An autistic high school pitcher?

Why would you not be comfortable and why cut him if he is doing the job on the mound???

I don't think there is enough info to determine.

High functioning: in what physical, emotional and mental capacity, to what level?
What age is he now?
Is he moving up an age?
What is current competition level (what youth league level?)?
What level are you inquiring to "cut" him from (modified how?)?
Being the top pitcher does not indicate level of pitching in his league, just that he is the best (also, best in what way?).

Strike 123,
Welcome to the HSBBW! Sounds like a very interesting story developing, and a complete no-brainer for any youth coach at any level. Of course he should play! Only question is how to best utilize his talents.

If the team needs help understanding the kid's challenges, or the coach needs some education, or if behaviors are somehow an issue then consult the school's autism specialist (social worker, SLP, OT, resource teacher etc.) Good luck and keep us posted!

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Originally posted by TRhit:
Why would you not be comfortable and why cut him if he is doing the job on the mound???

If the boy is able to compete on the mound, why not? Kids are particularly adept at accepting any player as a teammate as long as they feel the player can help the team.

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Originally posted by strike123:
If you were the coach (some of you probably are) of a modified, junior varsity, or varsity baseball team, would you be comfortable having a high functioning autistic pitcher on your team? Or would you prefer to cut him from the team? What would you do? Why? I'd like to hear some thoughts anyone might have to offer on this topic. Lets just say for the sake of aurgument that this particular kid is amongst the top pitchers in his city's youth league.

Can he pitch? Then yes, I'd take him.

What's your concern?

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consult the school's autism specialist

That may be the best advice. Asking fellow posters to diagnose a players ability/capacity is a lot like asking fellow posters to diagnose an elbow or shoulder injury over the internet. And, I know some of these guys do not advocate that approach.

Again, I think if he is moving up a level, a cautious approach should be taken.

My guess is that if it were clear cut, you would not be asking here. Do you have doubts with respect to his ability, or are you concerned about law suits if an injury occurs?

Should he be given an opportunity-definitely! But...
As a special ed. teacher who works with kids under the PDD umbrella, I definitely understand the cautious approach. If you've never worked with kids with autism/asperger's it can be very intimidating-even to me when I get a new kiddo! There is so broad a range of abilities it's hard to say if it's appropriate or not. The coach would definitely want to get as much information as possible-from parents/teachers/professionals that work with the child- so as to make it as comfortable for the young man as possible. If not it could be a disaster!

If he's truly high functioning or Asperger's, it may just be some social issues you'd have to deal with by his age. If that's the case, it could be a great experience for the young man as well as his teammates-as long as they're willing to help!

I'd give the kid a shot, but I would educate myself more on autism and become aware of what problems I may face.

Maybe mom and dad or a qualified health care professional could be at every game in case of any incident.

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Originally posted by wayback:
I don't think there is enough info to determine.

High functioning: in what physical, emotional and mental capacity, to what level?
What age is he now?
Is he moving up an age?
What is current competition level (what youth league level?)?
What level are you inquiring to "cut" him from (modified how?)?
Being the top pitcher does not indicate level of pitching in his league, just that he is the best (also, best in what way?).

Physically, he has no motor skill deficiencies. He does seem to suffer some hypersensitivity issues, mostly tactile. He usually refrains from sliding into base because the dirt on his uniform messes with him somehow. Emotionally, I'm afraid there would be some very difficult times for him. He has difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings. His socialization is very poor. He doesn't really have any friends, others have a tendency to pick on and make fun of him (he is a 14-year-old in middle school and kids at this age can be exceptionally cruel). He can be unusually shy in certain situations. His mental capacity seems to be good, but his cognition is well below average. He's probably just as intelligent as anyone, but a little behind due to poor language comprehension. Our school doesn't have a good special education program and he hasn't received any language/social skills therapy since elementary school. It may take him a long time to learn new concepts, as he may not understand verbal instruction as well as typical kids. He is more of a visual learner. Thus, he may not be able to adjust or make changes in his game quickly enough to be competetive. Also, he doesn't react well to criticism, it really hurts his self esteem and confidence level (this could cause him to develope A-Rod syndrome). On the positive side, however, the kid probably works harder than any other player in the city. With regard his pitching, he has the best control of anyone around--he rarely issues a walk. He is extremely focused on his pitches, but I fear he would forget about any runners that may be on base due to a possible working memory deficiency. He spent the past season playing as a 13-year-old rookie in Babe Ruth. I know that his coach put him on the mound for the final three innings of the deciding game of the league championship. It was not a save situation; they were losing 3 to 2 when he came in. He gave up an un-earned run in the sixth inning. They lost by a 4-2 final. What makes it kind of tough is the size of our school and the number of kids trying out. Between 50 and 70 kids usually try out for the modified team--there's only one-and we can only take about 6 or 7 new players. Should a coach take a chance on a kid who might not make it due to problems associated with an autistic disorder when there are so many normal kids who really want it?

