Ten participants gathered on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Tennis Club de Castres for the club’s first ever wheelchair tennis event featuring introductory sessions and a tournament, La Dépêche du Midi reported.
Players traveled from across Occitanie and as far as Bordeaux to compete in the tournament. The turnout provided immediate encouragement for club leaders looking to expand inclusive sports programming.
“Ce projet ne sort pas de nulle part puisque notre club propose depuis quelques années des cours encadrés par notre prof diplômé d’État agréé tennis fauteuil,” said Francis Bardou, president of the Tennis Club de Castres, telling La Dépêche du Midi that he wanted to give the practice a larger dimension.
Until recently, the club’s facilities offered limited accessibility for players with disabilities. Renovated installations at La Borde Basse, completed by the previous municipal administration, now accommodate disabled athletes and paved the way for the club to expand its offerings.
Financial backers supporting the initiative include the Lions Club, Harmonie Mutuelle, the regional and departmental councils, the Castres town hall, and Garage Maurel. The Caisse d’Épargne served as a major partner in the para-tennis development project.
The club won the “Terre de sport” project call launched by Caisse d’Épargne to support sports clubs promoting accessible and inclusive play.
During the event, Philippe Maurel, chairman of the board of Caisse d’Épargne Tarn Sud, David Szmulewicz, director of agencies for the Castres territory, and Coralie Viala, director of the Les Lices agency in Castres, presented a 2,000-euro check to the club. The funds will help purchase adapted equipment and run awareness campaigns for disability sports access.
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