Special Serves and Volleys at Patch Reef

Boca Raton resident and tennis player Melissa Riveros carried the torch at Patch Reef Park's Tennis Center, signifying the start of the Special Olympics southeast Florida tennis regional.

“It was amazing because all my friends and family came,” Riveros said.

Shortly afterward, Riveros won her first match of the day and, accompanied by her mother, Clara, couldn't stop smiling when discussing the morning's events.

“I love tennis,” the 46-year-old Riveros said. “The people are nice - all the coaches and everyone.”

Riveros and approximately 60 other competitors converged on Patch Reef the first Sunday in April to determine which players would be representing Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties at the Special Olympics state tournament in Orlando.

Tiffany Martinez jumped, smiled and shouted enthusiastically when presented with her gold medal for winning the Red Ball 2 Division.

“I'm going to Disney!” Martinez screamed.

Minutes later Martinez, holding a pink poster board sign, walked back onto the courts encouraging her fellow Doral teammates.

Normally tournament sites rotate among counties but officials asked Palm Beach County Special Olympics Director Rich Fleming whether Palm Beach County could take its next turn early. Fleming immediate thought of bringing the regional to Patch Reef for the second time in three years.

“They've bent over backwards,” Fleming said of the Patch Reef staff. “As soon as we requested to have it here, they were totally great and flexible to allow us to host here.”

A group of about 75 volunteers, some 40 of which were supplied by the National Women's Pickleball Association, ensured the event ran smoothly by aiding with sign-in, score keeping and match progression.

Participants in the tournament are living with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome, autism, and other special needs. 

Players competed in four different divisions, with some of the lower divisions playing on smaller, modified courts and using differently compressed balls to better suit their skill level. Another group of athletes participated in beginner play and skills instruction. The competitions included singles and doubles play.

The winner in each division received a gold medal, with silver going to the runner-up and the third place finisher receiving a bronze. Those who placed fourth through sixth received ribbons to commemorate their day.

Palm Beach County Special Olympics also fields a pickelball team that calls Patch Reef Park home. A few months ago several members of that first year team reached the state tournament.