38: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 3838: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 38
UK Health Radio Podcast
Jessica Patay and Susanna Peace Lovell talk with ACEing Autism founder Richard Spurling about how adapted tennis programmes support autistic and neurodivergent children and their families. The conversation covers practical details on structure, volunteers, affordability and the wider community that forms around inclusive sport.
47:44•21 Oct 2026
ACEing Autism: How Tennis Creates Safe Spaces for Neurodivergent Kids
Episode Overview
- Adapted tennis can support autistic and neurodivergent children with coordination, fitness, social skills and confidence in a structured, fun setting.
- Consistent routines, visual schedules and keeping the same volunteer each week help children handle transitions and reduce anxiety.
- Programmes are designed to be affordable, with low fees and straightforward scholarships so cost is less of a barrier for families.
- Parents often build their own supportive micro-communities on the sidelines, sharing snacks, stories and practical support.
- Caregivers and local tennis enthusiasts, even without coaching backgrounds, can help start and sustain programmes in their own communities.
“You may think that a non-speaking person cannot understand you, which is not the case… there is a way to connect with everyone.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? Here, the focus shifts to parents raising autistic and neurodivergent children, and how one simple idea turned into a nationwide lifeline. Brave Together Podcast brings together host duo Jessica Patay and Susanna Peace Lovell with guest Richard Spurling, founder of ACEing Autism, for a warm, practical and often funny chat about tennis, autism and community.
Richard shares how a career in tennis and a connection to autism research sparked the question, “What if tennis could be adapted so that every child had the opportunity to connect with the sport?” From five children on a single court in Massachusetts to 245 programmes across 37 US states, he talks through how ACEing Autism now pairs each child with at least one volunteer, creating safe, structured sessions that support motor skills, body awareness and social connection.
You’ll hear how the programme breaks tennis into nine repeatable steps, why visual schedules matter, and how small tweaks – like changing balls or adjusting where a child stands – can turn overwhelm into success. Richard’s comment, “You may think that a non-speaking person cannot understand you, which is not the case… there is a way to connect with everyone,” captures the heart of the conversation.
Jessica and Susanna keep things grounded in real life, asking what this looks like for anxious parents, families on tight budgets, and young adults who age out of services. They cover scholarships, waitlists, volunteer recruitment and even retired women in their 60s and 70s who now spend their Saturdays on court with autistic kids.
If you’re a caregiving parent craving both activity for your child and a sense of shared understanding on the sidelines, this honest, practical chat might give you ideas, hope and maybe even a nudge to dust off a racket—so what kind of safe, joyful space could sport become for your family?
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