Heartland Challenge showcases elite adaptive players at Woods Tennis Center

For the second year in a row, Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln is hosting the Heartland Challenge.

On April 24-26, high-performance adaptive tennis athletes from across the United States will gather for friendly competition and skill-building clinics.

The Heartland Challenge is one of a select few events in the country catered to nationally ranked Special Olympians who get to showcase their skills in a high-performance tournament setting.

“I​​’m excited that adaptive high-performance players get the chance to compete against other high-performance players and reconnect with friends that we usually only see at tournaments,” said Haley Waggoner, Heartland Challenge organizer and competitor. “I can’t wait to see what year two is going to look like.”

Event organizers welcome spectators to cheer on the athletes as well as volunteers to help out with check-ins, lunch, court management and ball retrieval. Volunteers will receive a T-shirt, snacks and meal depending on their shift time. Click here to fill out the volunteer form.

Athletes will participate in games and an on-court clinic on April 24, with the opening ceremony, dinner and a scavenger hunt taking place that evening. Tournament play as well as a social event occurs April 25. The tourney wraps up April 26 with more matches, an awards ceremony, dinner and yard games.

At last year’s inaugural event, 13 high-performance adaptive athletes from Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska competed.

“Adaptive isn’t something to be overlooked,” Waggoner said. “We simply want the opportunity to compete at a high level just like everyone else. Come out and experience the competition for yourself, and you’ll see exactly what we’re talking about.”

For more info about the 2026 Heartland Challenge including the full schedule of events, click here.