About Us
Tennis Able is led by Derek Perry, a multi-award-winning tennis coach with more than a decade of experience in coaching inclusive tennis programmes.
Derek and the team teach tennis to players of all abilities, who come to the courts with a range of impairments.
From sessions for people with Down's Syndrome to sessions for players with learning disabilities or in wheelchairs, the inclusive tennis programme is run from East Anglia Tennis & Squash Club (EATSC) on Lime Tree Road in Norwich.
Sessions are taught on-site, and also on location at schools, colleges and charities around Norfolk.
The award-winning inclusive tennis coaching programme at EATSC shows that tennis is a sport open to all, whatever your physical or mental challenges. We aim to help all players improve their playing ability, fitness, confidence and social skills.
Notable achievements include winning the LTA’s national disability tennis award in 2018 and regional winners in 2021, 2022 & 2023 bringing together disabled and non-disabled juniors to play together, and being home to East Anglia’s only Special Olympics Tennis team.
We are delighted to have Alfie Hewett, multiple Grand Slam tennis champion formerly ranked world number one at wheelchair doubles, as our Ambassador.
Why Tennis?
Tennis is the ideal sport to enable players of different abilities and with different needs to come together. Tennis presents the player with a wide range of physical and mental challenges, whatever your level.
Tennis improves fitness, aerobic capacity, metabolic function, muscle tone, strength and flexibility
Tennis develops coordination skills and improves balance and reaction times
Tennis provides a mental boost, improving critical thinking, mental alertness, and tactical thinking
Tennis increases confidence through learning new skills
Tennis is a great way to meet new people and enjoy being active
Sessions are adapted where needed to ensure that players can take part, thrive in the environment, learn new skills and participate in competitions if they choose. We aim to ensure that every player leaves the court with a smile on their face, a sense of satisfaction and achievement, and most importantly, having thoroughly enjoyed the tennis lesson