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Special Olympics Oregon, a volunteer-driven organization, serves individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports opportunities. The Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department proudly provides the only Special Olympics tennis program in Oregon at the Lake Oswego Tennis Center (LOTC), and it is a privilege to be the home of this remarkable activity. This program emphasizes fundamentals, movement, fitness, fun and plenty of high fives! In 2024, we celebrated the 20th year of this impactful program, which runs during two seasons — winter and spring. Throughout the course of 20 practices, volunteers collectively dedicated more than 285 hours of their time.

Head Coach Gerri Allen and numerous longtime assistant coaches have provided athletes with a comprehensive curriculum, including agility and eye-object coordination skills. The program thrives thanks to the dedication of 22 volunteer coaches, some of whom have been coaching for more than 10 years. This includes high school and junior tennis players who help ensure we far exceed the required minimum ratio of four athletes to one coach mandated by Special Olympics. In fact, LOTC boasts one of the best coach-to-athlete ratios of any Special Olympics program in Oregon.

As Lisa West, Lake Oswego sports manager, notes, “We love seeing the athletes return each season, watching the friendships they’ve built with each other and the coaches and witnessing the joy they get from playing tennis.”

Fun and rewards go both ways. Coaches find it deeply fulfilling to see the smiles on the athletes’ faces, celebrate their successes, and know they’ve made a meaningful impact on the athletes and their families. Through this shared activity, athletes, parents and coaches have developed a strong sense of community. Everyone looks forward to being together, and they leave LOTC with a sense of accomplishment and a smile. What could be better than that?

Jan Wirtz is Deputy Director of Recreation, City of Lake Oswego (Oregon) Parks and Recreation