[TxTeri]

Hello all - new to the site!

Anybody from the Austin area? This is my 17 year old son's first full summer as a complete T5, and we are relatively new to the area. Having a hard time finding chair friendly activities - namely tennis. Not just for the activity, but for the comraderie as well...

Anybody??!!

Thx,

Teri

[CollegeGirl]

Hello! I'm not from Austin, just a few hours north near Dallas. I'm surprised you're having difficulty finding activities for him to do. I would think there'd be a lot in such a big city. I googled "tennis Austin, Tx" and it came up with a few listings. Have you tried to see if the rec center had wheelchair accessable courts? I would be shocked if not and maybe even file a complaint. What else is he into?

This post has been edited by CollegeGirl: 28 June 2009 - 06:24 PM

[TxTeri]

Hey College Girl!

Yes - you'd think Austin would have a fairly sizable chair community... Not finding it! The tennis group has all but disolved, (per a couple of people that I could get on the phone).

Most tennis courts around here are "accessible", but I was hoping to find a group of adults in chairs that he could get plugged into!

I'm going to call a couple of tennis centers tomorrow and see if I have any luck with that.

Thanks for your interest, though! I just know there has to be more of a community here than in Amarillo or Liberal, KS (other cities we've lived in).

[Texaswheelz]

Ugh, I lived out in the Amarillo area, nothing is out there at all. I know there is a good chair community there in Austin, at least for quad rugby, I'd try to get ahold of those guys(the team Mark Zupan play on) and surely they will know something going on in the area to give ya some information on. Doing some quick searching I found this for you.

Team they play for there it Texas Stampede.

# Where are practices?
Practices are usually held on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sunday mornings. Regular practice locations are Canyon Vista Middle School in Northwest Austin and Jowers Gym at Texas State University in San Marcos. Check the calendar for practice dates, times and locations.

Directions to Canyon Vista Middle School (CVMS):
Take US183 north and exit onto Spicewood Springs/McNeil Rd. Then go west approximately 1 1/2 miles. The school is on the left. Map External Link
Directions to Jowers Gym at Texas State (TSSM):
Take I-35 south out of Austin aprox. 28 miles to San Marcos. Exit Aquarena Springs Dr, turn west at the light and go aprox. 1 1/2 miles. Jowers is connected to Strahan Coliseum. Map External Link

I would bet that if you showed up there and asked the guys if they could point ya'll in the right direction to find some tennis players in the area that they would be able to.

Also you might contact Blaze Sports there in Austion

BlazeSports

[TxTeri]

Thank you so much for the info! We're actually not far from Canyon Vista MS.

I have called Blaze Sports, but they seem to out of commission...

Yes, UGH - Amarillo!! We lived there for years, and are loving the Austin area. Even the current heat wave! We just couldn't take the wind and treeless panhandle anymore! Took a while to get transferred - but it was completely worth it!

[CollegeGirl]

Texaswheelz, on Jul 1 2009, 08:51 PM, said:

Ugh, I lived out in the Amarillo area, nothing is out there at all.

Haha, yeah you're not going to find much of anything anywhere in west Texas. That is like a whole other state out that way.

[James Gumbert]

Hello,

Just a bit to add....

Austin is one of the most progressive cities in mobility and wheelchair sport. The city has 2 groups that have worked with the mobility population. Healthsouth - Ask for Mike Haynes (he has been doing wheelchair sport in Austin for 20 years, once ranked in the top 10 in tennis) or St David's wheelchair fitness center Ask for Larry Turner (He has been doing wheelchair sport for 15 years)

Both groups offer a wide range of sport, trips, camps, fitness, outreach and overall help to the mobility and non mobility public.

Austin also features these other wheelchair sports
Wheelchair rugby - www.fearthesteer.com
Tennis
Basketball
Power soccer
Scuba Diving - Eels on wheels
Water skiing
Camping
and many more.

I hope this helps. Austin is great - welcome to the city!

Coach Gumbie

[Schopenhauer]

James Gumbert, on Aug 10 2009, 05:11 PM, said:

Hello,

Just a bit to add....

Austin is one of the most progressive cities in mobility and wheelchair sport. The city has 2 groups that have worked with the mobility population. Healthsouth - Ask for Mike Haynes (he has been doing wheelchair sport in Austin for 20 years, once ranked in the top 10 in tennis) or St David's wheelchair fitness center Ask for Larry Turner (He has been doing wheelchair sport for 15 years)

Both groups offer a wide range of sport, trips, camps, fitness, outreach and overall help to the mobility and non mobility public.

Austin also features these other wheelchair sports
Wheelchair rugby - www.fearthesteer.com
Tennis
Basketball
Power soccer
Scuba Diving - Eels on wheels
Water skiing
Camping
and many more.

I hope this helps. Austin is great - welcome to the city!

Coach Gumbie

I'm living in St. Petersburg FL and wishing I were living somewhere else. People have told me several times that St. Pete "is God's waiting room" (people come here to die). So I was looking for somewhere else to live and thought about Austin TX.

But moving is always a really difficult challenge. How would a low income person best move to the Austin area (or other good places)? Anyone got any ideas?

[Texas Angel Ang]

You should also check out Turning Point Nation they are all about helping you find the right equipment and the right place to go wherever you may be at!

They have been super helpful for me just in regards of being supportive with my new business.

TurningPointNation.org

(I live in the Dallas area originally from Houston -- Texas Rocks )

[Texaswheelz]

Yea Shorty and the Turning Point guys are great.

[jgavic]

TxTeri, on Jun 26 2009, 08:47 PM, said:

Hello all - new to the site!

Anybody from the Austin area? This is my 17 year old son's first full summer as a complete T5, and we are relatively new to the area. Having a hard time finding chair friendly activities - namely tennis. Not just for the activity, but for the comraderie as well...

Anybody??!!

Thx,

Teri

Hello - I was wondering if you ever had any luck connecting with someone in the tennis field in Austin? I am thinking about moving out there for work and am interested in playing. I am in my mid 30's, and have played competitive wheelchair tennis. Thanks for your time.

Joe Gavic