FAQautism

A junior high coach came up with a great strategy for encouraging a young teenager with autism to become more active and to enjoy shooting baskets – a free time skill he can enjoy for the rest of his life.

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I was stunned when the youngster’s teacher told me he shot seventeen hoops in PE last week – shooting a regulation basketball into a regulation basket. This is a youngster who rarely focuses long enough to finish tasks, who does not have good eye contact, and who has poor fine motor and gross motor skills. He has strengths in other areas, but not in the skills considered prerequisites for successfully shooting a basketball.

The teacher surprised me again by saying the young teen’s family reported he is – on his own initiative – shooting hoops in the driveway at home. This is a youngster who is usually at loose ends during free time.

So, what is the key to this newfound prowess? His PE coach had a great idea. He decided to set the electronic scoreboard to record the youngster’s successful baskets. The number on the scoreboard changes every time the ball swishes through the basket. Although this teen is not particularly competitive, he enjoys seeing the number change.

It seems impossible that a number on a scoreboard is able to overcome deficits in attention, eye contact, and motor skills. It is also difficult to believe that the teen’s interest in shooting hoops carries over to home where there is not electronic scoreboard. But this coach’s brainstorm is the only explanation for the new proficiency at basketball. The coach followed through on a hunch and made a big impact on the life of a young man.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Never give up. Keep trying new ideas, no matter how far-fetched they seem. Someday, a hunch may reap rich rewards.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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