Physician Advisor

I am a professor of family medicine at UCSD School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Hospital. I have a personal interest and experience with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I was the PI for the pilot study called the Autism Sports Project, which demonstrates improvements in social and communication skills on children with ASD.

I am thrilled to help lead a new team to further evaluate the potential health benefits of team sports for children with ASD. I hope our wonderful research team will be able to confirm the amazing results of our pilot study and open up a new avenue of supportive treatment.

Physician Advisor

I am a faculty physician at Family Health Centers of San Diego’s community based family medicine residency program. I am passionate about exercise, nutrition and behavioral approaches to care and am excited to be part of this Autism Sports Project!

Program Coordinator

Hello! My name is Rachael, and I’m currently an undergraduate student at UC San Diego majoring in Clinical Psychology. I’ve been a volunteer with Every Child Plays since January 2024. I love witnessing the growth in each player—not just in their athletic abilities, but also in their confidence, social skills, and overall well-being. I’m grateful to be part of an organization that makes such a meaningful impact on neurodiverse children’s daily lives.

2025-2026 Research Lead

A Human Development major going into her fourth year at UCSD—on the premed track as well as the women’s soccer team. ECP research head and practice coordinator.

“I love coaching and have a passion for the way sports can bring people together. Hearing the players’ success stories in school and social settings is the best part of the experience.”

Recruitment Lead

Hi my name is Seoin and I am a third-year molecular cell biology major at UCSD! I first joined this program back when I was a first-year. I love working with kids and all the coaches in the program and I wish to continue doing what I can do to contribute to this program!

Family Outreach Lead

Hi, my name is Annie! I'm a fourth year Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience major at UCSD with dreams of becoming a pediatrician. I love being involved with Every Child Plays because it is heartwarming to see small breakthroughs in the players add up overtime.

Coaching Team Lead

Hi! My name is Caitlin Wilson, and I'm a senior studying Human Biology at UCSD. I love being part of ECP to help kids develop motor skills and be more active by playing sports. I play soccer myself as part of UCSD's women's team, and getting to help teach soccer as part of the program is a joy and passion of mine. Seeing the growth from the kids week-to-week, not only soccer-wise but interpersonalally - building friendships and having fun together is my favorite part. 

2022-2023 Program Coordinator

2025 Richard & Anne Kruse Leadership Award

My name is Mayte, I am an undergraduate student at UCSD majoring in Human Biology and Human Development. A future goal of mine is to attend medical school in order to continue research as well as to provide care for the community. A fun fact about me is that I played soccer for more than ten years of my life and has become a huge part of who I am, leading me to become a soccer coach. I joined ASP because it provides the opportunity to combine my passions of sports, medicine, and contributing to my community!

Hey everyone! My name is Dhara, and I’m a recent graduate from UC San Diego. I’ve been a volunteer coach with Autism Sports Project for over two years now, and it’s been such a meaningful part of my college experience. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the children not only build their sports skills, but also form real connections with each other, make friends they can hang out with outside of practice, and learn about teamwork and how to handle challenges like losing. I’m so excited to see how this program continues to grow and what new communities we’ll be able to reach!

Hello! My name is Harshitha and I'm a third-year undergraduate at UCSD, majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. I joined ECP in my second year, and I've since been volunteering as a coach at Sunday practices. I admire ECP's focus on collaborative growth, offering families and coaches the tools to build a supportive, uplifting environment that encourages productive communication and inclusivity. Mentoring our young players has been a fulfilling experience and as much a learning opportunity for me as for the children I've helped coach. I look forward to seeing the ECP community grow!

I am an MD graduate from AUIS, and for as long as I can remember, basketball has been a central part of my life. This deep connection to sports naturally led me to discover and embrace sports medicine as my calling. There's something incredibly rewarding about contributing to a community and being able to give back in tangible ways. That's why I am so thrilled to be a part of ASP. This organization offers an incredibly unique and inspiring platform that allows me to combine my passion for sports and my medical training to make a positive and lasting difference for the communities we serve.

Hi! I’m Coach Dru! I help coach for Every Child Plays and am involved in our research side of the project where we assess how well our program does at improving our players social and physical development. For my day job I work as a family medicine resident physician at Kaiser Permanente. I plan on practicing as a general practitioner and pediatric sports medicine doctor. I got involved with Every Child Plays/Autism Sports Project given my interests in medicine and sports. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time coaching and am excited to continue working with our veteran players and to welcome new players and families!

Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT

Undergrad: University of Portland…Go Pilots!

Medical School: The Ohio State University…Go Bucks!

Hello! My name is Luca and I'm a high school coach who's part of the graduating class of 2026. I go to Canyon Crest Academy High School and run both Cross Country and Track and Field, and my love for sports combined with my passion for working with children has led me to be part of this great program since the spring of 2024. I have never left an Every Child Plays practice unhappy or disappointed; working with these kids always makes my day. I love learning about the nuances of each individual and helping them grow athletically, socially, and emotionally, and the progress these kids make over time is inspiring to say the least.

