Any other aspie athletes out there?

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Aspies aren't the most athletic group of people you'll ever run into. We aren't exactly of the "jock" type, and for the most part I think we can agree this stereotype works well. However, I break this stereotype. This has been something that's bothered me at times and made me question my diagnosis. I've always been very athletic, which is interesting because I'm not particularly coordinated. I run into door frames, trip over end tables, and I'd fail a field sobriety test while sober. "Bull in a china shop" was my dad's nickname for me. But for some reason, I've always been good at sports. I lettered in Varsity (American) football my freshman year of high school. This is practically unheard of if you know anything about high school sports. I ran track too. My long jump was 18 feet my senior year. I threw a shot put 44 feet. I played competitive baseball while in middle school. Every sport I've ever tried I've been very good at.

So I'm curious, are there any other autistic athletes that roam these boards? I've always felt a bit unsusual among aspies in this way, as we're often described as "uncomfortable in our own skin." Did anyone else play team sports? I'm the only autistic I've ever met who's been good at team sports. It'd be nice to finally hear from another team sport athlete on the spectrum. Though, please post your experiences no matter what they are! Cheers!

I find this stereotype to be super untrue.

If you go into the pro cycling world you'll find tons of autistic people. I've met SO many on rides. There's even autistic pro cycling youtubers lol.

But yeah we have a health/fitness subforum on WP so most of the health junkies linger there from time to time.

But anyway, I'd like to become more athletic in the future. Due to the freezing weather right now, it's not an option for me. By athletic, I don't mean organised sports. I hate the whole "teamwork" thing. Give me tennis or badminton, where I can do one on one. I like cycling a lot.

I play tennis on Saturdays. I enjoy it very much.

Enjoyed the martial art Aikido for over 20 years until my joints gave out and ran cross-country for longer than that until my spine gave out...

Was very sporty in my day, now at 37 my best sports days are behind me, though I ran a half marathon last year.

Was the fastest sprinter in my school, was put forward for wider competition and was 3rd fastest sprinter in the district. Was the best football player in my shool year, was asked to go for a trial at my local professional club but never went along, ended up doing most events in sports day as my house was terrible, played Sunday league football until 7 years ago and quite enjoy a solo running event here or there, but due to persistent injuries I took up weight lifting 1 month ago.

All of that pretty much helped cover my AS as a youngster. Only diagnosed 6 months ago.

Aspie tomboy female here. I worked out a lot prior to my 30s and still work out fairly regularly. I enjoy weight lifting and running on the treadmill. I used to be able to do seven and a half minute miles (not bad for a 5'2" woman) and I got pretty ripped in my late twenties. I don't have opportunity to play basketball anymore, but I LOVE that sport, and I played it often when younger. I got pretty decent and was on some good rec league teams and put up good numbers. Even when I was still casually shooting around in YMCA gyms, men often complimented me on my shot and game, and sometimes I played in games with shorter guys where I held my own. I also passed the football around a lot with my late older brother when I was a kid. I still have pretty good hands for catching a ball.

So that's my sports background. That said, I still do have some gross motor deficits and can be stiff or awkward looking in some other areas. I never did learn to ride a bike or swim. Couldn't do cartwheels or handstands either.

Like Ferris, I played rugby (hooker) for the school team. Admittedly it was the C team as I didn't take it seriously enough which used to annoy the coach no end I also held the school bench-press record, every year threw javelin at sports day and could do over 200 pushups. I also ran long distance (12 miles was my longest run). Later on, when I was in my 40s I took up climbing again after a gap of 30 years. I don't climb so much anymore but I was climbing F7a indoors on top-rope, lead F6c+ indoors, E1 5b outdoors on top-rope and also seconded a VS 4c outdoors. I now teach children how to climb every Saturday. I've also free-dived since I was 8-years-old although I don't go that deep - 60' is plenty

You'll notice that, excluding rugby, that all of these athletic activities are not team-based.

I am not an athlete, but I walk twenty to thirty thousand steps each day.

I am not very athletic especially on team sports but I enjoy working out and I walk with a friend every saturday 20 km