KJB Meets World: WCW #5: Superstar Tennis Meets World

Guess what day it is... Welcome to another Woman Crush Wednesday!

This week you're meeting Rachel Berens of Superstar Tennis brought to you by No Limits Athletics!

Superstar Tennis:

▪ Where/how did you come up with this idea?

I came up with this idea during my senior year of high school (specifically 4^th period—this was my designated time slot to volunteer in the Multiple Disabilities Unit). I had the idea around February of 2010 when the lead teacher (also a tennis lover) said how amazing it would be if there were more recreational opportunities for her students. I remember just getting this light bulb feeling and saying something along the lines of “Well…why don’t we start our own!” The lack of recreational programming was an issue in my personal life, as well. My younger sister has Down syndrome and she would often carry around my tennis racquet and talk about how she wanted to play, too. It broke my heart that there really were no options for her in our community. That very same week, I touched base with the Director of Recreation Services at Parks and Recreation as well as the tennis coaching staff at Lancaster High School. That first year was kind of a whirlwind. I look back on our first awards day picture and laugh because our group looks small and somewhat disorganized. We have come a long way since then!

▪ How did you get started?

I knew that in order for this to be a success, I needed a couple things. I needed a set location, and it needed to be accessible. I needed supplies. Those supplies needed to be adaptable to the players. I needed reliable staff. That staff needed to be respectful, perseverant, creative, compassionate, and trainable. I wanted an agency to operate through because, as an 18 year old, I did not want to be responsible for handling money. Lancaster Parks and Recreation saved the day on that front. I also needed participants! I needed players and their families to trust me, which is a pretty big deal. For any parent, it is a huge deal to hand over their kids to an organization or a camp or whatever. For parents of kiddos with disabilities, it can be especially challenging because there are extra special needs to consider. It makes me incredibly proud to say that we still have campers returning this summer (2016) who started with us in 2010. Those parents trusted us then, and they still trust us now! Forget the awards and accolades I have received for this camp—to me, this is the biggest testament to success. Lancaster High School generously lets us utilize their court space and gives us access to their supplies. I order some supplies offline too. The Shane Roush Memorial Tournament has very generously given us proceeds from their annual Lancaster Open Tennis Tournament to purchase trophies/medals for our campers. Our staff is mostly comprised of players from local tennis programs (mainly LHS and OUL) but we also welcome teachers, coaches, and staff members from the local county board of developmental disabilities. Since 2014, OUL has kindly provided us with interpreters as well. That same year, I teamed up with a local inclusive basketball clinic. Together, we formed No Limits Athletics. In 2015, our network featured basketball, tennis and equestrian camps. It was a phenomenal experience.

I launched inclusive tennis clinics in Athens during my college years too, and that model worked a little differently since it was a totally different dynamic. Our staff featured members of the OU Student Council for Exceptional Children, OU Club Tennis Team, and Service Learning. The coach from Athens High School also contributed his time and talents. We received some funding through the university and hosted clinics at the university’s indoor tennis center. I handled the registrations independently, which was a lot of work and looking back I wish I had collaborated with the university a bit more on that front. It got the job done though! People mailed the registrations to my apartment. I hosted about three per semester my junior and senior years of college.

▪ How long have you been doing it?

I have been directing this camp for almost 7 years now. July 16^th will mark the conclusion of year number 7’s summer tennis camp here in Lancaster. I directed inclusive clinics in Athens from 2012-2014. For the past two years, I have also hosted winter clinics at the YMCA Rec Plex in Lancaster. Those clinics are smaller and we do not have community sponsorships for that. It is nice in the sense that the kids do get really individualized instruction. Summer is pretty fabulous though because we are able to have more kids and volunteers come out, and we also have some community sponsorships which allow us to order some awesome t-shirts and hand out fun prizes. BW3’s is wonderful—they send their buffalo mascot on the last day of camp along with several promotional coupons. They do a great job of supporting us as a community organization.

▪ Where do you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from every child and every volunteer who tell me that this program has made a difference in their life. I am inspired everyday by my sister, who is a great example of determination and sportsmanship. Beth Gibson, director of the Buddy Up Tennis program, is a HUGE inspiration. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) connected us in 2015. Beth started Buddy Up in Columbus for individuals with Down syndrome, and her camp is now in 14 locations in nine different states!!! She very generously agreed to let me shadow her at Buddy Up one day, and she even took time afterwards to let me pick her brain about her organization and her vision for the future.

▪ Is anyone else involved?

YES!!!! Yes, yes, yes. I have been recognized on a couple different occasions for this camp, and while I do take a huge amount of pride in it, I am always sure to point out how fortunate I have been in terms of being surrounded by great people. Tammy Tolley (Intervention Specialist) and Gary Elick (Head Tennis Coach) are the two people who really took this vision and helped me run with it. Both are still involved with the camp—Tammy has a son who participates every year, and Gary is our designated trophy picker-outer. He comes back to help coach, and is an active recruiter for high school and middle school aged volunteers. Steve Conrad is another important one. He put the Lancaster Parks and Recreation stamp on our camp that made us more recognizable and legitimate. He markets the camp and handles our finances. In 2014 and 2015, I had the pleasure of working with Cody Sarensen and Andrea Headley. As No Limits Athletics, we essentially created an adaptive sporting network that had a pretty large community following. People would travel from other areas of the state for our camps as well. The community of Lancaster is very involved and supportive. Sponsors for tennis include the Shane Roush Memorial Fund, Berens Law Office, SOCIL (Southern Ohio Center for Independent Living), Buffalo Wild Wings, Krile Communications, and Promotions by Design.

