Aspergers Kids in Sports

Just wrote a post on my family blog called How Much Sports is Too Much?

Chaz, Coach, Ryan

I'm really proud of Chaz for completing his basketball season.  I know it was hard for him at times dealing with rejection.  I could tell he did not have much self confidence while on the court.  If he was ever handed the ball he would pass it immediately.  He's way too hard on himself. However, I pointed out to him that he does great defense.  All those times he stood too close to everyone and his siblings, actually paid off on the court.  :D  Hee hee.... They could never get a shot past him because he was just right in their face. Because Chaz was not very assertive he was sat out a lot.  This is his second season in basketball and both times I noticed that while sitting on the bench, he is obsessed with his water bottle. He will not stop drinking till it's gone. He'll get another and another and another. I don't know if he is trying to look busy or it's his way of dealing with just having to sit there alone.  You can bet he had to use the restroom as soon as the game was over. :D

Some things that bother me is that coaches so much want to win, even when their team is just little guys, that they'll not rotate players in fairly.  I'm not talking about always wanting MY kid to play.  I don't care about the attention.  Its just that it's the only way they are going to learn is by experience and practice. The coaches put so much into wanting to win that they'll keep in the winning players the whole game without rotating them out.  Chaz's first season of basketball last year was just like this. It was about winning, not training and so Chaz didn't learn a whole lot with his coach yelling and screaming for the popular players to make a basket. I say when the kids are little like this, why not just play to learn and grow from the experience?  It's like watching your friend ride a bike. You are not gonna learn till you get on that bike and pedal.  Learn to ride a bike today, race tomorrow.  Learn the skills of basketball today, play for the trophy tomorrow.  Kids all have to start somewhere and they just need that chance to learn.  It's great to build confidence in kids and being that Chaz has Aspergers, he already really struggles with this.  

No matter,  He finished and with a good attitude. I'm very proud of him.

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