BOCA RATON, FL, May 18, 2026 — May marks National Tennis Month, and South Florida-based nonprofit Love Serving Autism is highlighting how adaptive tennis programs are making tennis more accessible for neurodivergent individuals and people with autism spectrum disorder.
Founded in Palm Beach County, Love Serving Autism now operates 77 programs nationwide for individuals from age three through adulthood. The organization offers early intervention, youth, teen, and adult programming.
“National Tennis Month is really about that tennis is for everyone,” founder and CEO Lisa Pugliese-LaCroix said.
A certified speech-language therapist and former collegiate athlete, Pugliese-LaCroix founded Love Serving Autism in 2017, combining her background in tennis with her experience in speech-language therapy. The organization began as an after-school program at Palmer School for Autism in Lake Worth.
Pugliese-LaCroix began playing tennis at age five and later competed collegiately for both Duke University and the University of Florida. She said the idea for the program developed after observing children with autism demonstrate stronger expressive language, engagement, and social interaction on the tennis court than in traditional classroom settings.
“Some children were not speaking, and out on the court they were pointing more, using more gestures, and they were more engaged,” she said.
The organization combines tennis instruction with therapeutic strategies rooted in speech-language pathology and autism support. Programs focus on social skills, expressive language, turn-taking, communication through gestures and speech, emotional regulation, and engagement.
According to Pugliese-LaCroix, the repetitive and visual nature of tennis creates an engaging environment for social and communication growth.
“When you’re teaching tennis to someone with autism, that is being inclusive, regardless of their diagnosis or how they communicate,” Pugliese-LaCroix said.
To further support accessibility, Love Serving Autism uses adaptive equipment designed for participants with autism spectrum disorder. The equipment includes smaller racquets, visual targets, color-coded tennis balls, portable court setups, and structured progression systems.
One example is the red-dot ball, which Pugliese-LaCroix described as larger, pressureless, slower-moving, and easier to track than a traditional tennis ball. The ball is designed for beginners and adaptive play.
“Now that we have modified tennis balls and equipment that we can teach with that is for everyone, there’s really no reason not to try,” she said.
Beyond tennis, the organization also offers pickleball and padel programs aimed at supporting communication and life-skill development.
Programs are hosted through partnerships with schools, tennis facilities, gyms, community centers, and classrooms across South Florida and beyond. Coaches receive autism-specific training, and therapists are present on-site to support participants.
“We accommodate the child and do everything we can to make sure it’s a successful experience,” Pugliese-LaCroix said.
Love Serving Autism will host its fifth annual Match Point Gala in November at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton. Proceeds help fund scholarships and program expansion.
For more information or to make a donation, visit loveservingautism.org.
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