Spotlights
Ordinary people can do extraordinary things! See how our Athletes, Buddies, and Coaches are making a difference in their communities, both on and off the court.
SPOTLIGHTS
Join us to experience the impact of our program firsthand.
Winter 2025 Updates
A Season of Impact: Growth, Connection, and Giving Back We have had a busy winter season at Buddy Up For ...
Kent Smith Photography Presents FASHIONFEST 2025 Benefiting Buddy Up For Life
We're Still Glowing from the Runway! A huge thank you to Kent Smith Photography for choosing Buddy Up for Life ...
Star Student: Emma Pequignot
A Year of Exciting Achievements Through Communities for Life, Emma Pequignot is turning passions into accomplishments—like co-writing a book and ...
Safety for Life
Spotlight: Safety for Life Safety for Life is the newest in a growing series of Life Skills courses offered through ...
Star Athlete: Owen Finke
“Expect More” in Action: Naperville Buddy Up Tennis Athlete competes in national tennis tournament Earlier this month, Owen Finke achieved ...
Star Student Athlete: Angelina D’Alberto
"Expect More": How one Student Athlete embodies Buddy Up for Life's philosophy every day Angelina D’Alberto stays busy with Buddy ...
Star Partner: Reuben Lo
At Safelite, Reuben Lo leads insurance and commercial sales teams. At home, he and his wife raise two sons who ...
Star Buddy: Stacy Redmond
After over 20 years as a licensed esthetician, Stacy Redmond is considering a career change—and she cites Buddy Up for ...
Star Athlete: Erin Zimpfer
Since moving to Ohio in March, Erin Zimpfer has been all in with Buddy Up for Life. Between Health & ...
Star Student: Mack McCarty
Mack McCarty has participated in all three pillars of Buddy Up for Life—Health & Wellness, Independence, and Friendship—but he especially ...
Big Lots, BIG Impact
From mock interviews to conversations about the different roles of associates in their stores, the Big Lots team made a ...
Two College Students Unite Three Communities to Build Buddy Up Tennis St. Louis
Two determined college students and a desire to unite the tennis, Down syndrome, and Washington University communities. This is the ...
Partner Spotlight: Healthy New Albany
Buddy Up for Life is honored to partner with Healthy New Albany to bring our Cooking For Life classes. From ...
Coach Spotlight: From the Court to Friendship
In a journey from Buddy Up Tennis Coach to Buddy Up Connection, two of our amazing Coaches took on a ...
Their Dedication Makes It Happen: Spotlight on Buddy Up for Life Virtual Instructors
To capture and keep the attention of a large Zoom group via unique engagement strategies is no easy task, but ...
Beth Gibson Named Buckeye Lifestyle’s “Woman of Initiative”
"Our organization is focused on providing a wholistic experience that equips our Athletes with all of the tools needed to ...
Collegiate Service Opportunity Delivers Positive Impact to Athletes and Buddies
College tennis teams have been amazing on-court partners in many of our Buddy Up Tennis communities, but in the fall ...
Fall Partnerships Create Key Opportunities
As an organization dedicated to learning and providing ongoing health and wellness opportunities for our Athletes, Buddy Up Tennis is ...
Dallas Buddy Coach Goes Above & Beyond
Sheila Broadus had a traditional start to volunteering with Buddy Up Tennis, her daughter and her were looking for service ...
Summer Buddy Spotlights
At Buddy Up Tennis, we are fortunate to work with many passionate young people every day. We meet them on ...
Coaches Doug and Kyle Bring Signature Enthusiasm to At-Home Clinics
Technology has connected all 25 Buddy Up Tennis locations in ways that we never imagined possible. We have transformed our ...
Buddy Taylor Ruby Gives 110%
For years, Columbus Athletes have been welcomed to the courts by Taylor Ruby and her infectious smile and energy. From ...
Will and Sarah Inspire Via Buddy Up Tennis Virtual Programming
Athletes Will Gibson and Sarah Davis love two things: being in front of a camera and Buddy Up Tennis. As ...
