Wheelchair Tennis

Phong is married with two boys who keep them busy through their sports days at Mission Viejo High School. His wife, Leslie, is a teacher at San Juan Elementary and he works as a property underwriter for Liberty Mutual.

Outside of work, Phong is big on adaptive sports. He  is a volunteer with The Achievers (a local Move United chapter, (theachievers.org).  In 2026, Phong got hooked on adaptive mountain biking—including awesome trips riding with the National Ability Center group in Park City, Utah, and twice up at Mammoth with Access Mammoth.

Phong’s history with adaptive sports goes way back: he first learned tennis in junior high when wheelchair tennis was taking off, and had the privilege of meeting founders Brad Parks and Randy Snow.  “If I only had kept playing after middle school….well, it’s not too late:-) “

Zack is one of T3’s original players dating back to spring 2022. He began playing at age 9 with Dee Henry and joined T3 Wheelchair Tennis 4+ years ago. He was able to play early thanks to the donated chair from the Carpool Tennis Moms! Originally a basketball player, Zack prefers tennis because he gets to go out and do his own thing, but enjoys the community and his teammates. Zack is nationally ranked No. 14 in the USTA Coed 18 & Under B Division. He has played in 5 tournaments over the last 3 years and most recently stepped up his game by working extremely hard to serve overhand from the baseline. Zack loves building and racing his RC “radio- controlled” car named “Hoonigan”. He also loves working with chemistry sets – he hasn’t blown the house up yet. He is also a “gamer” – his go to video games are Roblox and Minecraft.

Two years ago, Zack, his dad, and church members took 100+ wheelchairs and distributed them to deserving people in Egypt.

In addition to tournaments, Zack is probably our most traveled and experienced “camper”. He attends all sports camps, church camps, and tennis “All Comers Camps” that the family can fit into their schedule.

Rarely does Zack fail to amuse coaches, teammates, and volunteers. He is very bright, intelligent, and not afraid to speak his mind. Zack is our # 1 leader at the end of our tennis sessions. After group talk and prayers, he has been leading our team cheer since April 13, 2022. (little guy in black under Sam’s arm)

When Zack’s parents travel to Indian Wells, Sacramento, San Diego, and other venues for USTA All Comers Camps, Zack is usually the youngest player by far, surrounded by adults. “As coaches, we are very proud of his courage, effort, and drive to improve.”

Micah has been playing wheelchair tennis since he was THREE years old. Starting at an early age and learning great fundamentals from Coach Dee Henry of Biola University, Micah has climbed regional and national USTA rankings in both the youth and adult divisions, as well. He is currently ranked nationally #5 in USTA Junior “A” and #3 in USTA Adult “B”. And #4 Adult “B” Doubles with T3 team partner Sherif El Sharabasy.

One of the contributing factors to Micah’s development is his double-duty playing basketball since the age of 8 with the Rancho Los Amigos youth team from Downey. Wheelchair basketball is a great crossover sport for tennis, amazingly improving mobility and court coverage.

Micah can easily compete with the top juniors, but high rankings depend on the number of wins at USTA-sanctioned tournaments, many of which are played in the deep south and eastern states. The Velte family is planning on taking Micah to the National Campus in Florida in September to play in the Junior Nationals for the first time. He should perform well.

Liam has been playing wheelchair tennis for the past three years and continues to achieve impressive success on the court. He is currently ranked No. 13 nationally in Junior B’s, No. 4 in the Southern California Section, and No. 3 in our local district.

Liam will be a senior next year at Aliso Niguel High School and plans to compete on the boys’ tennis team next spring alongside fellow T3 junior, John H. Together, they will become the first tandem wheelchair tennis team to compete on the same high school tennis team in Orange County history. One of the most exciting parts of this milestone is that these matches will take place at local high schools, allowing many of YOU donors/supporters to come out and cheer them on in person.

Liam will be taking five AP classes next year at ANHS, with a strong passion for math and science. He hopes to attend UC Berkeley or the University of British Columbia, where he plans to major in civil engineering with a focus on transportation. His long-term goal is to become an urban or transportation planner. Liam is also an active volunteer, especially through the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Teen Council.

As an only child, Liam has a multicultural background—his mom is from Montana, and his dad is from India, a country he has visited twice to visit his grandparents. Outside the classroom, Liam enjoys tennis, playing “City Skylines,” personal transit planning projects, watching Star Trek, horseback riding, polo, and playing the piano.

John is one of T3’s original players when we first started on Wednesday evenings in 2022. We got him fitted into one of the generously donated Top End chairs we received that winter, and he has never looked back.

At present, John is ranked No. 2 in the USTA Coed 18 & Under B Division and No. 14 in the USTA Coed 18 & Under A Division. He also competes at the USTA Adult B & C divisions. These accomplishments motivate him to continue training, competing, and pursuing opportunities to reach even higher levels of competition.

“For the past four years, I have been an active wheelchair tennis player with T3 Tennis, where I discovered my passion for the sport. Since beginning my journey, I have competed in sanctioned tournaments through the United States Tennis Association (USTA), consistently working to improve my skills and achieve new milestones.”

