From a Special Needs Perspective
As y'all know, the Special Needs kids are near and dear to my heart.
As you also know, baseball is near and dear to my heart. When the two collide . . . it makes my heart so happy. This season there is a special needs student on Andrew and Doug's baseball team. I am particularly proud of Doug and his coaches for "manning up" and saying they would accept the challenge. Doug, in particular, is "just a little" competitive and was pretty excited about this spring team because there were a lot of returning players and this team was set to be pretty good.
This is the boy's first experience with organized sports. I talked to the dad at the first practice and then I spoke to the mom at another practice. I didn't talk to them as A Goodwill Ambassador or anything like that. I was just talking to them in a friendly, fellow baseball team parent way. My heart hurt for the mom. This experience is really stressful for her. She didn't want her son to do this. The dad really wanted the boy to do this. The mom was worried that the other boys would make fun of her son, that they wouldn't understand his meltdowns, or his lack of social skills. The mom and I talked about strategies to help make practice a more successful experience. Doug and the other 2 coaches are doing such an awesome job working with this kid. He has improved SOOOOOOO much since the beginning.
Frankly, you don't realize how complex baseball is, and what a challenge it can be, until you're looking at it from a special needs perspective. I mean, they have to hit the ball, they have to know, not only how to run to first base, but to watch the coach for directions, then they have to know if they're supposed to keep going, and what happens at 2nd base- when there is no coach right there to tell you what to do?! What happens when you get to third . . . and the other team overthrows the ball? How does the 3rd base coach communicate to keep running- or wait . . . stop?! Or keep going!!!!!!! All while the crowd is screaming and yelling!!!! Then what about standing in the outfield waiting for a ball to come to you. Lord, that takes a lot of attention, I mean- it can be a real drag waiting and wait a minute . . . what's that kid doing over there on the soccer field? Hey, is that the train coming? Oh look, that kid is wearing a yellow shirt! Then what about when you're in the dug out and there's 11 other boys all shuffling around and moving, and talking, and jostling, and spectators are yelling and your coach is shouting instructions, and little brothers and sisters are running around behind the dugout playing chase. And the dug out dad is shouting to kids to get on deck, and a parent is leaning in the dugout to ask their child if they need a drink. That's a lot for a regular kid, for a special needs kid with sensory issues? That's a disaster in the making.
The special ed teacher in me is so amazed and proud of this kid. Like- so incredibly proud for the accomplishments he is making. His social improvements, his learning the basic fundamentals of the game, the way he throws and catches, but tonight was the most amazing accomplishment. He hit the ball! Not only did he hit the ball, but he got on base. Not only did he get on base, but because the kid who bats after him, got a hit, he had to run to 2nd. When he got to 2nd, he had to look for the coach all the way on 3rd base, block out all the shouting- and keep running. Then when he got to 3rd he had to keep going and score. His coaches hadn't practiced what he's supposed to do when he gets Home. (get out of the way, in case there's a play at Home). The completely crazy thing is, just before he hit he had a meltdown, ran out of the dugout and the dugout dad and I were wondering what happens. For a "regular" player who doesn't get up to bat, when it's their turn, they're no longer allowed to play for that game. However, that's not exactly a fair rule for this particular player. Somehow his dad talked him back into the game- just in time because then he got on base and got to score.
I don't know what is more meaningful to me: seeing this father get to experience this moment in his son's life, hearing the ENTIRE team cheer for this child, (they all knew it was a big deal.) or that I got to witness this child's huge success. His accomplishments are so amazing. I am so thankful I got to see it tonight.
As you also know, baseball is near and dear to my heart. When the two collide . . . it makes my heart so happy. This season there is a special needs student on Andrew and Doug's baseball team. I am particularly proud of Doug and his coaches for "manning up" and saying they would accept the challenge. Doug, in particular, is "just a little" competitive and was pretty excited about this spring team because there were a lot of returning players and this team was set to be pretty good.
This is the boy's first experience with organized sports. I talked to the dad at the first practice and then I spoke to the mom at another practice. I didn't talk to them as A Goodwill Ambassador or anything like that. I was just talking to them in a friendly, fellow baseball team parent way. My heart hurt for the mom. This experience is really stressful for her. She didn't want her son to do this. The dad really wanted the boy to do this. The mom was worried that the other boys would make fun of her son, that they wouldn't understand his meltdowns, or his lack of social skills. The mom and I talked about strategies to help make practice a more successful experience. Doug and the other 2 coaches are doing such an awesome job working with this kid. He has improved SOOOOOOO much since the beginning.
Frankly, you don't realize how complex baseball is, and what a challenge it can be, until you're looking at it from a special needs perspective. I mean, they have to hit the ball, they have to know, not only how to run to first base, but to watch the coach for directions, then they have to know if they're supposed to keep going, and what happens at 2nd base- when there is no coach right there to tell you what to do?! What happens when you get to third . . . and the other team overthrows the ball? How does the 3rd base coach communicate to keep running- or wait . . . stop?! Or keep going!!!!!!! All while the crowd is screaming and yelling!!!! Then what about standing in the outfield waiting for a ball to come to you. Lord, that takes a lot of attention, I mean- it can be a real drag waiting and wait a minute . . . what's that kid doing over there on the soccer field? Hey, is that the train coming? Oh look, that kid is wearing a yellow shirt! Then what about when you're in the dug out and there's 11 other boys all shuffling around and moving, and talking, and jostling, and spectators are yelling and your coach is shouting instructions, and little brothers and sisters are running around behind the dugout playing chase. And the dug out dad is shouting to kids to get on deck, and a parent is leaning in the dugout to ask their child if they need a drink. That's a lot for a regular kid, for a special needs kid with sensory issues? That's a disaster in the making.
The special ed teacher in me is so amazed and proud of this kid. Like- so incredibly proud for the accomplishments he is making. His social improvements, his learning the basic fundamentals of the game, the way he throws and catches, but tonight was the most amazing accomplishment. He hit the ball! Not only did he hit the ball, but he got on base. Not only did he get on base, but because the kid who bats after him, got a hit, he had to run to 2nd. When he got to 2nd, he had to look for the coach all the way on 3rd base, block out all the shouting- and keep running. Then when he got to 3rd he had to keep going and score. His coaches hadn't practiced what he's supposed to do when he gets Home. (get out of the way, in case there's a play at Home). The completely crazy thing is, just before he hit he had a meltdown, ran out of the dugout and the dugout dad and I were wondering what happens. For a "regular" player who doesn't get up to bat, when it's their turn, they're no longer allowed to play for that game. However, that's not exactly a fair rule for this particular player. Somehow his dad talked him back into the game- just in time because then he got on base and got to score.
I don't know what is more meaningful to me: seeing this father get to experience this moment in his son's life, hearing the ENTIRE team cheer for this child, (they all knew it was a big deal.) or that I got to witness this child's huge success. His accomplishments are so amazing. I am so thankful I got to see it tonight.
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