Buddy Up for Life serves individuals with Down Syndrome by providing a fun, active, and supportive environment for them to grow both physically and personally by engaging in activities that impact athletic, social, and emotional development. Buddy Up for Life strives to impact lives by cultivating increased independence, promoting greater health and wellness, and fostering meaningful friendships for all individuals with Down Syndrome. Their services include Tennis, Fitness, Summer Camp, Life Skills, Connections, and Virtual programs. 

The Buddy Up Tennis program is a weekly high-energy adaptive tennis and fitness program for children and adults with Down Syndrome ages 5+. They enable athletes to flourish, succeed, and reach their fullest potential by providing a unique environment that combines tennis, fitness, and social activities through our weekly 90-minute clinics consisting of 30 minutes of fitness conditioning and 60 minutes of professional tennis instruction.

Their programs are designed to embrace the physical and emotional challenges that individuals with Down Syndrome face, so our athletes can learn, grow, and reach their fullest potential. Individuals with Down Syndrome can experience physical and psychological health complications such as increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, low muscle-tone, looseness of ligaments, and decreased core strength, atypical development of motor skills, high susceptibility to depression and anxiety, social withdrawal, and challenges in behavioral activity. Buddy Up Tennis was created with these risks in mind.

Athletes are partnered with volunteer Buddies to provide support, develop friendships, and reinforce the Coaches’ instructions. Coaches are trained to implement the tennis curriculum specifically created for athletes with Down syndrome.

Buddy Up For Life!/Buddy Up Tennis!

2311 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 46240