By Karen Ronney

When it comes to identifying a need and finding solutions that will grow the next generation of wheelchair tennis players, T3 Tennis on Wheels has emerged at the top of the  inclusive tennis heap. This nonprofit tennis organization is an adaptive sports program for kids ages 6 to 18 that offers the only regularly scheduled free youth wheelchair tennis instruction and support in South Central Orange County. There are also classes for adults. The Southern California Tennis Association Foundation is proud to provide a community grant to this amazing organization that is changing the landscape of wheelchair tennis.

Founded by RSPA teaching pros and brothers, Kirk and Keith Orahood, T3 Tennis provides a weekly outlet for wheelchair athletes to play tennis with others, forget about their circumstances and enjoy life through sport. T3 Tennis has built a sense of community through coaching, wheelchair tennis development, and growth on and off the court.

“We believe T3 Tennis is making a huge impact in the growth of wheelchair tennis in Southern California,” said Linda Milan, the Executive Director of the SCTA Foundation. “They are creating opportunities to bring more kids into the sport by offering pathways from beginning to the highest levels of competition.”

To date, T3 Tennis has developed ten nationally ranked players on the courts at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion. Youth classes are on Thursdays from 5 to 6pm, and wheelchair players age 8 to 98 train from 3 to 5pm on Saturdays. Additionally, T3 Tennis fundraises for its players to attend USTA wheelchair tennis camps across the country for further skill development.

“We help participants build confidence, develop physical and social skills, and foster lasting friendships,” Keith said. “We believe every child deserves a chance to chase their dream — even if that dream rolls onto the court on wheels. We empower young athletes with disabilities through wheelchair tennis, giving them more than just access to equipment or training. This program builds confidence, creates lasting friendships, and opens doors to brighter futures.”

Micah Velte, 12, started playing tennis at age 3 and has a goal of winning gold in the Paralympics. He works with T3 Tennis and has been on court with wheelchair tennis champion David Wagner of Chula Vista, a six-time Paralympian who has won 166 quad singles titles and 188 doubles quad championships.  Wagner reached No. 1 in the ITF world rankings for quad singles (2002) and quad doubles (2003).

T3 Tennis hosts a variety of fundraising events throughout the year including social up/down tournaments, family events at local restaurants and developmental workshops.

Wheelchair tennis emerged as a form of therapy in the 90’s thanks to early pioneers Brad Parks and Randy Snow. They won Gold in the 1992 Paralympics Games in Barcelona. Parks and Snow also founded the National Foundation for Wheelchair Tennis, and in 1998 the USTA continued to lead the charge to grow the sport.

“Our mission is to provide joy and inclusivity to children with physical disabilities through tennis,” said Kirk Orahood. “We help them build confidence, physical strength, a sense of belonging as well as hope for a brighter future.”

For more information about T3 Tennis on Wheels, go https://www.t3tennis.net/ or email  KeithO@T3Tennis.net. To learn more about scholarships and grants from the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation, go to sctafoundation.org. To donate to the SCTA Foundation to help us support community programs like T3 Tennis CLICK HERE. 

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About the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation:

We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization and is the charitable arm of USTA Southern California.  The Foundation’s mission is to “Change lives and build communities through tennis.” Since 2020, the SCTA Foundation has had a community impact of giving over $1million in tennis grants and tennis scholarships to deserving youth, adults, tennis organizations, tennis facilities and tennis programs to make tennis an equal opportunity sport, accessible to all, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, or economic background. Visit us on Social Media on Instagram and Facebook. To learn more about the SCTA Foundation go to: www.sctafoundation.org.  To donate go to: sctafoundation.org/donate/.