From ABC7 New York · · 1m 30s
A US Open court, and every kid gets to play
Before the Women's Final, the show courts at Flushing Meadows belonged to kids and adults with disabilities.
In brief
Before the Women's Final, the show courts at Flushing Meadows belonged to kids and adults with disabilities. Inclusion works best when it happens in the same place everyone else gets to be, not a separate one. Originally reported by ABC7 New York.
Different players, same court
Hours before the US Open Women's Final on Saturday, children and adults with disabilities took over the courts at Flushing Meadows for the Court of Dreams clinic.
“Long before the first serve in the US Open Women's Final on Saturday, there were different players on the iconic courts.”
Eight years of showing up
Thaddeus Henry, 15, has come through the nonprofit ACEing Autism every year since he was seven. His mother has watched the change from the sideline.
“It's just a pleasure to see how far he's come”
The court holds his focus
Carla Rogers-Henry says the thing that surprises her most is how little distracts her son once he steps on.
“He has matured and in terms of the distraction level, it's amazing because he's laser-focused once he's out on the court.”
First time at the Open
Mitzi Walker brought her daughter, Misa Percell, and had never been before. What got her was seeing the whole community fill the space.
“Just to see the families, our community come together, our children, our young adults, and just to be so included in this space is just so inspiring for us all”
Nobody knew it existed
Westchester mom Kim Rosenbaum had been to the US Open plenty of times without knowing the clinic was part of it. Dillon Faulkner of Backyard Sports Cares brought his White Plains group for the first time.
“I've been to the US Open and never realized they had this component”
Warm-ups and a growing list
Wesley of the Beautiful Lives Project called it fun. Henry's favorite bit was rolling the ball with his racket and popping it in the air. More organizations sign on every year.
“Inclusion is what it is, what we need in this world”
The essence
Inclusion works best when it happens in the same place everyone else gets to be, not a separate one.
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