Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) offers a tennis program in Shasta County as one of its roster of sports opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The program is free to participants, and it is open to those aged roughly eight and up. The idea is to provide both training and competition in tennis, among other sports, in a supportive environment where athletes can learn at their own pace, improve skills, and build confidence.

In practice, the Shasta County Special Olympics tennis program includes structured training sessions, likely with volunteer or staff coaches, where athletes work on basics like racquet grip, swinging strokes, rallying over the net, footwork, and court awareness. Though specific schedules or locations for tennis are not detailed in the sources, the county does offer tennis as one of seven sports in its line-up: aquatics, basketball, bowling, golf, soccer, softball, and tennis. This means that there is some established infrastructure and support for tennis, including courts (public or school courts) for practice and possibly for competition among peers in Shasta County or in regional SONC tournaments.

One of the key outcomes of the tennis program is not only athletic development, but also social growth, inclusion, and improved well-being. Special Olympics in Shasta County has frequently been cited by families as helping participants make friends, become more confident, and feel more connected to their community. If someone is interested in joining or volunteering with the tennis program, contacting Denise Caldwell or the Shasta County SONC office is a good first step.