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On a Saturday morning at Oak Park High School, ZOOZ Fitness athletes and coaches gathered for something new — a collaborative, community-driven day of inclusive tennis with the athletes, volunteers, and founders of ACEing Autism. What followed was a morning full of movement, laughter, skill-building, and meaningful connection.

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“I played tennis before, but never here,” said AJ, a ZOOZ athlete. “It was so awesome and fun.”

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For some ZOOZ participants, this was their first experience picking up a racket or stepping onto a tennis court — and the welcoming environment created by ACEing Autism made the learning feel both accessible and exciting.

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About ACEing Autism

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Founded in 2008 by Richard Spurling and Dr. Shafali Jeste, ACEing Autism began as a family-run program in Boston. Their mission: to help children with autism grow, develop, and build meaningful social connections through affordable, adaptive tennis programming.

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What started as one small clinic has now expanded to over 220 locations across 35 states, each rooted in the belief that tennis is a sport for everyone.

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“Our curriculum has nine steps,” Richard explained. “It starts with warm-ups, then hand-eye coordination, racket skills, volleys, ground strokes, serves, and finally games. That flow gives structure — kids love knowing what comes next.”

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A Seamless Collaboration

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The day began with a warmup led by ZOOZ coaches, who energized the group with dynamic movements and stretches. From there, ACEing Autism coaches took over, teaching tennis fundamentals using clear demonstrations, and individualized support.

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After an hour of drills, high-fives, and growing confidence across the courts, ZOOZ coaches closed the session with a cool-down.

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Richard reflected on the significance of the partnership:

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“This collaboration fills an important void in the space of fitness and inclusion. Working alongside ZOOZ just makes sense — we’re aligned in helping athletes thrive.”

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For Jake Weiner, Founder of ZOOZ Fitness, the partnership was an easy yes.

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“Movement is so important, and any sport we can welcome our athletes into, I’m all in,” Jake said. “Once I met the founders of ACEing Autism and understood their mission, building this partnership became a natural transition.”

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The Impact on Families

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Watching from the sideline, Liza, mother of ZOOZ athlete AJ, smiled with pride as her son moved across the court with focus and joy.

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“I love that ZOOZ makes a conscious effort to connect with the community,” she said. “AJ loves ZOOZ classes during the week — he always wants to be there — but these weekend events are something special. Run Club, hiking, tennis… It's inspiring. You don’t realize the impact you have on our athletes and on us, the parents. The joy I feel watching him is amazing.”

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Looking Ahead

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By the end of the session, athletes were already asking when tennis would return. And according to both ZOOZ and ACEing Autism leadership, this collaboration is just the beginning.

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As ZOOZ and ACEing Autism athletes packed up their rackets and hugged their coaches goodbye, the message of the day was clear: when the community opens its doors, movement becomes a celebration — and everyone belongs on the court.

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