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Originally posted by wayback:

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consult the school's autism specialist

That may be the best advice. Asking fellow posters to diagnose a players ability/capacity is a lot like asking fellow posters to diagnose an elbow or shoulder injury over the internet. And, I know some of these guys do not advocate that approach.

Again, I think if he is moving up a level, a cautious approach should be taken.


My guess is that if it were clear cut, you would not be asking here. Do you have doubts with respect to his ability, or are you concerned about law suits if an injury occurs?

I find it hard to doubt his ability. I believe he's been a regular pitcher since he was about nine. I'm just not sure how he would do at the high school level though. I've never even heard of a pitcher at any level of organized youth baseball who is autistic, let alone at the high school level. I have to wonder why? Would this be a first? I'm not really worried about an injury--his physical skills are just as good as anyone's, perhaps even better.

As for his ability and capability, only those who have first hand knowledge and understanding can give a definative answer. In theory, and all else being equal, sure he should be allowed to play.

Your Quote: Should a coach take a chance on a kid who might not make it due to problems associated with an autistic disorder when there are so many normal kids who really want it?

In my opinion, if he is otherwise capable, he has as much right to play as other "kids who really want it". Besides, a lot of those other kids probably won't "make it" either. That being said, if it were me, I would have to be convinced 100% that his potential and liklihood for harm is no greater than any other player.

Just noticed you posted while I was typing. You answered some of the thoughts. I look at things from two perspectives:

1. The well being of the child discussed.
2. Unfortunately, with the litigious nature of society, the chances of someone legally challenging my decision. Develop your comfort level from there and make your best decision.

I think the boy deserves a shot. I don't feel he should not be given any favorable treatment, nor should he be scrutinized anymore than any other kid.

Having said that, there is no doubt it will take extra time, efforts, and strategies for him become a successful HS pitcher. That's where the autism experts team comes into play. I for one would love to take that challenge. I'm sure I'm not alone.

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I've never even heard of a pitcher at any level of organized youth baseball who is autistic, let alone at the high school level. I have to wonder why? Would this be a first?

I would venture a guess that he's actually not the first. In fact someone out there may know of someone who played but perhaps wasn't diagnosed, yet did fit the profile. He may be the first that anyone's heard about.

A word of caution here. If he does succeed, his story may grow and quite likely everyone will want to hear about it. It could very well become huge and turn into a media circus for all involved. You have to weigh the pros and cons of this, and consider whether that is something you should prepare for.

First things first, the kid should be allowed a chance to play. If he works that hard at it, then he truly loves it. That says a lot right there.

If it is all done "within house" it can work---When I ran our Town LL we had a young man try out who was a "deficit" kid--mentally and physically--since it was a town LL we could not prevent him from trying out or playing---I did some research with the town rec people and found that his dad was quite similar and had been manager of the football team for 6 years in HS and was a viable worker in town--a lot of discussion followed and we put him, the boy, on my team---I think he was physically able to play 3 or 4 games all year due to his illness but we got him at bats at the right times and we won the championship, he even got a hit !!!-- when we had the team party at the house for the trophies etc he was the first to show up and in full inform to boot

To see it succeed it quite fulfilling for you as a coach

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He does seem to suffer some hypersensitivity issues, mostly tactile. He usually refrains from sliding into base because the dirt on his uniform messes with him somehow.

There's a lot more to pitching than pitching. Can he handle a 95 mph line drive back to him? What if that ball is dirty? A pitcher has tenths of a second to make complex and critical safety decisions. You're correct to be asking questions.

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Originally posted by strike123:
I find it hard to doubt his ability. I believe he's been a regular pitcher since he was about nine. I'm just not sure how he would do at the high school level though. I've never even heard of a pitcher at any level of organized youth baseball who is autistic, let alone at the high school level. I have to wonder why? Would this be a first? I'm not really worried about an injury--his physical skills are just as good as anyone's, perhaps even better.

