Splash Into Summer Tennis

Beaufort, SC --- Supporting Special Olympics in Beaufort County has turned into a longstanding tradition for residents at Dataw Island. For 14 years, a handful of the Island’s residents and local supporters have sponsored Northern Beaufort County Special Olympics Tennis.

Dataw Island and the Splash Tennis Tournament partner with Soar Special Recreation -- a nonprofit organization providing activities and recreation for special needs children and adults throughout the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Soar works to give a ‘voice’ to special needs athletes.

"This group of people doesn't have their own voice, and we want them to be treated like everyone else," said Kathy Cramer, Soar Program Director and a retired special education teacher in the local school system for 33 years. "We need to help people understand who these people are so they can be included.”

In support of Soar Special Recreation in 2015, Dataw Island turned the Dataw Splash, an annual USTA Tennis Tournament, into a fundraiser for Special Olympics and has raised $6500 for Soar to date. This year, Dataw Island plans to do it again with the 2018 Dataw Splash Tournament June 22-24, as more than 100 tennis players from throughout the region converse upon Dataw’s eight courts to battle it out in “Splash!”

The Dataw Splash is a United States Tennis Association (USTA) level three tournament, sanctioned by the Southern South Carolina region of the United States Tennis Association. It will be held at the Dataw Island Tennis Center overlooking the scenic marshes of Jenkins Creek. Anyone who is a USTA member in the U.S. is welcome to play in this tournament.

“We love hosting this tournament,” said Warren Florence, Director of Tennis. “The Splash is an event we enjoy putting together, as it draws fun competition from a tri-state area. Many of the players and spectators know that it supports a great cause, which makes all the effort worthwhile.”

Florence went on to say that Dataw Island is grateful to all the volunteers, community support and sponsors, without whom the event would not be possible.

2018 Dataw Splash is presented by South State Bank and the Dataw Island Club.

Platinum sponsors are Foolish Frog, Grayco, and Lowcountry Real Estate.

Gold Sponsors are BB&T Carswell, Piace Pizza, Q on the Bay, Southern Tree Services, Spectrum Graphic Arts Center, and US Foods, Gilbert Law,

Silver Sponsors are Carolina Sportscare, FarmCity Flowers, Red Cap, Sweetgrass Restaurant and Bar, and Verity Investment Partners.

Bronze sponsors are Dataw Island Tennis Association, Wilson, and Gamma.

If you would like to become a sponsor of the Dataw Splash please contact Dataw Island at (843) 838 8416 or sign up online to register to play:

Click here to register online: http://bit.ly/2pUP9eU
USTA number: 700070918
Players must register by Sunday, June 17th, 2018