Charlottesville, Va., develops specialized tennis program for kids with autism

From The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Va.:

Anyone who interacts with Matilda Blue would tell you she’s quite a character.

She’s Rastafarian and friends with Little Debbie, of the snack cake variety. She gets Eskimo Pies mailed to her on a regular basis.

And she’s a fierce tennis player. Despite her titanium leg.

Matilda is indeed a character, a fictional figure developed by resident Chris Cubbage (pictured) to teach tennis to children. She is also the star of the Matilda Blue Adaptive Tennis Program, designed to teach tennis to autistic children while also involving their families.

“It’s my goal to get these kids out,” said Cubbage, who worked for Charlottesville’s Department of Parks and Recreation for four years and has played tennis since he was 8 years old.

Though Cubbage started the adaptive program years ago in Charleston, S.C., this year is the first time it will be done in Charlottesville. The first class will be held Saturday as a part of the city’s recreational programs and will extend through Oct. 16.

The adaptive tennis program is designed to encourage physical activity among autistic children and the development of other traits, such as self-esteem, focus and social interaction with others. Cubbage has trained more than 150 autistic children and their families.

Cubbage’s stepson, 11-year-old Nicolas, is autistic. Having first-hand experience in dealing with the difficulties of the developmental disability, he said he has seen how autistic children have sensory and social issues, which in his experience tends to lead to physical inactivity.

“They tend to draw into very familiar settings,” he said.

Nicolas was diagnosed as having autism when he was 3.

Involving parents, even siblings, also teaches them how to physically interact with their children. Cubbage said Matilda is all about family — some of the children understand her and others don’t, but he still uses the character to teach some sort of lesson at the end of the day.

“Because she has a disability, I’ve used her as the name of the program,” he said.

Charlottesville has an extensive therapeutic recreation program for those with physical or mental disabilities, with an entire staff solely devoted in the city to working with those programs.

“We’ve been dealing with the therapeutic population for about 30 years,” said Bernie Garrison, a recreation supervisor for the city whose main focus is athletics.

“I’m always open to new programs,” he added.

Cubbage said his adaptive tennis program involves lots of running and skipping, and there are always rackets and balls in use. The children focus on motor skills, hand-eye coordination and directional abilities.

Cubbage said some children, based on his past experience, won’t be able to track the tennis balls or hold the racket.

“A lot of it is sight and direction and colors and feel, stuff like that,” Cubbage said.

Outside of schools, autistic children often find little support in improving their “leisure skills,” said Rorie Hutter, director of education at the Virginia Institute of Autism. Hutter agreed that it is particularly challenging with autistic children to try novel things, so having the family around — as in the case of the adaptive tennis program — means the child might be more comfortable and more receptive to the activity.

“I was very excited to hear that it involved the whole family and to hear about the success it had in other places,” she said of Matilda Blue. “Our families are often looking for activities to do with their children outside of school.”

The institute will have 26 students enrolled this month, Hutter said. While she said Charlottesville’s therapeutic recreation program is extensive, “I have not seen a whole lot of options specifically for children with autism.”

Enter Matilda Blue.