wheels: Moving with speed and pride
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. — These days, everyone is searching for a heartwarming story, some good news in their days. We long to hear about someone going out of their way to help improve the lives of others. Enter Kirk and Keith Orahood. On April 13, 2022, Kirk and Keith hosted the grand opening of the T3Tennis on Wheels non-profit youth program at JSerra Catholic High School. Now in its sophomore year, this San Juan Capistrano-based program is the only weekly youth wheelchair tennis program in South/Central Orange County that welcomes any local children with physical disabilities ages 6-17.
JSerra student, Landon Sachs, was the first student from the program to obtain a D-1 Athletic Scholarship to attend the University of Arizona and play on their NCAA wheelchair team. Landon is currently ranked fourth in USTA’s 18 & under division.
Following close behind Landon is John Henry, age 12, who is currently ranked 18th in the United States after only a handful of tournaments. John and Landon recently participated in a prestigious USTA tournament at Indian Wells. After the first day, John told his mom, “This is the first day in my life that I have not felt sad about my disabilities.”
With great pride and sincerity, Keith states, “Our overall goal is to have these “PossAbility” Athletes strengthen their faith, embrace hope for a brighter future, and develop a love for themselves and others. Along the way, they will get better at tennis, travel around the U.S. to play in tournaments, become beacons of light and leadership at their high schools, obtain college scholarships— if desired— and then go off to impact the lives of many others.”
In addition to tennis, T3Tennis and JSerra Adaptive Athletics Club will be rolling out wheelchair basketball, flag football, softball, track & field, and sitting volleyball. And they encourage kids with physical disabilities to try wrestling, swimming, and water polo, too, because those sports do not require sports chairs.
Equipment and travel budgets come from generous donations of the greater “JSerra family,” corporations, and grant money from foundations that assist kids with physical disabilities and spinal cord injuries. Keith elaborates, “We thank JSerra Catholic High School for their open-arms partnership and the generous donors, without whom these programs could not be possible.”
Kirk and Keith have been coaching tennis at JSerra for 15 years, including high school teams, youth tennis on Saturdays and summers, adult tennis, and Carpool Tennis Tuesdays (with league play). After volunteering at an annual Wounded Warriors Tennis Camp in San Diego, Keith got certified in Wheelchair Tennis through the USTA. He committed to the sport shortly after COVID restrictions were lifted.
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