A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

Tennis program helps local youth with autism

By Judie Hurtado

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Left: Mae Cosentino and Lucy Oakes warming up; Middle: Participants practice eye-hand coordination; Right: Shreya Ramesh, Maddie LoPiccolo and Karenna work on racquet skills.

In the fall of 2021, when longtime Maplewood resident Sandy LoPiccolo first discovered ACEing Autism through family friends, she had no idea of the impact it would have on her family’s life and the lives of so many others.

ACEing Autism is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to help children with autism grow, develop and benefit from social connections and fitness through affordable tennis programming. The organization serves 5,000 children at more than 200 locations nationwide. Trained program directors and volunteers lead participants ages 5-21 through their curriculum in sessions of 6 to 8 weeks.

Up until a few years ago, playing tennis was almost a family affair for the LoPiccolos. Sandy had picked up the racket 12 years ago. Her husband Matt had grown up playing tennis. Their daughter, Ellie, now 20, was a former girls varsity tennis player and captain at Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Yet their youngest daughter, Maddie, now 17, who lives with autism, had only taken a handful of private lessons. It wasn’t until Maddie enrolled in New Jersey’s ACEing Autism’s inaugural program at Orange Lawn Tennis Club, when “suddenly the four of us were able to play tennis together, just like any other family,” says LoPiccolo, who now serves as program director and Parents Council member for ACEing Autism’s South Orange location.

In the fall of 2024, the program at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club was moved to Chatham, then the closest ACEing Autism chapter to SOMA. Matt and Sandy were inspired to bring the organization closer to home.

The LoPiccolo family: (L to R) Matt, Ellie, Maddie and Sandy

“In speaking with other SOMA parents of children with intellectual disabilities, there is a profound need for activities in the community where our kids can interact and then can see each other just walking in town,” says Matt. “Bringing ACEing back to SOMA was a logical next step.” Matt also serves as program director. They committed to making it happen, knowing they needed the community’s support.

Sandy used her skills and extensive experience in advocacy and work on non-profit boards. She connected with Matt Gray, director of recreation and cultural affairs at the Baird Center, to see whether she could run the program there and use the tennis courts. Sandy enlisted tennis professional and coach Yoofi Derby after a mutual friend spoke highly of him and his expertise in working with kids with disabilities. Derby had volunteered in the United Kingdom through the National Autistic Society and worked with students with disabilities on and off the court.

These ACEing Autism volunteers helped the program run smoothly

For Derby, who has more than two decades of experience in teaching tennis, serving as a program director for ACEing Autism has a personal touch. Derby’s older brother, Nana, was diagnosed with autism at a young age and is non-verbal. “Aside from my mother, I am my brother’s biggest advocate,” says Derby.

Maddie LoPiccolo (center) with high school volunteers.

Sandy reached out to Ty’Asia Bullock, director of the Division of Volunteer Efforts Service Learning at Seton Hall University, to discuss enlisting volunteers. “We are always seeking new opportunities to partner with local clubs, schools, organizations and institutions that share our mission of combating social injustice,” says Bullock. “It was not at all difficult to recruit volunteers. Once the opportunity was announced, there was an overwhelming response. We actually ended up having to cap volunteer slots,” says Bullock.

There were 23 volunteers, with the majority of them being high schoolers. Maplewood resident Shreya Ramesh, currently a sophomore at Montclair Kimberley Academy and a tennis player since the age of 4, enjoyed volunteering. “Seeing the delight on their faces when they find something they truly enjoy, whether related to tennis or not, makes me so proud to have been a compart of their journey,” says Ramesh.

Coach Yoofi Derby has taught tennis for more than two decades and serves as a program director for ACEing Autism.

Lucy Oakes, a senior at Columbia High School, who played for the girls’ varsity tennis team, was surprised at “the sheer amount of warmth and flexibility from all the head coaches and adults running the program. Everyone was so welcoming, and you can feel the passion they have for helping these kids when talking to them.”

The families who were involved with the program were very happy that ACEing Autism was available in their backyard. Katie Rumley is a mother of two whose family has lived in Maplewood for more than 20 years. She was passionate about finding a local community program for her son, Sean, 14. He attends an out-of-district school, like many families with children with autism. “We are so happy that Sean attends a wonderful school where he is so well supported in an environment where he can thrive, but it does make it difficult for him to feel socially connected to his SOMA peers,” says Rumley. “I was hopeful Sean would make friends, and he did!”

Beth Cosentino, whose 11-year-old daughter Mae is a 6th grader at Maplewood Middle School, feels “very lucky” that there’s a chapter here in SOMA. “The atmosphere that is created by the directors, the tennis pro and all of the volunteers is very positive. The focus is on connecting with the players where they are. It’s a very uplifting experience, not to mention a lot of fun,” says Cosentino.

Ty'Asia Bullock, director of the Division of Volunteer Efforts Service Learning at Seton Hall University, with Sandy LoPiccolo.

A South Orange mother of a child with autism, who prefers to remain anonymous, says, “Programs like ACEing Autism don’t just create access; they reshape how communities see inclusion – not as an exception, but as the standard. The program is incredibly well organized and thoughtfully run. There’s a strong sense of relationship between volunteers, participants, parents and coaches. The structure creates something that is not only fun but also highly connective, communicative and deeply community oriented.”

Overall, the results of ACEing Autism’s first season at the Baird Center this fall exceeded expectations. The program had 10 students in each age group with a waitlist. “It was an overwhelming sense of gratitude at how everyone came together to support us,” says Sandy.

Philip Milburn, president of ACEing Autism, is proud of the SOMA chapter. “Program leaders of terrific ACEing clinics bring their heart, mind, compassion and relaxed mindset to meet the individual needs of each child that steps on court. They know how to create a relaxed environment for fun, fitness and for kids to make new friends. I just described Sandy, Matt, their kids and Yoofi,” says Milburn.

Success shows on the smiling faces on the court. “I love ACEing Autism because the volunteers are really nice and I get to see my friends. It makes tennis really fun for me,” says Maddie LoPiccolo.

Registration for the spring 2026 series begins February 16. For more information, you can contact the ACEing Autism South Orange chapter at aceingautism.org/programs/south-orange-nj/ or email Sandy LoPiccolo at southorange-nj@aceingautism.org. Follow the program on Instagram@aceingautism_southorange.

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Judie Hurtado helps women manifest their desires through hypnosis, intuitive guidance, astrology readings and other spiritual tools. Growing up, she wanted to be a therapist and Judy Blume. Writing for Matters Magazine is a dream come true.