Omaha Tennis Buddies Provides Tennis For All

To honor their 100th anniversary in 2020, the USTA Missouri Valley is recognizing 100 deserving recipients with the Gold Star Award. This award recognizes contributions that recipients have made in growing the game of tennis in their community.

This July, the Omaha Tennis Buddies program was named a Gold Star award recipient. 

The Omaha Tennis Buddies program has been around since 2005, providing training opportunities for tennis athletes of all ages with developmental and physical disabilities. Currently, there are close to 50 athletes participating and close to 100 volunteers in the program.

“With the help of the Omaha tennis community, Omaha Tennis Buddies has been able to foster competitive tennis opportunities, develop lifelong friendships and create social networks for the athletes in our program,” said Nancy Samson, head of delegation for the program. 

Players and volunteers are able to play at Koch Tennis Center during warm weather, and at the Maple Athletic Complex during colder temperatures. Many of the volunteers include middle school and high school athletes as well as college players from Creighton University and adult players as well.

“Through the support of Tom Lilly, their coach, these highly trained athletes give unselfishly of their precious time to advance the skills of the Tennis Buddies,” Samson said. “They are enthusiastic and energetic and our athletes love them.”