Aad Zwaan

International Wheelchair Tennis Academy

 

2004 IWTA Coach of the Year Aad Zwaan and partners will open the Aad Zwaan International Wheelchair Tennis Academy in Florida next spring. Zwaan is the Dutch national wheelchair tennis coach, Head Coach of the ITF Development Team and also runs the ITF Wheelchair Training Centre in the Netherlands. Together with his players he has won multiple Olympic-, World- and World Team Cup championships.

 

Wheelchair tennis players of all levels have been looking for a place where they can train and play outdoors all year. A place that caters to their different training- and developmental needs and offers from weekly or monthly programs to a full-time yearly program. Very soon a place like that will start its operations: The Aad Zwaan International Wheelchair Tennis Academy in Florida.

 

Beginners will be taught the basics by one of the world’s most successful coaches and intermediate players will be trained to an advanced level. Top players can use the academy as a base to further develop their skills and technique and prepare for tournaments under expert guidance. The climate and tennis infrastructure in Florida have attracted able-bodied players from all over the world. They picked Florida as their home base or spend part of the year there. “Could you think of a more inspiring and stimulating place for wheelchair tennis beginners or for experienced players to train and prepare for tournaments in an international top tennis environment?” Zwaan says with his usual enthusiasm.

 

Zwaan’s local partners Pierre Arnold, USTA coach of the year and Henk Abbink are co-founders of the academy. Together the trio will share the day to day responsibilities for academy operations: Aad Zwaan as Director of Tennis & Player Development, Pierre Arnold as Director of Coaching and Henk Abbink as Academy Director.

 

Aad Zwaan intends to spend at least a week or more in Florida every month. The Aad Zwaan International Wheelchair

Tennis Academy will open its doors in Fort Lauderdale in May 2007. The academy will also be a wheelchair tennis “knowledge centre” and offer coaching- and training seminars and courses. Beginners, advanced- and top players and visiting coaches/trainers can make use of nine hard courts, five clay courts, swimming- and golf facilities and a number of lodging possibilities.

 

“We hope our international academy will be instrumental in developing wheelchair tennis and also motivate more persons who use wheelchairs to go for our sport. We will offer from a High Performance Program and Developmental Program to a Veteran- and After School Program. The approach will be a very personal one, tailored to individual needs,” Zwaan concludes.

 

For more information: info@letitroll.org

 

 

 

   Entrance to the Golf- and Racket Club                                        Center court                                                                          Swimming pool next to the courts