John, along with his brother Matthew and parents, is one of the “most traveled” amongst our junior players. In addition to many trips to Indian Wells and the Barnes Tennis Center for tournaments and camps, John has played in the Arizona Open in Tucson 3 years in a row, the Cajun Classic in Baton Rouge 3 years, and the USTA Junior Nationals 2 years, with hopes of qualifying again this year, going to the National Campus in Orlando.

Beyond athletics, John is committed to academic excellence. “I strive to have discipline, perseverance, resilience, and high achievement in my academic career.” Outside of tennis and academics, John enjoys reading and spending quality time with his family and friends. Looking ahead, he aspires to continue developing as a wheelchair tennis player with T3 Tennis while maintaining high academic achievement.

“We have no doubt John will continue creating meaningful experiences, building lasting relationships, and embracing opportunities for growth both on and off the court. What we love about John is his genuine kindness towards teammates (and opponents!) on and off the court….Try finding a picture of him without that big smile – you can’t.”

In 2001, less than two years after competing in the lightweight doubles at the 2000 Olympic Trials, former MIT rower Ron Harvey ’93 was in a bicycle accident. He suffered broken ribs and a broken back, and was paralyzed from the waist down. Yet three months later, he resumed competitive rowing and hasn’t stopped.

Ron took fifth place in adaptive single sculls at the 2008 Games – the first year rowing was included in the Paralympics.  Harvey qualified and rowed in the 2012 Paralympics in London, and continued through the 2016 Brazil games.  He is still active in coed teams rowing and as a Paralympic rowing coach.  Ron has a student in the LA ’28 games; rowing will be held in Long Beach, practically in his backyard.

Ron joined the T3 Wheelchair Tennis family in 2025 and is nationally ranked in USTA Adult / Coed B’s.  He drives down from South Bay (West Las Angeles) to workout with our juniors and other adults on Saturday afternoons.  We are honored to have this storied athlete and individual as a role model for our other students, especially the younger ones.

Amelia Hartley is a lifelong athlete who has competed in a variety of sports. She grew up playing competitive soccer at a high level but turned to wheelchair sports as an outlet for her love of sports and competition when she could no longer participate in able-bodied sports due to her disability. After initially trying wheelchair basketball, she discovered tennis and enjoys the combination of competition, strategy, and community that comes with the sport. She also appreciates being able to play wheelchair tennis alongside able-bodied players, which has made it easier to find opportunities to play while moving around the country with her husband, Ben, who serves in the Marine Corps.

Outside of tennis, Amelia is a data analyst for the Center of Health Empowerment & Learning at Purdue University, where she supports data and evaluation for community-engaged public health projects in rural Indiana. She is also in the third year of her Ph.D. in public health at Purdue, where she researches child maltreatment prevention and intervention for children with disabilities. Beyond her research and professional work, Amelia advocates for rare disease policy at both the federal and state levels and played a central role in advancing legislation that established Indiana’s Rare Disease Advisory Council.

Each year, Amelia is involved with Skills on Wheels, a program run by the Indiana University School of Physical & Occupational Therapy in partnership with Riley Children’s Hospital. Through the program, she teaches children who use wheelchairs skills such as wheelies, navigating curbs and obstacles, transfers, and other essential wheelchair skills.

When she’s not working or playing tennis, Amelia can usually be found spending time with family and friends, baking, or enjoying the outdoors. She enjoys staying active, trying new sports, and being part of the different communities that come with them.

Aerin literally showed up at the end of our annual junior tournament but was able to participate in the first official testing of Neil Johnson’s SSV wheelchair program.
Aerin has a degree in Public Health and founded a non-profit to help underinsured members in the greater Los Angeles community. Aerin is having fun in her new “Performax” chair – trying a bunch of adaptive sports: she loves basketball, rock climbing, sled hockey, and is getting used to tennis.

Sherif El Sharabasy burst onto the USTA scene in February 2025 at the Arizona Open – his very first tournament – after only two months of practice, and he hasn’t slowed down since. In just a short time, he’s rocketed up the rankings, moving from the Adult D division to the C’s, and now holding an impressive #24 national ranking in B Division singles and #6 in doubles alongside his “go‐to partner,” Micah V.

Two qualities fuel Sherif’s rapid rise: his mobility and his drive. As a high‐level sled hockey player for the LA Kings and a star flag football athlete for the LA Chargers, Sherif brings elite speed and agility to the court. Pair that with his relentless work ethic—often arriving an hour early to hit on the ball machine and sharpen his serve—and it’s no
surprise he’s climbing the ladder so quickly.

Sherif is also the kind of person who makes every environment better. He knows “no strangers” and represents our sport with genuine warmth and enthusiasm. He builds friendships effortlessly, and you can see him pictured below with three of the top players in the world: Alfie Hewett, Diede de Groot, and Tokita Oda

Despite his competitive fire, Sherif is unfailingly positive and encouraging with all our T3 players, regardless of age or ability. He lifts others up, sets a high standard, and contributes enormously to our team culture and community spirit.

And he’s just getting started. Sherif has set bold goals: breaking into the top 10 of the B Division by the end of 2026, earning a strong A‐Division ranking by mid‐2027, and\ competing at a high level in the Open Division ahead of the 2028 Paralympics. We’re excited to watch his journey unfold. Best of luck to Sherif—though with his talent and determination, he may not need much luck at all.