First & Only Open Autistic Hockey Broadcaster-AMA

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Hey everyone!

My name is Frank and I am the first and only open autistic hockey broadcaster. I was diagnosed with Asperger's/ASD-1 when I was 10. It took me a while to be comfortable and out with what I call my 'mutation' (yes sport guys can be comic nerds). I want to be a sounding board for anyone in the Autism community who may need advice, encouragement or just general questions about anything.

A little bit about me: I just advanced from the North American 3 Hockey League's (NA3HL) West Bend Power for a team in the highest division of junior hockey based in Omaha. During my time in West Bend, I directly and indirectly helped raise over $16,000 USD for the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin (ASSEW) as part of the largest Autism night in junior hockey. For my efforts, I was awarded the 2024 Inspiration Award by ASSEW and gave a speech which is on my YouTube @TomahawkRondup. I can't link things bc my account is new.

Hoping I can help some people on this great forum!

Welcome! I couldn't possibly care less about sports but it sounds like you've done some good things. Glad you're here.
Apologies for my ignorance but what exactly does a broadcaster do?

Did commentating come naturally to you? Personally I can't imagine having to describe things more or less as they happen. It takes a while for my brain to process what's just happened. So could you just do it, or did you have to learn?

Welcome to Wrong Planet and Congratulations..

I am looking forward to hearing you on an NHL game someday. You never know.

Welcome to WP! I hope you like it here.

I lived in Bellevue (outside Omaha) for four years (a very, very, very long time ago) so I was surprised your profile called out "Illinois and Omaha". I admit Iowa always seemed kind of empty space to me...but surely you're not commuting across it a lot.

And, speaking of Omaha, is the Spaghetti Works still good? (I see they opened a second location but I mean the location in The Old Market part of town.)

...and, if you get down that way: Stella's!! Just a burger joint but a fixture in Bellevue.

Tomahawk, do you play (at any level) or just do broadcasts?

TomahawkRoundup, Welcome to Wrong Planet.

Your conversation is very interesting. We had a member who may have had some of your qualities. I gave him a name Huck Finn which is short for Huckleberry Finn as his website name. We were similar but at the same time different. I am a word thinker. I think in terms of words. But he is a picture thinker. At times he can think at the speed of light because he thinks differently.

In a way we are similar to night time brains. I am like the REM sleep cycle and he is like the deep NREM sleep cycle.

You wrote, "I have the version of autism where my brain works in overdrive." This makes me feel that you also have the ability to think in terms of pictures rather then words.

Another thing that is similar is that you are into sports. He was very much into sports. He was not a player but a very dedicated fan and observer. He could dissect each play in the game. What was also very interesting was that his main focus was not on the players but rather on the referee.

Welcome to the site and best of luck.

Welcome to WP