For an Occupational Therapy Alumna, Sports Are More Than Games

For Avery Gaeta, OTR/L (OTD ’24), sports are more than games—they’re powerful tools for connection, confidence, and well-being. As an occupational therapist (OT) at Inclusive Sports and Fitness (ISF), she helps children and adults of all abilities experience the joy of movement and teamwork through evidence-based scientific principles.

As an undergraduate at Adelphi University, Gaeta initially planned to study health sciences but ultimately pursued a degree in neuroscience through the Honors College. The interdisciplinary curriculum encouraged her to explore the connections between science, behavior, and the arts—an approach that naturally aligned with occupational therapy.

“That experience really pushed me toward thinking about the mind-body connection,” says Gaeta. “Occupational therapy brings all those pieces together—the art and the science.”

When she began searching for OT graduate programs, New York Tech’s program in the School of Health Professions stood out immediately after a virtual information session introduced her to the faculty and their diverse clinical specialties.

“I remember seeing the presentations on all the professors and thinking how impressive it was,” says Gaeta. “There were so many different areas of expertise, and many of them were clinicians actively working in the field.”

Through lab courses and hands-on learning, Gaeta and her classmates explored how occupational therapy can serve as “a bridge between what someone wants or needs to do and their current abilities.”

“OTs employ different strategies that draw on principles of neuroscience, kinesiology, and exercise science to help people achieve their goals, from getting safely in and out of a bathtub to writing their name at the top of their homework,” says Gaeta.

Gaeta’s doctoral capstone explored the health management needs of neurodivergent college students—a perspective that drew her to ISF, a highly skilled nonprofit organization founded by Alexander Lopez, J.D., OT/L, FAOTA, associate professor of occupational therapy at New York Tech.

At ISF, Gaeta uses state-of-the-art technologies to work with athletes ranging from toddlers to adults with developmental or physical disabilities. The program provides adaptive sports training, motor-skill development, and social activities designed to build confidence and community. ISF also conducts in-house research on body mechanics, motor planning, and even sustained attention, supporting the doctoral capstone research of many of New York Tech’s OT students.

“For many kids, sports are a huge part of identity growing up,” says Gaeta. “But a lot of children with disabilities don’t always have access to those experiences. Our goal is to give them that opportunity. We work to increase our athletes’ readiness to participate so they can move on to sports and extracurriculars when they are ready. Some have even become top athletes among their same-aged peers in sports such as track and cross-country.”

In addition to her work with clients, Gaeta instructs clinical fieldwork students at New York Tech on their OT Level II rotations. She also manages staff and oversees the day-to-day operations of ISF’s Holbrook, N.Y., location as Lopez works on opening a second location on New York Tech’s Long Island campus, creating new opportunities for students and participants alike.

“It’s exciting to be part of something that’s growing,” Gaeta says.

Reflecting on her time at New York Tech, Gaeta says the program’s supportive environment made a lasting impact.

“The faculty really cared about us,” she says. “They created a community where we could learn from each other and grow.”

Today, she’s carrying that same spirit forward—helping athletes of all abilities discover the confidence, connection, and joy that come from being part of the game.

By Kathrin Havrilla-Sanchez