The Aceing Autism programme at the Westway Sports Centre won the Middlesex Tennis Disability Tennis Award.  Through partnership working with the LTA, Middlesex Tennis, and a local school ACEing Autism offers high quality, affordable provision for young autistic people.  

The level of customer service is high with the coaches delivering quality sessions with the needs of the players at the forefront of their thinking.
The sessions have a high coach to player ratio with support from teachers & support workers.  The coaches work closely with the teachers to develop an understanding of the needs of the players to ensure that the sessions are appropriate & inclusive.

The lead coach, Matt Trytell, has developed a great understanding of delivering tennis to autistic people and is always exploring ways to improve.

Tennis specific resources (picture cards) have been developed to aid in communication with players increasing the accessibility of the sessions as some of the players are non verbal.  A range of equipment is available to ensure success/enjoyment by the players. Throw down lines are used creatively to help communicate the movement of players whilst playing and moving from one activity to another (e.g. directional arrows) The coaches, through getting to know the players, use language that the players can relate to e.g. their favourite colour or superhero.  Appropriate exercises/drills are used to stimulate or calm the players as appropriate (e.g. breathing exercises).

For more information on autism: https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asd.aspx

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