Tennis Canada recognizes the impact a tennis chair has on new players enjoyment and progression in the sport. The Wheelchair Loan Program is designed to provide quality used tennis chairs to programs across the country. The chairs are rented for a nominal price on an annual basis.

Birmingham Family Tennis Chair Award

The Birmingham Family Tennis Chair Award is made possible by a generous donation from the Birmingham Family of Toronto. The award provides $3,500 annually to a developing athlete for the purchase of a new tennis chair. This award is available for five years, from 2006-2010.

The Birmingham Family developed this award to allow a deserving athlete to access the appropriate equipment to meet his/her high performance development needs. The award recipient is announced at the Birmingham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships each year. In 2008, the recipient was Gary Luker.

The award selection will be made by Tennis Canada’s wheelchair tennis high performance committee. Athletes who do not currently have a tennis chair sponsorship are eligible to apply. The selection committee will consider the following factors when determining the award winner:

- Commitment to high performance tennis development.

- Potential to achieve the National Team Program goals and/or the Paralympic Games.