If you weren’t able to attend the 2004 Special Olympics Southeast Region USA Tennis Championships on Hilton Head Island this year, you missed out on one great event! Held at the Van Der Meer Tennis Center March 11-13, the event attracted participants from 14 states across the country and a team from Italy!

Athletes competed in individual skills competitions and singles and doubles match play over the course of the three-day event. Coaches, instructors and teaching professionals were invited to participate in a clinic taught by Karl Pingry, a teaching professional from Atlanta. The hands-on workshop focused on strategies for teaching tennis to Special Olympic athletes.

The tireless efforts of Sue Maner from the Special Olympics South Carolina office, Glenn Roswal from the Special Olympics National office, Julie Jilly with the Professional Tennis Registry and all of the other staff and volunteers who helped certainly did not go unnoticed. The event was a great success, and all of the athletes felt like winners!