Brad Parks invented wheelchair tennis in the 1970s after a skiing accident left him paralyzed. During a family picnic in Indiana, Parks, then 18, watched his relatives play tennis and felt inspired to create a sport that would allow him to participate. His journey began with a makeshift tennis session while using a hospital wheelchair.
From Inspiration to Innovation
After his life-changing accident, Parks was determined to not let his disability define him. "If I'm going to be in a wheelchair the rest of my life, I've got to be the best that I could be," he recalls. This mindset fueled his passion for tennis, leading him to practice daily with friends and family, even as he faced challenges in finding suitable opponents.
His pivotal moment came during a hospital check-up when he met Jeff Minnebraker, a physiotherapist also interested in wheelchair tennis. Together, they experimented with rules, such as allowing the ball to bounce twice, which remains a fundamental aspect of the game today.
Establishing the Sport
In 1977, Parks and Minnebraker organized the first wheelchair tennis event in Irvine, California. Parks won the tournament, marking the beginning of his dominance in the sport’s early years. Despite playing on sub-par courts and facing skepticism from tennis authorities, Parks continued to promote wheelchair tennis through demonstrations and community events.
