Shriners First Volley a Success in Philadelphia

Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund Inc. (OPAF) hosted a First Volley^TM Adaptive Tennis Clinic for Shriners O&P patients on Saturday, May 5, at the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center. The clinic "was a smashing success," said OPAF Executive Director Robin Burton. Eleven children with limb loss or cerebral palsy, along with support staff from Arthur Ashe, volunteers, First Volley veterans, and a United States Tennis Association (USTA) master teaching pro participated in the event.

The clinic, led by First Volley's Director of Tennis Darren Kindred, and assisted by Kirk Anderson, USTA master teaching pro, and support staff from Arthur Ashe, gave the Shriners kids, ages 6-14, individual attention and schooling in forehand, backhand, volleys, and serves. They moved across the court and in some cases hit them "out of the park" to help boost confidence and build self-esteem. Over 25 attendees and volunteers were on hand to cheer them on.

"We are so pleased with OPAF and First Volley," said Jeff Eichhorn CPO, Shriners Hospital director of Orthotics and Prosthetics. "We can envision one or two First Volley clinics a year for our patients. The facilities at Arthur Ashe were great!" Many of these children will play again on Saturday, May 19, when OPAF hosts a First Volley clinic at the Bucks County Racquet Club in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania from 4-7 PM, Burton said. First Volley is offered free of charge to all participants and is made possible in part by a grant from the United States Tennis Association Tennis and Education Foundation.

Those interested in hosting a First Volley clinic for their patients and community may contact OPAF Executive Director Robin Burton: 215.752.5756 or rlb@opfund.org