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Our Mission  

Inclusive Racket Sports Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating inclusive opportunities in tennis and pickleball for children and youth with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities, while also promoting inclusive participation in the broader community

Our Vision 

A society where everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to sport, feels a sense of belonging, and can thrive trough participation in inclusive racket sports.

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Girl playing tennis

All Abilities Racket Sports Programs 
Where Everyone Gets to Play

Inclusion - Respect - Confidence - Effort - Fun

Boy playing tennis

ALL ABILITIES TENNIS

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  • ​adaptive tennis activities

  • 12-week curriculum

  • small group coaching

  • focus on confidence and enjoyment
     

Sessions are structured to provide

consistent routines and positive

learning environments​

All Abilities Tennis Program

ALL ABILITIES PICKLEBALL

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  • paddle sport introduction

  • great for coordination and fun

  • easy learning curve
     

The program uses modified equipment

and simplified games to ensure every

participant can succeed.

All Abilities Pickleball Program

PARTICIPATION IN ADAPTIVE RACKET SPORTS PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS:

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Physical Benefits

  • improved coordination

  • increased physical activity

  • development of motor skills

  • ​

Social Benefits

  • teamwork

  • communication skills

  • friendship development

  • ​

Emotional Benefits

  • increased confidence

  • sense of belonging

  • positive self-esteem

Founder Story

​​After more than four decades of coaching tennis around the world, the founder of Inclusive Racket Sports Society Dimitri Penchev reached an important realization: the transformative power of sport should be accessible to every child, regardless of ability.

 

With advanced academic training in sport coaching and sport psychology (Master’s degree in Sport Coaching and Physical Education and a PhD in Sport Psychology)  as well as certification as a Coach 3 with Tennis Canada, he spent years helping athletes reach their highest performance levels.

 

But his next chapter focuses on something even more meaningful— giving children with developmental disabilities the opportunity to experience the joy and confidence that sport can bring.

 

Inspired by adaptive tennis programs that have grown in the United States, he saw a gap in Canada. Few programs existed that were specifically designed to introduce children with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities to racket sports in a structured and supportive way.

 

This led to the creation of Inclusive Racket Sports Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building inclusive tennis and pickleball programs across Metro Vancouver.

 

Through the society’s All Abilities Tennis™ and All Abilities Pickleball™ programs, children will learn movement skills, racket coordination, teamwork, and confidence in a fun and welcoming environment.

 

For the founder, the mission is simple but powerful:

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“Every child deserves the opportunity to experience success, friendship, and belonging through sport.”

Pickleball individual training
Pickleball group training
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