USTA Honors Langhorne, Pa. Program, with National Award
The Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF) from Langhorne, Pa., has been awarded with the 2007 USTA Adaptive Tennis National Community Service Award. The Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF) were honored at an awards banquet, before more than 600 community tennis leaders at the annual USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop held on February 23, 2008 at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, Nev. The USTA bestows the recognition upon a program or program leader that has demonstrated continued excellence, dedication and service in tennis for an adaptive tennis community.
The Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc., (OPAF) located in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, serves as the Official Philanthropy of the U.S. orthotic and prosthetic community. Established initially to provide financial and in-kind support for the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, OPAF now generates its own initiatives and programs through partnerships with those who work towards adaptive sports programs and activities that promote the benefits that individuals with physical challenges receive from physical activities, prosthetics and orthotics.
OPAF's First Volley™, adaptive tennis clinics for ambulatory players was founded in August 2005. First Volley™ was designed for amputees, orthosis wearers and those with physical challenges who wish to enjoy the game of tennis, but choose not to sit in a wheelchair to do so. The population takes great pride in the fact that they are ambulatory and do not wish to be labeled as handicapped. First Volley gives them tennis skills on their level, instructed by tennis professionals with years of experience in coaching amputees and those with physical challenges. First Volley™ allows ambulatory players the same consideration that wheelchair players have in that they are allowed a second bounce on their side of the net, should they need it. The goal is to take the "dis" out of "disability" and leave the participants the "ability" to participate in the game. Being able to play tennis gives each participant a tremendous sense of accomplishment and pride and provides them the opportunity to return to the court.
The USTA Adaptive Tennis National Community Service Award was established in 2003 to recognize either an individual or a program that has demonstrated excellence, dedication, and service related to tennis for an Adaptive Tennis community. To qualify for a program award, the program must have been in existence for a minimum of three consecutive years and be either a registered USTA Adaptive Tennis program or have a USTA Adaptive Tennis affiliation. To qualify for an individual award, the recipient must have worked with an Adaptive Tennis program for a minimum of three consecutive years.
“We are proud to honor the Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund for all they do for tennis,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “We congratulate them for all they’ve done for exposing our sport to all populations and showing tennis truly is a game for everyone.”
Previous recipients of the award have included: (2006) Julie Jilly, Vice President of Operations for the Hilton Head Island, S.C., based Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) which has made significant contributions to tennis for over 1000 athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities, (2005) Diana Love, head of the New York Junior Tennis League’s Special Program which provides free summer tennis lessons to students from New York City public schools; (2004) Janet Lefkowitz, co-founder of HERO a New York-based organization offering recreation to adults and children with disabilities; (2003) Eunice Shriver, for her work with the Special Olympics.