Central Ohio group aims to open tennis to everyone while teaching other life skills

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Learning to play tennis can be a challenge, and sometimes, you need a buddy to get started.

This is why one local family filled an important need in the community when, in 2008, Beth Gibson hoped to introduce her son to the sport.

However, there were no resources for children with Down syndrome. This led Beth to start an adaptive tennis program that has grown from a single chapter in Columbus to 25 around the country, offering summer camps, fitness, and life skills programs.

“For the last 10 years, I’ve been on the tennis team,” said Beth’s son Will Gibson.

“Skills here on the court have given him the confidence, the physical ability to really participate in programs within Special Olympics, school,” Beth Gibson said.

Doug DiRosario is a tennis pro who played at DeSales High School and Capital University and has been Will’s mentor since Buddy Up Tennis started more than a decade ago.

He encouraged Will, now 16, to hone his tennis skills.

“To see the athletes grow as people, as athletes on and off the court, has just been remarkable,” DiRosario said.

Will now competes on the New Albany High School junior varsity tennis and football teams.

“It’s critically important,” said Doug Dunlope, father of Anna, who is part of the program. “Anna is involved in both the tennis, Buddy Up Tennis, but also in cooking, communication, and in financial classes, and working toward becoming more independent all the time.”

Buddy Up For Life created the first adaptive team tennis even at the Western and Southern Open in Mason, with Buddy Up Tennis chapters from Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville. They hope to return later this summer for the first time since 2019.

For more on Buddy Up For Life, click here.