Dave Graham has played tennis most of his life, having competed at the High School and College level. What distinguishes Dave is that he is an avid representative of the game who works hard to grow the sport among people with disabilities. Dave serves in a voluntary role as Tennis Director at STRIDE Adaptive Sports. Dave’s journey of using his passion and talent for the game to promote equity and inclusion began in 2010, when he began looking for sports activities for his son Luke who has Autism. Due to the positive experiences he and his son had with STRIDE, Dave agreed to take over STRIDE’s tennis program. He created a tennis curriculum and format for individuals with disabilities (including wheelchair tennis players) that emphasizes basic fundamental tennis skills while providing the opportunity for social interaction and a place to have fun!
After a decade of stellar service, Dave rose to the occasion when the pandemic arose. He led STRIDE’s efforts (when our in-person programs were cancelled) to teach our tennis players with disabilities that they can have fun and play the game even while at home during the quarantine. Here is a video that demonstrates Dave’s creative and innovative teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtV6DV5ZS-I&t=3s.
When it became reasonably safe to return to in-person play, he got our program back on the courts. He has fantastic volunteer assistants, such as his father (David Sr.), wife (Michele), daughter (Rory), and a number of high school students, which help make the program run seamlessly.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys playing sports, performing music with his bands, LEGENDARY LOSERS (who have played at some STRIDE events) and WATCH REGGIE RUN (a band he started with his son Luke), and watching his daughter, Rory, compete in Cross Country and Track & Field. Thanks to Dave, tennis is becoming a sweet song for many disadvantaged players who would have never discovered the joys of the sport otherwise.
