Special Olympics players meet for a training camp in Ramat Hasharon

Special Olympics athletes from the Israel Tennis Centers participated in a training camp on the 29th & 30th July 2012 at the ITC – Ramat Hasharon, in preparation for their upcoming trip to a tournament in Germany.

Five players partook: Elad Gevandshnaider from the ITC – Beer Sheva, Naomi Thompson from the ITC – Jerusalem, Yair Levy from the ITC – Tiberias, Shani Dagan from the ITC – Yokneam and Tamir Segal from the ITC – Kiryat Shmona. The two coaches who lead the training camp and who will travel with them to Germany are the Special Olympics Tennis Coordinator and Manager of the ITC – Ashkelon, Shaya Azar and Manager of the ITC – Jaffa, Rakefet Binyamini. The players slept in the dormitory academy in Ramat Hasharon, participated in activities to get to know each other better, played tennis on the clay courts and went for walks around the area.

Shaya Azar: “The players adjusted really quickly to the new surroundings at the center, they are all in shape and ready to go to the tournament. I would like to thank Rakefet for her patient and warm approach, Eyal Taoz, manager of the ITC – Ramat Hasharon for his help and to all the other managers for their support beforehand”.

About The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation (“ITC”):
The ITC is a non-profit organization (formerly known as The Israel Children’s Centers is a 501 (c)) that works to enhance the social, psychological and physical development of Israeli children through the medium of sport. We provide a healthy and structured environment for children from all walks of life, teaching values of cooperation, persistence and tolerance. Thirty-five years after the inauguration of the first Israel Tennis Center in Ramat Hasharon, the ITC has expanded throughout Israel and has nurtured and empowered more children and adults than the original founders could have ever dreamed. Currently one of the largest social-service agencies for children in Israel, the ITC operates 14 Centers throughout Israel’s periphery within socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Centers are complete with cutting edge facilities and tennis courts that serve over 20,000 children. For additional background please visit: http://www.israeltenniscenters.org