▪ Have you always wanted to have this tennis program/camp?

I have always wanted to advocate for individuals with disabilities. For as long as I can remember, I have played and loved the sport of tennis. The two came together for me as an 18 year old, and I hope that I can continue to keep those two passions intertwined for many more years! My sister is 19 now though, so I might have to reframe the camp though. Right now it is designed for individuals ages 5-22. It looks like another camp designed for adults with disabilities may have to be in the cards. There was a clinic this winter where I was sick and unable to make it. I told Lauren that she was in charge and evidently she did a pretty awesome job. So maybe she’ll just be a coach for Superstar Tennis. We’ll see how things play out!

▪ How do you spread the word on Superstar Tennis?

I am a big believer in old school, word of mouth type advertising. I do my best to check in with parents and caregivers and listen to any suggestions that they may have. I want them to be able to tell all their friends what a great experience they had at Superstar Tennis Camp. We are really fortunate to serve a wonderful group of families and players. I reach out to the local schools and ask them to distribute the registration flyers to their teachers and students. No Limits Athletics established a very strong social media presence which I do my best to upkeep. We have an Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook page. Our program information is currently located on the Parks and Recreation Website. We are listed on the Sports Page, under “Superstar Tennis.” SOCIL (Southern Ohio Center for Independent Living) also helps us to market our program. They are great to work with and also provide us with sportschairs for athletes who benefit from them.

▪ Who do you feel like is your audience?

Our primary audience is those connected with and involved in the disability community in central and southern Ohio. Most of our participants are from this area, but we do have some that drive a bit for our program. Adaptive recreational opportunities can be difficult to find. The gratitude that these families express is unreal. We are inclusive, so it is not uncommon for us to have a participant with a disability sign up as well as their typically developing sibling.

Personal:

▪ Where did you go to school? What did you go for?

I am a proud alumna of Ohio University. Go Bobcats! My major was Moderate to Intensive Intervention Specialist (Special Education). I was also a Psychology minor.

▪ Do you have a mentor/mentee?

I have multiple mentors. One that I mentioned earlier was Beth Gibson. Another is Jodi Blais. She is the Educational Service Director over at Forest Rose (a school for children with low-incidence disabilities) and I just think the world of her. Both women are unstoppable in their pursuit to make the world more accessible. They are always looking for ways to grow and improve, which I think is so important too. I consider my sister Lauren a mentor. She teaches me about perspective and genuine selflessness every single day.

▪ How do you make a lasting impression?

Take the time to really, genuinely, ACTUALLY listen to people, and meet them where they are. To me, connecting with people is so important. Some of the kiddos that I work with are nonverbal. Others are Deaf. Still others are cognitively delayed and need things broken down. It’s different based not just on the disability category, but more importantly on the individual themselves. So in order to connect and make that lasting impression, it’s on me to cultivate an atmosphere where my staff and I are creative and open minded. It’s on us to adapt and meet the needs of all the players. I try to set the tone and illustrate that through all of my interactions.

What are effective time management skills?

Effective time management skills…to me, that means prioritizing. Compartmentalize what needs done now and what can wait. I’m a list person so I love laying it all out. The satisfaction in crossing things off is one of the best feelings in the world, ha!

▪ What did you want to be before you grew up?

When I was little, I wanted to be a lawyer. That sounds weird I know, but I wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I felt a calling towards teaching though, and that’s how I ended up in the Patton College of Education.

▪ What’s your greatest professional achievement?

I know it sounds cheesy, but I honestly consider my greatest professional achievement to be witnessing my students’ self confidence blossom on the court or in the classroom. Academics and the development of tennis skills are important, but helping a kid develop confidence in themselves and their abilities is what I care about most. I was incredibly honored to have my program featured on the national USTA spotlight, and I was also really proud and grateful to be the recipient of the Emerging Athena Award through the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce and OU-L in 2014.

▪ Are you member of any organizations? Trade organizations? etc.

Currently I am not a member of any organizations, but I do enjoy volunteering through Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities as an art instructor. I also volunteer at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, which has been so much fun. I love meeting new people who are invested in the Lancaster community.

▪ What’s your morning routine?

I wish I could say I did morning yoga and maybe some meditation, but I don’t. I wake up, hop in the shower, drink a cup of coffee and make a to-do list. Then, I get to work on that list!

▪ What is your personal style?

Simple and comfortable! I like bright colors, especially blues and greens. I am a sucker for sun dresses and sandals.

▪ What is your ‘must have’ accessory?

My Blue Nile engagement ring! My fiancé knew that conflict free diamonds were important to me!

▪ What’s your average day in the life?

In the world of working with kiddos with special needs, it’s hard to capture average because every day is honestly so different. That is what’s so great about it though.

▪ What’s a guilty pleasure?

See above; sun dresses! So many sundresses!

▪ What would be your dream job?

My DREAM job would be to facilitate Superstar Tennis on a larger scale. I would love to have the time and resources to set up accessible sporting opportunities at a state or even national level. There are not enough adaptive recreational opportunities. I want every kid to have the opportunity to develop a love for the sport of tennis, just like I did.

▪ Why do you do what you do?

I do what I do because I can’t imagine not doing it. It brings me joy in a way that nothing else can—I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to host this camp year after year! One of my campers posted a picture on social media the other day of her holding a tennis racquet. I love that she has been introduced to the sport and is excited about camp this summer. Seeing my players build confidence and form friendships is what makes it all worth it. Our camp mission is to Build on Abilities, and I love seeing that slogan in action!!