(IL) Chicago - West Loop

Our volunteers are eager to help foster a safe community for everyone. Through a 1 on 1 pairing system each student will get a personalized coaching curriculum to support individual needs. Our goals are to help each child develop social and motor skills through tennis.

Nicole Glick: Hi everyone! I'm a first year med student at Rush Medical College from San Diego, CA. I've been involved with ACEing Autism since high school, later in launching a program in Santa Barbara, and now I'm excited to reach even more amazing children here in Chicago. Watching kids grow in confidence and skill on and off the court is truly one of the most rewards parts of my week. The lessons they learn through ACEing touch nearly every part of life and I enjoy seeing them blossom!

Rachel Josen:

Hannah Chou:

Jordaan Boxer: Hi All! Like the rest of leadership, I am a first year med student at Rush Medical College. I am from the Chicago suburbs and I have had the privilege of working with individuals with disabilities for many years through Special Olympics. I am excited to launch this program to foster an inclusive environment for Chicago children on and off the court. See you on the court!

Dawid Hordejuk:

Trained Program Directors and volunteers lead participants through our curriculum. At the very heart, tennis is a social game that furnishes a natural opportunity to develop and reinforce skills that many children on the spectrum find a struggle: turn-taking, focus and attending, motor planning, fine and gross motor skills, and more. Our Program Directors meet athletes where they are at and progress through our curriculum at their own pace.  

We offer weekly tennis clinics for children with autism between the ages of 5 and 18. Our clinics run for one hour, with sessions running for six to eight weeks at a time. Volunteers are paired up with a participant, hopefully for the duration of the session. The children in our program do not need prior tennis knowledge as our curriculum & volunteers support each child’s individual abilities and needs!