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About Special Pops

Special Populations Tennis Program (Special Pops) is a tax-exempt, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to "consistently provide a meaningful year-round tennis experience for children and adults with intellectual disabilities."

James D. Hamm (Jim), Executive Director

Founding member of Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Elected to Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Board of Directors in 2005. Recipient of the 2006 USTA - Southern Section Adaptive Tennis Community Service Award. Tennis Coach of Team USA – Southeast Region at the 2003 Special Olympics Summer World Games in Dublin, Ireland. Affiliate Member of Professional Tennis Registry. Certified Special Olympics Tennis Coach. Employed as Associate Field Inspector with Advanced Field Services. Current member of USTA. Current member of Special Olympics’ North America Tennis Development Committee. Recognition includes Tommy Nobis Foundation Philanthrohpy Award; Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities Vital Service Award; and Cobb County Volunteer of the Year.

Joan Marcinko, Director Special Events

Founding member of Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Elected to Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Board of Directors in 2005. ALTA Vice President Tournaments 2000 – 2001. Served as Coordinator ALTA Mixed Doubles and Thursday Ladies’ Leagues. Served as Director of ALTA Junior Challenge Ladder. Active Substitute Teacher Westminster Schools.

Vicki Bennett, Director Programs

Vicki Bennett, Director Fall Unified Tennis League

Founding member of Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Elected to Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Board of Directors in 2005. Director of Racquet Rally for ALTA Foundation from 1995 until 2005 serving over 600 mentally and physically disabled students in metro Atlanta. Active member of USTA since 1984. Certified Special Olympics Tennis Coach. Committee Member and Site Coordinator for ALTA Foundation Special Olympics Tennis Academy since 2003. Employed with Briggs & Associates since 2000 as Employment Specialist/Job Coach for Developmentally Disabled Adults.

Victoria Whipple (Tory), Director Volunteers

Elected to the Board of Special Pops in 2008. Unified Partner in Special Olympics Georgia State Summer Games in 2007. Co-chair Volunteers for Special Pops Fall Classic Tournament in 2007. Unified Partner and umpire for inaugural Special Pops Fall Classic tournament in 2006. Media Director for Atlanta Claycourt Challenger at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2006. Member of Board of Directors of Special Equestrians of Georgia Therapy Riding Program. Registered USTA member. Certified Special Olympics Tennis Coach.

Bill Cobb, Treasurer

Elected to the Board effective January 2008.

Bill Anderson, Director of Programs

Assistant Tennis Professional - Tournament Players Club @ Sugarloaf 2000-2002 and 2008 - present; Windward Lake Club - Head Tennis Professional/Co-Director Windward Academy 2002-2007; GPTA All Court Award Nominee 2001 & 2002; GPTA Head Pro of the Year Nominee 2004 & 2005; Served as Gwinnett County Special Olympics Tennis Academy Coach 2002; Assisted in ALTA Foundation Schools Program 2002; Assisted in ALTA Foundation Special Olympics Volunteer Training Seminars 2002; Racquet Rally Volunteer Coach 2002.

Jeanie Hamm, Secretary

Jeanie Hamm, Local Coordinator Special Olympics

Founding member of Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Elected to Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Board of Directors in 2005. Site Coordinator for ALTA Foundation Special Olympics Tennis Academy since 2002. ALTA Foundation Volunteer of the Year – 2003. Active member of USTA since 1990. Member USTA. Tennis Coach for Cobb County Special Olympics. Special Olympics Georgia Unified Partner in bowling and tennis.

Jerry Carbone, Director Marketing

Elected to Special Pops Board of Directors in June 2008. A diversified Advertising and Marketing executive with extensive experience in developing the Advertising, Marketing and communication programs of national ‘big box’ retailers. More than 20 years of managing all aspects of retail advertising and marketing including such clients as Office Depot, The Sports Authority, and The Home Depot's Expo Center. Currently employed at Wolfbone Marketing. Has served as a Board member for The Starting Place, a residential long-term treatment and outpatient facility specializing in drug rehab, alcoholism & substance abuse treatment for adolescents copping with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders. Recipient of the Carnegie Hero Award. Active league tennis player in the Atlanta community.

Wife Elynne is a health care business owner; son Kevin a state ranked tennis player; daughter Katrina a select soccer player.

Martha Pedrick, Director Fundraising and Grants

Volunteer instructor with ALTA Foundation Special Populations School Program and Racquet Rally Steering Committee, 1995-2005. Member of 2005 Special Olympics Georgia Summer Games Tennis Committee. Recipient of ALTA Foundation Women of Distinction Award, 2005. Senior Editorial Analyst, employed by CCH, Inc. Elected to Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc. Board of Directors in 2006.

Tiffany Grayson, Director Marketing

Elected to the Board of Directors in 2006. Member of the Special Olympics Georgia Summer Games Tennis Committee 2007-2008. Unified Partner for Summer Games 2007. Current member of USTA and ALTA. Owner of Coach Matt's Tennis & More, a speciality tennis retail store. Creator and Tournament Director of "Coach Matt's Charity Invitational" 2004-2008. Guest speaker for USPTA regional seminars in 2004-2005. Special guest emcee for the Atlanta Slam 2007-2008. Resident of Cumming, GA. Happily married (to Coach Matt) and have one precious daughter.

All skill levels, ranging from persons who have never played tennis to those who have competed at the state level and beyond, are invited to participate in a nurturing, yet competitive, tennis environment.

Just as the lifetime sport of tennis also benefits the traditional tennis population by building confidence and self esteem, and teaching good sportsmanship, Special Pops has found that those added benefits are even more important to the special population it serves.

We are a volunteer organization whose members' love of tennis is only exceeded by a desire to share the game and its life lessons with those who are not served by traditional tennis programs. Special Pops is an accredited Special Olympics' agency as well as being a registered Community Tennis Association (CTA).

Special Pops program offerings include tennis academies, coaches' clinics, league play, and tournament competition. Unified Doubles League play (special athlete and traditional athlete are partnered) is held in the fall season with over 100 athletes and partners. The 8- week tennis academies reaches over 250 athletes and volunteers in the spring at five tennis facilities in the metropolitan Atlanta area (Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton - 2 sites, and Gwinnett counties).

Participants in our spring tennis academies are eligible to participate in the Special Olympics State Summer Games. In June 2006, Special Pops had 63 unified athletes and partners compete in the Special Olympics Summer Games. Under the sponsorship of the ALTA Foundation, Special Pops ran the State Games tennis venue, recruited volunteers and officiated all on-court activities.