#1 Adaptive Tennis Program, #1 Volunteer Leader: Rob Griffiths
Volunteer Board Member and Coach, Rob Griffiths was honored as a Columbus Foundation's National Number One for 2019! Rob is ...
Giving Tuesday: Opportunities for our Athletes
The invaluable experiences that Buddy Up Tennis provides for our Athletes are made possible by the funds raised by members ...
Giving Talent: Leadership on and off the Courts
Buddy Up Tennis is more than just tennis: It is a significant movement, propelled by volunteers, leading the way both ...
Giving Time: Dedication to our Athletes from the Beginning
With over 800 Buddies nationwide, there are countless volunteers who have been instrumental in the success of the Buddy Up ...
Buddy Up Tennis Athletes: High School Senior Spotlights
Senior year of high school has brought two Buddy Up Tennis Columbus Athletes to center court and center field! Maria ...
Beth Gibson: Everyday Heroes
Candace Kane, Community Relations Director for Buddy Up Tennis, nominated Gibson for Everyday Heroes because of her dedication and how ...
Buddy Up Summer Camp Coaches 2019
Kathleen McGuff and John Purnode both began their Buddy Up Tennis journeys as Buddies in middle school in Columbus, OH ...
Stars: On the Courts and On Stage
The Improveneers made their big stage debut on July 26th in Akron! The Improvaneers is the first-ever all Down syndrome ...
From Buddy to Junior Coach….
Buddies play an integral role in our weekly Buddy Up Tennis clinics. Many of the Buddies across our locations “grow ...
Coach Amanda Designs a Summer Camp Curriculum to Expand to New Locations
During the year, you can find Coach Amanda Hughes teaching our youngest Buddy Up Tennis Athletes on the Future Stars ...
New Friends and Match Play for our Sarasota Athletes
High school junior, Nick Schwab volunteered for two weeks at Buddy Up Summer Camp 2018 in Sarasota and had so ...
Murfreesboro Coordinator Gives and Receives Via Buddy Up Tennis
On World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), Murfreesboro Coordinator Lori found a way to combine her passion for Buddy Up Tennis ...
Welcome to the Courts, Ryan!
Dallas Athlete Ryan Walsh (13) may be new to the courts, but he is not new to the sports arena! ...
Young Buddy, Huge Heart
Delaney made 25 personalized Easter Baskets and donated a portion of her sales to the Buddy Up Tennis 3.21 Fundraising ...
Cincinnati Buddy Kristina Bauer Creates Buddy Up Legacy at High School
Passionate about her Saturday morning experiences at Buddy Up Tennis Cincinnati, Kristina Bauer wanted to share her love of the ...
Athlete-Buddy Dynamic Duo Audrey and Carollyn Shine in Sharing Mission
The Lorain community of Athletes and Buddies is a tight knit one. Audrey and Carollyn, two of these strong Buddy ...
Swinging for a Cause: New Hampshire’s Gianluca Audia Organizes Buddy Up Charity Event
Gianluca Audia, 13, of Hanover, New Hampshire, has been volunteering in some capacity since the age of seven. This past ...
Inspiring Buddy Antonio Ramos Wins Disney Dreamers and Doers Award
Antonio Ramos captured many hearts and won the Disney Dreamers and Doers Award by delivering an inspiring and powerful speech ...
Orlando Co-Coordinator and Passionate Supporter Lori Loftis Awarded Advocate of the Year
Buddy Up Tennis Orlando Co-Coordinator, Lori Loftis and her family were awarded the Lynda Pollack Advocate of the Year Award ...
Sarasota Buddy Allison Davis Honored as Amazing Woman of the Suncoast
Allison Davis, from Sarasota Buddy Up Tennis and Lead Coordinator for Buddy Up Tennis, Inc., was recently named Amazing Woman ...
Akron Special Olympian, Advocate and Business Owner Todd Eisinger Honored With Prestigious Award
The Carlene Weaver Achievement Award, named after a Summit County advocate who was instrumental in the creation of the County ...