Hello! My name is Saanvi, and I’m currently a junior in high school. I’ve been a volunteer coach with the Autism Sports Project for a year now, and it has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had. I have loved getting to know each player and watching them grow, not just in their athletic skills but also in their confidence, communication, and ability to connect with others. It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of a supportive, inclusive environment where every child feels seen and celebrated. I’m excited to keep learning and growing alongside this amazing community!

Hi! I’m an undergrad student at UCSD majoring in Human Developmental Sciences. I am passionate about being a part of and supporting the communities around me. As a member of the ASP program, it has been rewarding being able to build connections with players and their families, and seeing their growth over time.

My name is Zach and I’m a third year human biology major here at UCSD. I grew up playing sports, and I trace many of my best childhood memories back to youth sports. I believe every child should have the opportunity to experience the sportsmanship and camaraderie of team sports, no matter their ability level. I got involved in ASP because this project aims to achieve that same goal.

I am a second year undergraduate student at UCSD with a major in Human Biology and minor in Marine Sciences. I love the outdoors and hope to pursue a career in healthcare.

I am a recent graduate of UC San Diego and current medical student at UNC, with concentrations in Biology and Global Health. As a researcher and former soccer player, I served as Founder and Program Coordinator for this research effort, and I was honored to work with such an experienced and multifaceted team. My ultimate future aspiration is to become a physician who practices academic medicine with a focus on creating community-based health equity programs like 'Every Player Plays', that aim to increase health resource access and awareness for underrepresented populations.

Hey everyone! My name is Akash, I’m a 2nd year pediatric resident at UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital. As someone who has a special interest in both developmental behavioral pediatrics as well as sports medicine, I am so excited to be involved with the Autism Sports Project! This is an amazing opportunity to help foster healthy social interactions between kids with autism spectrum and neurotypical kids in the community, and has the potential to be so beneficial for all involved.

I am a family medicine resident at UCSD. I have a strong interest in pursuing sports medicine. I am always looking for ways to get involved with the community. I have previous experience as an ABA therapist and it brought me great joy in seeing the progression of the children that I worked with. I strongly believe that playing team sports is an excellent way for children with ASD to improve social, behavioral, and motor skills. I am excited to be a part of this team and exploring the connections between development of children with ASD and team sports.

I am originally from the Midwest and trained in Texas prior to starting sports medicine fellowship at UCSD. My interests in medicine were sparked by my passion for helping others attain wellness. Outside of medicine, I enjoy volunteering at community events and staying active, whether playing hockey, running, hiking, cycling, paddle-boarding, kayaking, or mountain biking. I joined ASP because I am passionate about the positive impact physical activity and sports can have on youth.

I am currently a second-year medical student at UC San Diego School of Medicine. I am originally from San Diego and attended UCSD as an undergraduate as well. I joined the team because of my passion for sports medicine and interest in learning more about the positive effects of team sports on building healthy and collaborative social relationships.

I am a medical student at UCSD School of Medicine, Class of 2025. I graduated from UCLA in 2019 with a B.S. in Physiological Science and worked for 2 years for a nonprofit organization in LA dedicated to the early detection and prevention of cervical cancer for underserved communities in East Africa. I joined the research team in 2022 due to my interest in Sports Medicine as well as my passion for increasing access and awareness for underrepresented populations, such as those living on the spectrum.

My name is Kezha, I’m a third year human biology major at UCSD! I am on the UCSD Ultimate Frisbee team and I love playing and being active. I also love music and singing. In my free time I like to take advantage of the nature in SD and go to the beach or go on hikes.

I am a senior at Canyon Crest Academy High School and was a participant in the original pilot study in 2016. My experiences growing up with autism and overcoming many of its challenges, partially in thanks to the study, are what really connect me to ASP. I just want to do whatever I can to do support the next generation of children growing up with similar challenges as me and I aspire to eventually attend medical school.

I graduated from UCSD in 2021 with a BS in Human Biology and minor in cognitive science. I am currently working on my Master's in Biology at UCSD. After my program, I would like to continue researching and am also interested in teaching at an elementary or middle school. Ideally, I would like to apply to medical school after this. I enjoy running, swimming, and paddle boarding in my free time.

I recently graduated in June 2022 with my B.S. in Microbiology, and am currently working towards my M.S. in Biological Sciences as part of the dual-degree BS/MS program at UC San Diego. I aim to defend my master's thesis in June 2023, after which I hope to pursue a 1-year postbacclaurate program as part of the NIH Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA), with the intention to matriculate in an MD-PhD program to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

From the moment I heard about ASP, I knew I wanted to contribute. Having an older brother with autism inspired me to work with neurodivergent children as a respite worker in college, so I am extremely passionate about any and all advocacy efforts to increase community involvement of autistic kids.

Hi there, I’m a 3rd year Bioinformatics undergrad here at UCSD. My goal is to become a pediatrics surgeon with a focus on the spinal cord and brain. PS: I helped make this website! ╰(*°▽°*)╯

I am a professional basketball coach and the founder of Players Play basketball program. We have developed over 100 college basketball players over the last decade. Mentored and coached thousands of players to live healthy, successful lives. I was the head coach for the original pilot basketball cohort in the Autism Sports Project.