They call me "Caribou"

I was introduced to tennis by my father when I was 10 years old.  All through my teen years, my dad always had time to go and hit the ball with me at the Salmon Arm Tennis Club.  I have wonderful memories of all those hits with my dad and I really appreciate that he always made the time for me. Into my early twenties, I began to coach tennis and play in tournaments in Vancouver as I was attending university.

Losing my leg in 1991 put an end to my ability to play tennis.  I remember well one afternoon about four months after my accident when I met the many prosthetists from the Vancouver area.  They sat in a semi-circle around me and the only question I had was, "Which one of you can build me a leg that will allow me to play tennis?"  They were all quite honest with me and let me know that tennis was a game that would be a real challenge for me based upon the extent of my injuries.  That summer, about 10 months after my accident, I went home to Salmon Arm and I attempted to play tennis with my father.  I lasted about fifteen minutes before I quit and I vowed to never play tennis again.

Two years ago, I was invited to participate in a "Try it Out" event put on by Wheelchair BC Sports and a local physiotherapy clinic.  I tried rugby, basketball and athletics in a wheelchair.  The last sport I tried was wheelchair tennis and I was hooked right away.  The fact that I had played before was a great boon to my game as I was able to handle myself quite well and already had all the strokes.  I began to go to weekly sessions and by June 2015 I started to play in tournaments.  That was a huge thrill for me as I loved bringing the competitive aspect of tennis back into my life.  I continued to play last year and I enjoyed a bit more success on the court and I have to say I am a much better wheelchair player than I ever was as an able-bodied tennis player.  By the end of the summer of 2016, I had somehow managed to attain a national ranking of ninth in Canada.  This is not nearly as impressive as it sounds as there are not that many players in our country, but it is still something that I am proud of.

When we left for France, I packed my racquet with the hope that I might be able to work on my game here in France.  One Monday in September I made my way to the local tennis club.

Seeing the multiple clay courts basking in the gorgeous Mediterranean sunshine made me extremely excited.  I walked up to the office and in my best french asked if there was any way that I could possibly play wheelchair tennis at the club.  They replied, "Why don't you go out to court 14 and ask the president of the wheelchair tennis club and find out."  

As luck would have it, Monday mornings was one of the set times for wheelchair tennis.  I made my way out to the court and met François Heyraud for the first time.  Little did I know what a great friend he would become. Not only did he invite me to join them to play, he also had an old wheelchair that he was willing to lend me for the year.

For the past seven months, I have been able to work on my tennis and my french with an amazing group of people that I feel very blessed to call my friends.  The club has accepted me with open arms and I feel part of their close-knit group that behaves more like a family than a club.  We meet twice a week for coffee at 9 am and then play tennis for three hours before having lunch together in the club's restaurant.

You know you are part of a group when they begin calling you by a nickname.  It was probably my third time at tennis when Jacques began calling me "Le Caribou!"  I much preferred this to "Garry" which is the other name he tends to call me.  The moniker "Caribou" has stuck and I have to admit that it brings a smile to my face each time it is used.  My family has even become "La famille Caribou."  

As our time in France nears its end, I am quite sad that my time with my french sporting community that has adopted me with such warmness is coming to an end.  I am lucky to have had this time with them and I am looking forward to this May when we are playing in three different tournaments in Southern France.  I am also looking forward to continuing the friendship that we have established for years to come.  

I will end with some photos from today's session in the sun: