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Brent Poppin, Dr. Jennifer Croker, Coach Sandy Kazanjian-Gostanian and Karin Korb.
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BTB tennis clinic participants.
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Break the Barriers, Valley Children’s Hospital and USTA NorCal hosted a wheelchair clinic in Fresno for all levels and all ages at Break the Barrier’s outstanding indoor tennis court.
What made this clinic so special? IT’s the WHO—Karin, Brent, Sandy, Dr. Jenifer Crocker, and the 20 hospital volunteers and supporters who came out to support the clinic. Find out who this special people are:
Karin Korb is a two-time Paralympian, #1 in the nation in 2004 and now director of Disability Empowerment Camps for young women and girls focusing on recreation, fitness, wellness and sport components. Other services include life coaching, personal training, mentoring and professional diversity programming consulting. (i.e. media relations and product branding). Beautiful, strong, and a wonderful ambassador of tennis, she teaches life’s lessons the most powerful way…by example.
Brent Poppen a Paralympian who lives in Paso Robles and is on staff in Valley Children’s Hospital Rehabilitation Dept. in Fresno. He’s a very popular player and plays for Southern California (which was pointed out by Annette Buck—the SoCal Team Coach). Brent’s easy going, engaging personality wins over the young patients who are grappling to overcome severe injuries in rehabilitation.
"Coach Sandy", Sandra Kazanjian-Gostanian, USPTA Certified Professional, Adapted PE Specialist and Team Fresno Coach. Sandy volunteers as coach and mentor in the Madera School District in adapted sports and works closely with the USTA in wheelchair tennis. Sandy is a huge part of Team Fresno and will be working to insure it’s success.
Dr. Jennifer Crocker, Medical Director, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Children’s Hospital of Central California was the clinic organizer. Thanks to Dr. Crocker, Karin was contacted, and along with Brent and the many volunteers coordinated the clinic with Break the Barriers. Break the Barriers, Inc. was the 2011 USTA Northern California Member Organization of the Year.
Future tennis news at Valley Children’s Hospital: two tennis courts will be created on the activity area right outside the Rehabilitation Department. Patients going through rehabilitation at the hospital will have the opportunity to get some fresh air and "try tennis". The courts and equipment will be available for staff and families as well.
Karen and Brent’s engaging out-going personalities, along with their knowledge of working with injured athletes. The vitality they bring engages even the youngest players to try tennis. Several players tried tennis for the first time and being athletes were amazed at how easy the transition to tennis can be.
After two hours of skill development and drills, everyone got the opportunity to an outstanding demonstration of how to put all these skills together for a solid all-court game, by Karin Korb. This demonstration featured a full court rally with Karin at her best: instructing, encouraging, teasing, all the while hitting killer shots!
NorCal is keeping their eyes on the prize—taking home the North vs. South Team Tennis Challenge trophy this fall.