We had the good fortune of connecting with Jim Hamm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jim, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
From Jim: I have a lifelong passion for sports, especially tennis. After I served as a volunteer for a Special Olympics competition I was inspired by the Athletes and their families. Once I decided how I was going to put my passion into action and make the inspiration a reality, I talked with a lot of people who worked with individuals with intellectual disabilities. The more I listened and learned, I mustered up the confidence to launch a non-profit focused on bringing the fun and physical activity of playing tennis to this special population. The volunteers, supporters and donors are the true reason for Special Pops Tennis success. Their dedication and selfless contributions to make playing tennis a reality for our Athletes is amazing. Every Athlete who joins one of our programs and gets to compete in an event the true success story in and of itself. My greatest reward is to get to know an Athlete as a whole person and then share my love for them through a common interest in tennis.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets Special Pops Tennis apart from other non-profits is our unique focus on enriching the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through tennis. Based on several lessons learned in 2020, here’s what we have planned for 2021. 2021 SPRING TRAINING ACADEMIES o SPT Spring Academy training sessions will be held at 10 SPT locations from March until May. Be sure to visit the website to know more about the program and how to register as an Athlete or volunteer. o Necessary health and safety precautions and restrictions will be enforced due to the continuing challenges of the pandemic. Restrictions include limiting the number of Athletes and volunteers at each training site and modified levels of play. o We have confirmed 10 of the 18 SPT sites will be open. For returning Athletes and volunteers, you are encouraged to register at a site that you may or may not have previously attended. o The level of play and number of participants permitted each week will be the primary restrictions specific to our training. o Additional precautions and personal protection for each participant include wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and social distancing. o The registration process will give more detailed explanation of restrictions and weekly confirmation procedures specific to the chosen site. o For further explanation you may always contact your site coordinator, or Kathy Avery at Kathy-avery@hotmail.com or Jim Hamm at jim_hamm2003@yahoo.com. ALPHARETTA ROTARY CLUB ROUND ROBIN o On Saturday, March 6th, at Country Club of the South, Alpharetta GA, the Alpharetta Rotary Club will again host SPT Athletes to include two-hours of tennis play and a delicious lunch. This is always a fun event for our Athletes. It is equally enjoyed by the Rotarians as they team up with a SPT Athlete for some competitive doubles action. o LIMITED SPACE – due to facility limitations and pandemic restrictions, SPT will limit participation to 20 Athletes. If you are interested, send an e-mail to jim_hamm2003@yahoo.com. You will receive a confirmation if you are selected to attend. It is limited to match play level Athletes. Acceptance will be based on ability to play match play and first come – first served basis. Lunch will be provided beginning at 11:45. Tennis play will begin at 12:30 p.m. and be completed by 2:30 p.m. Athletes will also be awarded a medal for participation. VIRTUAL FITNESS CHALLENGE – FUNDRAISER o A Virtual Fitness Challenge Fundraiser is being planned for March 14th through 27th. Start getting your team set up a team to include friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members. The ease and fun of this fundraiser are that the participation is virtual and your team members may even reside in another state. o Look for details coming soon as to how to register. Remember, be creative in how you choose to participate. The event t-shirt is sure to be a collectible for those who participate. Registration details will be provided later in February. NEW SPRING SPT EVENT IS IN THE WORKS o To encourage Athletes and volunteers to participate in our 2021 Spring Academy, we are planning to host a local event for SPT on May 22nd at the Sandy Springs Tennis Center. Final plans on this event are being made. o This event will offer an opportunity for the Athletes and volunteers who participated in our Spring Training Academy Program to have a competition similar to the 2020 Fall Classic. Stay tuned for the final details on how to register. 16th ANNUAL FALL CLASSIC o SAVE THE DATE: September 24th – 26th This date has been confirmed with the world-class facility at Lifetime Athletic and Tennis in Peachtree Corners, GA. This will be our 16th Annual Fall Classic and is sure to exceed expectations. o We will be diligent to comply and observe any restrictions in place at that time. Please know we are committed to offering an experience that will again create lifetime memories! We asked our board members to share what they are most proud of or excited about as they keep Special Pops Tennis sustainable and welcoming for our Athletes in spite of the challenges and restrictions. Here’s a sampling of their hearts and hopes… “As a new board member in 2021, I am so excited to combine my dual loves of playing tennis and teaching tennis with the Special Pops Tennis community! I look forward to a renewed enthusiasm for Atlantans to be outside, on the court, and with each other in person. I think in 2021 people will be ready to jump into new opportunities like never before – maybe as coaches, ball persons, or even happy spectators. Special Pops Tennis is all about joy and people always need a little joy in their lives.“ – Courtney Hendrix “I am most proud of the Fall Classic Tournament which allows over 100 Athletes and 300 volunteers to come together to experience a weekend of great friendships, competition, personal growth and camaraderie. I have attended at least 5 times and it never ceases to amaze me how much everyone loves the event from the tennis to the Saturday night dance to the awards ceremony. It is a showcase of the positive difference tennis and Special Pops Atlanta can make in these Athletes’ lives.” – Marcy Hirshberg “As a mother of an SPT Athlete, I am very grateful for all the organizations and programs in Atlanta that support children and adults with intellectual disabilities. How SPT differs from many of the programs is that Tyler enjoys SPT’s year-round offerings which benefit him physically, mentally and emotionally.” – Sissy Luciani “What makes Special Pops Tennis special is that we create opportunities for people who support us – donors and volunteers – to engage with our adaptive need’s community actively. Rather than just writing a check, our supporters become tennis partners and coaches. This engagement helps to build relationships and a deeper understanding of our Athletes. By using tennis as a way to unite people, volunteers get an opportunity to get to really know someone with an intellectual challenge. I am most proud of the relationships that I have built with our Athletes. I have made a new set of friends who can call me to talk about the latest Marvel movie or how their job is going. I am excited about playing tennis and being in person with SPT community in 2021.” – Pat Lynch “I am hopeful that we will be able to open our training clinics to our Athletes in 2021.” – Judy Mapstone “I most look forward to getting our Athletes back on the court on a consistent basis. Seeing them bond with their friends and make new ones while enjoying the sport I love is truly inspiring.” – Tammy Koch

