Tennis on Wheels Means Fast Friends for Aliso Viejo Teen

Reo Kobayashi loves tennis. And he's not letting a wheelchair keep him from doing what he loves.

The 14-year-old recently graduated from Don Juan Avila Middle School. He's spending part of his summer vacation in Mission Viejo with 31 other teens at wheelchair tennis camp.

The campers enjoy volunteer instruction from big names in the sport, like three-time Olympic gold medalist David Wagner.

But while Kobayashi glows as he talks about his coaches, that's not what brings him to camp for the fourth time this year, he said.

What Kobayashi loves most of all are the "worldly friendships" he's developed between other players, this year hailing from six different countries and 10 different states.

"I think it's a good way to learn about other countries," he said. "I look forward to this all year.

"I laughed so hard," he says of his time with friends. "My goodness, they're hilarious."

The camp is a big part of Kobayashi's social calendar, he said. And by attending, he's picked up tips and tricks he'd never learn elsewhere.

"You watch how they interact, you watch how they watch the ball," he said of other players. "They do a lot of interesting and beautiful things."

Kobayashi, who was born in Japan, currently lives in the City Lights apartments. He's lived in Orange County since he was 6. He said he'll probably move to Los Angeles next year and he doesn't know where his high school years will be spent. But he said he looks forward to attending the Mission Viejo tennis camp year after year.