Just to inject some knowledge in here, let me say that I know a lot about the subject because I have Asperger's Syndrome (aka AS). About all that means for me is that I'm smarter than average but hate to talk on the phone and don't like small talk (some describe people with AS as having an Extreme Male Brain). Since I work in the computer industry, I know lots of guys with Asperger's.

It's almost a badge of honor in the industry.

In terms of High Functioning Autism, my impression of HFA is that people with this have symptoms that are somewhat more severe than people with AS. However, that doesn't mean that they have full-out Autism.

Remember that Autism is regarded as a spectrum disorder. That means that some people have it worse (a better word is differently) than others.

Just because you are on the Autism spectrum, it doesn't mean that you can't do some things. it just means that certain things may be more complicated for you than for others.

Regarding the pitching and HFA thing, I ABSOLUTELY would not be surprised if Dr. Mike Marshall (a Cy Young winner with a 17 year career) is on the Autism specturm. That would explain his difficulties communicating with people and generally poor social skills.

But remember, Marshall was a very effective relief pitcher in his day.

Let's get some perspective. All of us are handicapped in some way- but only some of us know or realize it. My own son has a diagnosed disability processing auditory information. (Tough to hear verbal instructions) Nonetheless, he is a top LHP, who is able to effectively tune out distractions. I agree with the fellow poster who suggested there have been many people with learning/behavioral disabilities who played baseball. As they say, "God closes a door but opens a window." Can your autistic player throw strikes? At 13 or 14 that should mean he can play. He can still learn what to do with people on base - after all he has teammates and coaches. Plenty of players make mistakes with people on base who claim to have no handicaps at all. Think about it.

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Let's get some perspective. All of us are handicapped in some way- but only some of us know or realize it.

So true brod, we're all somewhere on the spectrum.

remember the Spaceman?

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There's a lot more to pitching than pitching. Can he handle a 95 mph line drive back to him? What if that ball is dirty? A pitcher has tenths of a second to make complex and critical safety decisions. You're correct to be asking questions.

He seems very capable of fielding his position. Eye/hand coordination and reaction time are good. I don't know how much of this is natural talent or more the result of extensive practice on his part. I walk my dog a lot near the school during the off season and will often see him practicing with his brother and uncle--throwing practice bullpens, taking infield and outfield, long throwing, and hitting buckets of balls. In Babe Ruth, he plays the infield when he's not pitching; usually third base. His reflexes appear "cat-like" at times. Still, I do worry about line drives. This is a great fear that I have for any pitcher. I've seen the replays of major league pitchers being hit in the face and it makes me cringe to think this could happen to one of our kids. Judging by what I can see, however, I don't think he's at any more risk than the others.

A quandary. You'd be harming the kid by not playing him after he invested so much work in the sport. If he's 14 and presumably will be pitching fairly slowly at 60 feet, he should have time to react.

Apparently his father and uncle understand baseball's risks and the kid's ability. Speak with them about safety issues and make sure you have a witness with you. Our HS team has a parents' meeting before the season and, among other items, the coach goes over risks.

Many handicapped players have made the pros. One-armed Pete Gray, Jim Abbott recently, and crazy-as-a-loon HOF pitcher Rube Waddell. The number skyrockets if you count all the early guys who routinely showed up for games legally drunk. Many deaf players populated the majors early on.

The problem is that you could look like a real ogre if he gets hurt. You might consult with your school district's attorney, too.

Keep in touch with us. I know we're all rooting for him.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Category:Handicapped_Players

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A word of caution here. If he does succeed, his story may grow and quite likely everyone will want to hear about it. It could very well become huge and turn into a media circus for all involved. You have to weigh the pros and cons of this, and consider whether that is something you should prepare for.

This is a very good point. I have wondered what would happen if this story were to hit the press. I recall the big media buzz over that Jason McElwain incident last year. McElwain, however, appears much more socially outgoing and comfortable than the young man I'm talking about. I would have no problem dealing with the media, but I'm not sure that this particular kid would welcome or do well with all the attention. While he is usually quite comfortable in the presence of peers and adults that he knows, he is extremely timid and anxious with unfamiliar adults. I could just imagine what could happen if this boy were to be informed that, God forbid, president Bush was coming to meet him. At the first site of the president, He would probably run away, even attempt to swim across Lake Ontario in order to escape the encounter. Maybe if he gets help with his social skills this personal characteristic of his will diminish, but for now, I don't think he would appreciate so much attention. He's just a boy with a fascination with sports who wants to play.

