As spring approaches, the non-profit organization ACEing Autism begins their preparation for 2025. ACEing Autism is a program dedicated to helping children with autism improve their fitness through affordable tennis programming.
According to the nonprofit’s website,“ACEing Autism aims to be the preeminent thought leader on how tennis and sport develops children with autism spectrum disorder by reaching 50% of the 1M+ families in the autism community.”
In the summer of 2008, ACEing Autism was founded by Richard Spurling and Dr. Shafali Jeste in Boston, Massachusetts as a family-run organization. They launched their first program at the Longfellow Club in Weymouth, Massachusetts and in the spring of 2009, they added a second location at the Weymouth Club in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Spurling then began to dedicate his career to the expansion of ACEing Autism with the realization that he wanted to commit to helping children and their families.
ACEing Autism currently serves over 3,400 children with autism across 126 locations nationwide, one of them being Oak Park High School. Sophomore Natalie Ng has dedicated her time to establishing a location here at OPHS.
“I established ACEing Autism at OPHS because I have a passion for helping others. I have been playing tennis for many years and began working with children with disabilities at the age of 7,” Ng said. “Combining my love for tennis and my commitment to supporting individuals with special needs, I saw ACEing Autism as the perfect opportunity to give back to the community in a meaningful way.”
In the fall of 2024, Ng organized a recruitment of volunteers from all over the area to teach children with autism how to play tennis. Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., players and coaches come together to play tennis. This includes teaching tennis skills like the forehand, backhand, volley and serve, as well as bonding through fun games like “Red Light, Green Light,” freeze tag and more.
“At ACEing Autism, our nonprofit strives to help children with autism grow, develop and thrive through social connections and fitness. Our affordable tennis programs are designed to meet each child’s unique needs, providing an inclusive and supportive environment,” Ng said.
OPHS girls and boys tennis teams have contributed a lot to the development of this program. Their dedication has helped the program run smoothly and has set a great example of leadership for the younger players to follow.
Between March and April of 2025, ACEing Autism is currently looking for volunteers and inviting all children with special needs to join the program.
“We are proud to fill a national space for this growing and underserved population, ensuring that every participant can benefit from the physical, emotional and social aspects of the sport,” Ng said. “We also welcome volunteers looking to earn community service hours while making a positive impact. This is a wonderful opportunity to help children with autism build confidence, friendships and skills both on and off the court.”
