ACEing Autism growing in Atlanta.
Former tennis pro and current program director, Sue Beatty-Hites will lead the fall ACEing Autism program this Saturday, Sept. 10 at Dekalb Tennis Center in Decatur. Sue and her team of trained volunteers provide specialized tennis clinics for children with autism Saturday mornings for a six-week program. This latest session is expected to include several new participants thanks to a highly successful free clinic held on Aug. 6 in partnership with this year’s BB&T Atlanta Open.
“Partnering with tour-level events provides tremendous exposure for ACEing Autism, generating interest among families affected by autism, and the volunteers that help us carry out our mission,” said ACEing Autism Marketing Director, Nils Weldy. “We are thankful for the opportunity to introduce ACEing Autism to families in the Atlanta community through such a unique experience at the BB&T Atlanta Open.”
The one-hour clinic starts with a warm-up jog around two courts, stretching exercises, hand-eye coordination drills, introduction of a tennis skill, group game and final cheer to celebrate the session.
“The beauty of tennis is that you need at least two people or four people to play. With ACEing Autism it’s the social interaction between the kids and volunteers that helps lead to friendships on and off the court,” said Beatty-Hites.
How and when:
Clinics for 5-10 year old children run from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and clinics for 11-16 year olds run from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Cost for the Sept. 10 to Oct. 15 program is $90. Deadline to register is Thursday, Sept. 8.
ACEing Autism was founded in Boston in 2008 by the husband and wife team of Richard Spurling, a tennis professional with an MBA in entrepreneurship, and Dr. Shafali Jeste, a pediatric neurologist practicing at Children’s Hospital Boston at the time. Visit www.ACEingAutism.org for more details.
