School Sports-update

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This is specifically about autistic kids (not diagnosed Aspies) and sports.

My son came home with a permission form about basketball tryouts. He's in 2nd grade. I know nothing about the basketball team, season or anything. I did forward an email with some questions, but was informed the coach might not be able to answer them. Pop is autistic, which means he has speech/language delay, poor impulse control, and has trouble with transitions. He is totally wanting to try out.

I don't have a problem with him trying out if he's not going to make it. But what if by chance, he makes it? or what if he doesn't understand what it means to not make it?

I discussed this with him. Asked him how much he knew about basketball (not much), terminology, rules, sportsmanship. I told him that he would have to stay at school longer and practice and exercise.

It would be a hardship to drive him, we share a car and my husband has a varied work schedule (not 9-5). And we (my husband and I) don't even agree with team sports. We feel they teach social norms we don't agree with.

But I don't want to prohibit my son from trying something "Just because you're special needs" or "It's too hard, we don't want the trouble"

I don't know if anyone can offer advice.

I personally think the experience could prove very positive for him. My daughter is autistic and four years old. She struggles with the same things your son does (except speech/verbal is advanced). She is easily distracted, has impulse control issues and so forth. However, she wanted to do gymnastics and really does well with it. I felt hesitant and nervous in the beginning, and there were some things we needed to talk about. However, I think this is the case with most kids. Will Pop follow through? Can't say. Will he do well? Don't know yet. It will build his self-esteem if he has the chance to try though, and if you enourage him. One thing about autism - if you want to do something, you can be really really good at it.

i say let him try out- no offense he probably wont make it. And so what? Even normal kids will get cut, it's a normal life experience. And if he does make it than GREAT!! ! celebrate! it's 2nd grade basketball, so it's not the most serious thing in the world. So if your son has a hard time adjusting then let him quit, im sure the coach will undestand and that there is probably another kid eager to play.

i say go with it- you can always back out.

when i was in third grade, was my first year playing travel soccer. Making the team was no problem since my motor skills are excellent (im now one of the best soccer players in my high school) but i had severe problems getting along with my teamates and depression, so my parents gave me the option of quittiing.

thanks. that's my gut feeling. We can be really smothering and I worry that I'm not letting him have enough "real world experience". I've never heard of grade school sports. It's weird, they can't afford PE here but one of the teachers is volunteering to coach basketball.

Pop went to try outs. He did a lot better than I thought he would and he was mid-range with his (basketball) skills. His ability to follow directions for some of the drills was off. I did cue him a couple of times, when he needed to watch the others to see how to do something. I just didn't want him to be so off-base that he wasn't able to comply with simple requests.
It wasn't too personal. They were instructed to do some drills in a group setting. The coach gave a "talk" on what they're looking for (Pop was completely tuned out on that).
I did run some basketball terminology by him last night so he knew what to look forward to. He came out of it saying, "I sucked". But I think he had a good time and has a building block for future sports tryouts.

I never pay attention to when coach talks either, so when he's done I desperatly ask everyone what the hell is going on.

I noticed a lot of the kids "paid attention" but then didn't display that knowledge later. His "talk" was informing the kids what he was looking for. He stressed that he wasn't looking for "the fastest, best or most baskets" but following directions, endurance, willingness to "push oneself". He said several times that he wasn't that interested in "how many baskets you can make", especially if you performed the wrong task. Many kids concentrated on shooting and when it they were doing other drills (rebounding, passing, dribbling) they didn't concentrate at all.
So, this was a case where my son was mid-range because he watched the other kids and did what the more experienced ones were doing.