Help with Team Sports

Hi. Having played soccer in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade; and
also been on Cross Country Running for many years, I may be able to
help a bit. Is this for Matthew, as well?
One thing that helps me: In the locker room shower ( Jr.HS and
at the Y ), or even on travel (Hotel/Motel; family trips) with “white walls”; have him buy a Blue or Green soap dish. It’ll be easier to see and find!
Some of the things are just cognitive: “Son, the coach may use
charts as well as giving directions; take note of that. Use the information
he/she gives you. ( I have to be “politically correct”; I work for the
Political Science Department of Kean University http://www.kean.edu ) .
Also, see if the person is ambidextrous, or prefers kicking, to using hands. Maybe Basketball is better than Softball/Baseball ???
E-Mail me directly, if necessary. Best regards

Joe Tag.

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[quote=”Matthew’s Mom”]Does any one know of any resources that we can quickly access to help with accommodations for team sports?

My husband and I will make a list for the coach, but it would be very good to have a readable book or article to offer to the coach and the Boys and Girl’s Club director to help them understand kids with special needs.

Thanks![/quote]

What kinds of issues are you concerned about?

Personally, I would be careful about what you say. I told a coach a few years ago that my son had auditory processing issues and I think it really didn’t help. He just sort of put him in the “problem category”. So I would not use “labels” but rather descriptions of how he learns best. I found it much more helpful when I told a coach that he learns best when something is demonstrated because he sometimes has trouble following oral directions.

Beth

I agree with Beth. I tell coaches my son is dyslexic (which is a word we think has minimal negative connotation and a word my son uses to describe himself) and then I say “and what that means is… he may confuse his left foot from his right, or he may need you to repeat directions more than once. ” then I usually thank them for their patience.

One soccer coach ,who happens to have an LD child, had all her kids on her team wear wrist bands. When they were playing left field the bands went on the left wrist and vice versa. This was for “normal” kids but they need help sometimes too!

Karen,

I love that wrist band idea!! Biggest problem with kids and soccer is getting them to play their position. Solves two problems at once.

I also used to tell soccer coaches my son is left footed—because few kids are and so that is an advantage. Interestingly enough, he told me this season that he is better with his right. He is right handed and it appears that he is finally becoming neurologically organized enough to not be cross dominant.

Beth