A newly relaunched tennis clinic at the Tucson Jewish Community Center is serving up more than forehands and volleys — it’s building social connection, confidence, and motor skills for children with autism.
The six-week “ACEing Autism” program, which began in October at the JCC on Tucson’s north side, pairs trained volunteers with young participants on the autism spectrum, offering expert-supported one-on-one guidance and a curriculum designed to adapt to individual needs.
“Our systems just haven’t been set up for people of different learning styles,” said Dr. Nell Maltman, Assistant Professor in the UA Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences. “All individuals with autism want to be involved, social, to be part of things. As long as we can set our systems to support them, everyone thrives.”
