T
Solo Sports
& Autism
A G r e at M at c h
he childhood sports that I enjoyed most
were those that I could do alongside other
kids without the intense interaction of typical team sports. I was on a bowling “team.” All
that meant was that I took turns with four other
kids. The bowling itself was an individual pursuit. Other kids took a turn. I took a turn. I got to
add up the scores. I wandered off to watch one
of the arcade games. Someone called me back
when it was my turn. It was great.
Golf, dance and karate were the same. I did them
alongside other kids but not really with them.
There was an appearance of social interaction.
The actual amount
of interacting I did
was minimal, and
that was fine.
8
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
While many individual sports are competitive,
most also encourage “personal bests.” Beating
a high score in bowling or nailing a new snowboarding trick can be as fulfilling as beating an
opponent.
2. Individual sports allow you to be
part of a team without the pressures of
a team sport.
If a child has a bad day as a team player, his actions can impact the
whole team. If he
has a bad day as a
cross country runner, he might not
place well, but one
of his teammates
could still win the
race. There are
team consequences,
but they tend to be
less severe.
Team sports put a big
emphasis on bonding
with other team members,
which can be stressful
when you’re autistic.
I tried team sports.
In middle school, I
was on the school
softball and basketball teams. Both
were fun, but I
wasn’t very good
at them and spent
most of my time
sitting on the bench during games. Team sports
were confusing and often overwhelming. There
are so many variables: the rules, the other team
members, the fast pace, and the ball (inevitably,
there’s a ball involved). For the typical Aspie,
this is a lot to manage. By the time I got to high
school, I knew that team sports weren’t for me.
by Cynth
ia K im
1. Individual sports allow you to progress at your own pace.
But, individual sports? This is where autistic
people can shine! When I’m out running on a
dirt trail or gliding across the pool, I feel strong
and athletic, connected to my body. For a time,
I forget that I’m the same person who regularly
walks into furniture. I’ll never be a superior athlete--I have to work hard just to be average--but
I think individual sports have a lot to offer for
people on the spectrum. Here are seven reasons
why individualized sports can be a good fit for
kids on the spectrum.
3. Individual sports encourage individual practice.
If a child has motor coordination difficulties-and many autistic individuals do--he might
need a lot more practice than most of his peers to
learn or master a skill. When that skill is something that doesn’t require a team or a partner to
practice, a child can spend time working on i