I didn’t know what forum to put this in… so yeah.
Im one of those people that really believe in the 7 or 8 types of intelligence so I will be talking about athletic giftedness.
Ok, Im a REALLY good soccer player. (not meaning to brag.. im sorry) Im the top player in my high school and I play for one of the top club teams in my state. But….
I can’t walk in a straight line, I can’t write, I can’t chew food comfterably, I can’t walk down the stairs without holding onto the rail, can’t throw, ENORMOUS difficulty with talking, barely tie my shoes, I constantly bump into things…. basically i’m really clumsy (these are thing normal people do with absolutely NO trouble)
but then again I’ve been known to scale a mall rock wall in less than a minute, I can jump three feet in the air, qualified for states in long jump… ect.
So I was wondering if athletic giftedness can be paired with dyspraxia… like twice exceptional. I know that standard gifted can be with LD. A college coach once told me that i was “awkwardly good” which sums it up pretty good. I didn’t know if I should be insulted or flattered.
My theory is that some of the pro-athletes who have “unconventional” or “unorthodox” styles of play are athletically gifted (duh they are pro LOL) but are compensating for an LD (just a theory based off my own experience)
sorry for this long post but I have questions that no one I have around me can answer.
Re: athletic giftedness + LD
thanks for your reply.
A long while ago I did look into otosclerosis (hardening of the bones in the middle ear) because my mom has it and it’s hereditary.
Though my symptoms could both be explained by an LD or otosclerosis, I guess I will just have to take your advice and talk to my doctor.
Based on your post, it sounds like you have some difficulty with small motor skills, which are required for writing, etc. That is different than the gross motor skills required for soccer. Small motor skills can be strengthened with practice, but I don’t think it is unusual for a person to be strong in one motor area but not the other. As for the other things you mentioned— such as walking in a straight line, going down the stairs—that sounds like a balance issue. I would recommend bringing up that issue with your doctor since that can be caused by an inner ear problem. I think it is more unusual for athletes to have balance issues. However, you sound like you have very strong motor skills in other areas that are making up for it. Still, asking a doctor about your balance could help you in the long run.