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In 2021, our Spring Academies are taking place at 10 locations in and around the metro Atlanta area. We typically would have closer to 20 locations, but we are working the best we can in spite of ongoing restrictions and limitations due to COVID-19.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m dedicating this “shoutout” to my favorite non-profit, Special Pops Tennis. In 2020, Special Pops Tennis mission to “enrich the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities through the lifetime sport of tennis” was realized is several different ways than in the past. Because some of our Athletes’ intellectual disabilities put them in a higher health risk category, every decision the board of directors made in 2020 and continuing into 2021 is done with greater care and concern. In “normal” times, parents state the greatest need for their child with intellectual disabilities is access to social networks. We’ve heard for years, “This [social interaction] is the most often missing piece in the lives of our children with special needs.” With shelter-in-place orders, quarantines and general isolation, our Athletes needed to hear from us more than ever. Keeping in touch with our Athletes, volunteers, parents and supporters alike included encouragement and messages from related organizations like Special Olympics, USTA and USTA Southern. Their online campaigns lifted our spirits and gave us a sense of togetherness. There was a series of activity and training videos created by our own SPT volunteers, too. Everyone benefits from staying active even if you are in your own driveway or on the back porch. Most everyone understood why several annual events typically held in the spring and summer could not happen in 2020. By August, however, the board was able to coordinate a small tennis invitational to support Whitefield Academy’s Great Day of Service. Their volunteers went above and beyond to plan the one day event to not only protect our Athletes’ health as a top priority, but also host an enjoyable day of tennis and camaraderie. This was a successful proving ground and an insightful learning experience that allowed the board to reframe how the 15th Annual Fall Classic Tournament could take place. With some game format changes, participation adjustments and clear guidelines, we were able to remain compliant with COVID-19 mandates and still host an in-person Annual Fall Classic. It was a huge success and the feedback was positive. I am pleased to report we had 60 athletes compete in the event and over 200 volunteer slots filled. The athlete registration was filled within 72 hours of opening. A BIG SPT THANK YOU to the ALTA Foundation and USTA for their generous support of this year’s tournament.

Website: www.specialpopstennis.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialpopstennis/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/special-pops-tennis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialpopstennis

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