Jr. High football and Asperger

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My son is 12, nearly 13 and has AS, he is playing football this year, the first time he has ever shown any interest in sports in his life. He really enjoys playing, he isn't the fastest player, but he is one of the biggest, 5'7" and 165 pounds. Just wondering how many other Aspies are involved in sports, and if you have any problems with running, coordination, etc. Thanks for any input you can give me.

When I was thirteeen and fourteen I was on the soccer team at my junior high school. I had a lot of problems with being clumsy and not always being able to follow the action around me. I also had a lot of problems interacting with the other team members, particularly the more muscular and fit players. I quit the team, but I regret it greatly to this day, and wish I'd have stuck it through, and it's six years later. So if nothing else, encourage him to continue if he enjoys it, and only to quit if he no longer enjoys the game or the time spent on the field with other players. I think under the right conditions though it's a great chance for a kid, especially one who might not be able to make "average" conversation with other kids, to easily bond with peers his own age. I wish him the best of luck, and it's great he has a parent that is so vested in his support and happiness.

i do Judo and am finding that it helps me a lot, not only fitness but in other areas. like co-ordination etc.

Probably not very useful.

I was on the swim team. Swimming regulated my breathing. My father was a stutterer and he run track. No need to talk. Someone here said they were in the military and thrived on the rigid discipline. All of these afford opportunities to learn more about teamwork and co-operation.

Now I'm female but I do tai chi and have been told I have very good coordination. I'm actually extremely good at it. I have a deformity so I can't do regular sports, although I did badminton and soccer as a kid and did pretty good.
Encourage your son to keep playing, if he is accepted it will be great for his social life. If he's big and strong he will likely find his place even if he is clumsy.

played tackle football before. Not very fast, but big and physical and no major problems with coordination.

i was always either a fullback or tight end. Defensively, i was a linebacker.

I play soccer, and at nearly the highest level for my age group. But this is for my club team, we play in division 3 in the national league and in division 1 premire. Yeah... were pretty sweet.

But high school soccer is a different story, and high school sport (espcially the girls) are completely ridiculous. It's all about politics, if you're popular and rich you can move up. Not to brag or anything, but this is a straight up fact, im the best soccer player in 10th grade(well considering im the only one in 10th grade playing on a national league team), but im not popular or rich so they put me on the freiken freshman team last year. I was devastated and lost alot of skills playing on that team. And my club team coach was pissed too.

I suck (and always have) at team sports. Football, soccer, baseball. Most of the time I don't get the rules and misjudge the appropriate level of aggression.
Semi-solitary stuff, like cycling, aikido, etc. I not only enjoy, I'm quite good at them.

Iv'e played football and run track since 7th grade (I'm a sophomore in High school now), I wasn't always the biggest DT (5-11, 160), but I was one of the fastest. Now? I'm a DE. Go figure.

That's great...he should definitely keep it up if he enjoys it.

I'm very happy for him. I was able to run really well, until I broke my ankle, at the age of nine. I've stayed away from sports in Highschool, because of that. I'm not playing the Sympathy Card. I'm just being honest.