Being the only intercollegiate tennis team in the nation is not what makes the Rolling Salukis a special team.

The four player team travels throughout the nation to battle against other wheelchair tennis players. All four players that make up the Rolling Salukis are ranked nationally in disabled tennis competition.

Rich Swanson, a graduate student in recreation from River Forest, said he never actually liked tennis until last year, when present teammate Kim Martin asked him and a few others to try it out.

Advertisement

We just tried it and liked it, Swanson said.

We didn’t want to try but it’s nice that we did.

As a doubles team, Swanson and teammate Earl Jordan are ranked 14th nationally in the men’s C division.

We won the doubles title in Dayton last year,Swanson said.

It’s not too bad for it being our first year of competition,

By having Saluki women’s tennis coach Judy Auld present at some of the practices, the players are developing solid fundamental skills, Martin said.

Judy Auld has been a big reason we’ve been so good, Martin, who ranks 6th nationally in the women’s A division, said.

Advertisement*

It’s good to have a coach present and get feedback.

The team encouraged Auld to attend a wheelchair tennis camp in Boulder, Co. last summer to help her understand the needs of wheelchair competitors, Martin said.

I’m returning to the camp this summer where I’ll learn from some of the best wheelchair instructors in the nation, Auld said.

Saluki players work on forehand, backhands and positioning, as well as play practice sets against each other, Auld said.

They work on mobility in the chair for positioning, she added.

It’s a lot like footwork in able bodied tennis.

The tennis experience is not always just hard nosed competition but a way to stay in shape between softball and basketball, Jordan said.

Jordan, a senior in recreation from Chicago, said he is developing some skills that earn him a15th ranking in men’s singles C division.

Disabled tennis divisions are A, B, C, D and open in descending order.

Open is available to all competitors, D is the beginning level, C the next step up, B is the advanced level, and A is expert status, Jordan said.

I’m growing as a player- getting better at every practice and every game, Jordan said. Depending on how I do this year, I might move up to the B division next year.

Even though I’m just starting out, I’ve got speed and mobility that compensates for my lack of skill.