Meet Amy Terry of Tampa – St. Pete

Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a retired special eduction teacher and mother to a 30 year old neurodivergent son. When my son was young, it was difficult to find programs outside of school that were specifically designed for neurodivergent children, especially in sports. Once I was ready to retire from teaching, I knew I still wanted to make an impact with families who have a child on the spectrum. My passion for racquet sports lead me to Richard Spurling the founder of the nonprofit ACEing Autism. I instantly knew this was the organization I wanted to be a part of, and I became the Program Director for our program at the Racquet Club of St. Pete with the help from Peter Keber the GM of the club. As time went on, I also became the Florida Ambassador for ACEing Autism. ACEing Autism was founded in the summer of 2008 by Richard Spurling and Dr. Shafali Jesse in Boston, MA. In 2010, Dr. Shafali Jeste was recruited to the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment, a center that has been a leader in there field of autism research for decades. Over the years we have refined our curriculum, trained thousands of volunteers , and expanded into communities across the country. We meet kids where they are, we build confidence through movement and play, and we bring families together through the joy of sport. Our curriculum is built specifically for autistic kids. We use visual schedules, clear routines, and a very unique 1:1 volunteer ratio so every athlete is met right where they are. Volunteers and leaders are trained, the pace is flexible, and the environment is warm and welcoming. Kids feel understood, families connect, and nobody has to squeeze into a mold to participate . It is a National model that still feels personal and unique to each program.