Softball(sports)and Autism

Yes, when first starting a sport, he/she might become anxious during games or practice. Might have some meltdowns and tying and retying of shoes, in D's case. Then again, playing on a team could build confidence, which would reduce his/hers anxiety. It will help with social skills. With sports, there are rules and familiarity. After while, they will use this familiarity to help start and interact with other teammates. (working from a script is a natural way for them to interact).I remember when D started out, she would not talk to no one, sit near her team mates, would have complete meltdown before going to a practice/trying out for a team...but now, she can guest play for any team and know at least 1 person, or became friends with someone else. I look at the dugout and she is cheering for team mates, talking, interacting....of course watching her play is fun, but I love seeing her growth as a person....without softball, D would never interact with others at the level she is at currently... Facing anything new can be stressful, especially for an individual with autism. Just because a person is different, doesn't mean they want to be treated differently. D loves the social aspect that softball has provided her with. Without it, she probably would never leave her dark gloomy bedroom. She would love to continue playing in college but we will see...hopefully we can find a school with a softball program that would be a perfect fit.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/scienc...benefits-physical-activity-individuals-autism

Awesome story!

My oldest went through this. So intelligent, but little ability to interact with the world outside of his head. New things, especially in social settings were difficult and often resulted in meltdowns. We tried attending Scouts which led to yet another meltdown. After some discussion about his fears, what Scouts was about and how he was treated by everyone during his visit, the next week he announced that he would like to try again. He went on to attend for 2 years with no breakdowns. Next it was HS track... Leading up to and through the first day was rough, but we were able to again chat about his fears, how he was welcomed and how much fun everyone seemed to be having. Again, he announced he would try it. He ended up going to state his senior year, which is a very fond memory for him/us. In his poetry class, he wrote poem to the senior class. The principal became aware of it and he was asked to read it at the senior assembly. I could not believe my eyes and ears as he stood at the podium and confidently read his thoughts and feelings to his class... After graduating, he attended a large musical production. The next year he announced he was planned to audition. On opening day, we were again amazed at how confidently he stood in front of hundreds and sang. The following year he auditioned for a solo--he didn't get it, but was offered a spot in a quartet... Just recently, he was offered a manager position at his store...

These are accomplishments we never would have dreamed of when he was younger. We're thankful and amazed at the young man he's become.

Ken B said:

Awesome story!

My oldest went through this. So intelligent, but little ability to interact with the world outside of his head. We tried attending Scouts which led to yet another meltdown. After some discussion about his fears, what Scouts was about and how he was treated by everyone during his visit, the next week he announced that he would like to try again. He went on to attend for 2 years with no breakdowns. Next it was HS track... Leading up to the first day was rough, but we were able to again chat about his fears, how he was welcomed and how much fun everyone seemed to be having. Again, he announced he would try it. He ended up going to state his senior year, which is a very fond memory for him/us. In his poetry class, he wrote poem to the senior class. The principal became aware of it and he was asked to read it at the senior assembly. I could not believe my eyes and ears as he stood at the podium and confidently read his thoughts and feelings to his class... After graduating, he attended a large musical production. The next year he announced he was planned to audition. On opening day, we were again amazed at how confidently he stood in front of hundreds and sang. The following year he auditioned for a solo--he didn't get it, but was offered a spot in a quartet... Just recently, he was offered a manager position at his store...

These are accomplishments we never would have dreamed of when he was younger. We're thankful and amazed at the young man he's become.

Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing....with more and more children being diagnosed with autism, it is nice to see what they can accomplish as an adult.

While looking for a college that D could attend, I found this. A lot of schools do not advertise these programs.
In NC:
http://students.collegestar.org/acc...ina-public-universities-disability-support/20 BEST VALUE COLLEGES FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES 2017-2018:https://www.bestvalueschools.com/rankings/students-with-learning-disabilities/