Our mission is to improve the physical, emotional and social well-being of children facing financial or developmental disabilities by engaging them in learning the game of tennis. We conduct regularly scheduled classes providing instruction, and all equipment free of charge. During our first two years. we focused on financially disadvantaged youth. We have now expanded our vision to include childr
en disadvantaged by developmental disabilities (mainly Autism and Down Syndrome). The ParticipACTION Canada "Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth" assigned our kids a grade of D minus. For the third year in a row! They indicate that only 9% of kids get the daily physical activity they require. The reduced emphasis on physical education in schools, along with fewer trained P.E. teachers, leads many children to withdraw from physical activity and turn to more inactive choices during their leisure time. A recent study shows that kids are spending an average of 7.4 hours per day on their cell phones, computers, game consoles and televisions. The impact on their health is substantial. It has been predicted that kids today, for the first time ever, may have a shorter life span than their parents. Childhood obesity is becoming epidemic. The resulting rise in diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease is dramatic. The consequences for our already over-burdened healthcare system are alarming. KATS is committed to improving this situation by addressing two important impediments to change: the financial barriers faced by many families and the developmental disabilities that limit physical activity faced by others.