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First things first, the kid should be allowed a chance to play. If he works that hard at it, then he truly loves it. That says a lot right there.

I have to agree with you on this. This boy is one of only a handful of kids across the city that you will catch practicing baseball on their own. If this is that important to him, and he's able to play well, a good coach/person would be forced to do everything he could to give him a chance to succeed.

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Originally posted by ORmom:
Should he be given an opportunity-definitely! But...
As a special ed. teacher who works with kids under the PDD umbrella, I definitely understand the cautious approach. If you've never worked with kids with autism/asperger's it can be very intimidating-even to me when I get a new kiddo! There is so broad a range of abilities it's hard to say if it's appropriate or not. The coach would definitely want to get as much information as possible-from parents/teachers/professionals that work with the child- so as to make it as comfortable for the young man as possible. If not it could be a disaster!

Thank you for this. This fear of the unknown is what I was hinting at when I asked if any coach would be uncomfortable and consider cutting a kid just because he is autistic. A lot of us aren't ever exposed to kids like this and just don't know what to expect. Not only that, but the behaviors of kids like this can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstandings, especially if you're not aware of the disorder and how it affects behaviors or abilities. For example, this boy never looks at me in the eye. If I hadn't done a little research on some of the symptoms of the disorder and discovered that eye contact can be very difficult for such people, I might have falsely assumed that this young man disdained me, was not being very respectful, was brought up with poor manners by his parents, and was simply being rude. Right away I would not have a very good impression of him and this would probably not help him get on the team. Ignorance is everywhere, and I do believe that if this boy is to be happy and succeed on the team, then it's not just him who would need to learn and grow, its all of us--the whole team including his peers. This is a new challenge we would all be faced with.

I want to thank everyone for replying to my querie. I have searched all over the web using several search engines in an effort to find documented information about an autistic pitcher that could help me understand what may lie ahead. All I could come up with were references to Rube Waddell. Nobody seems to know for sure if he even was autistic. He died so long ago I guess we may never know. Somehow, my search lead me to this forum. You folks have all been very kind in that you have certainly given me plenty of important things to consider and look out for. Your words of encouragement are deeply appreciated, as are your tips and suggestions regarding where I can look to for help. I find your unanimous consideration for this boy to be very emotionally moving. Thank you all!

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Your words of encouragement are deeply appreciated, as are your tips and suggestions regarding where I can look to for help. Thank you all!

strike123 - I'll add my encouragement for the boy, but just wondering a few things

tho your interest is high - the boy's level of interest in baseball was never discussed

it's clear from your posts that you are not his parent & may not even personally know him ... soo you've reached a complex medical conclusion on someone elses kid browsing the net and making assumptions. curious or scary?

if you are a youth coach, what are your credientials .. your conflicting descriptions range him from a 13 yr old rookie, to one of the best players in a rec league

many hs jv & freshman programs are staffed with 1 coach who has his hands full & limited resources,
none that I'm aware of have medical support staff

I'm all for helping any kid, but not much for just stirring up the pot - just to stir the pot

don't mean to be harsh, I'm sure if I mis-read anything you'll point it out

that said, inspite of some things working against him, if his IS good he can be successful

google Albert Belle (or maybe you did )

Bee> Sounds like the kid is very interested in baseball:

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I walk my dog a lot near the school during the off season and will often see him practicing with his brother and uncle--throwing practice bullpens, taking infield and outfield, long throwing, and hitting buckets of balls.

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you've reached a complex medical conclusion on someone elses kid browsing the net and making assumptions. curious or scary?

Actually strike123 is doing what he should be. Legally, it's his neck. He's nowhere near making a conclusion about this player.

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by s123: I walk my dog a lot near the school during the off season and will often see him practicing

amazing what ya can learn walking the dog

by mdscguy: "he's not making a conclusion"

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by S123: Physically, he has no motor skill deficiencies. He does seem to suffer some hypersensitivity issues, mostly tactile... usually refrains from sliding into base because the dirt on his uniform messes with him somehow ... He has difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings ... His socialization is very poor... He doesn't really have any friends .. others have a tendency to pick on and make fun of him ... He can be unusually shy in certain situations ... His mental capacity seems to be good, but his cognition is well below average ... He's probably just as intelligent as anyone, but a little behind due to poor language comprehension ... he hasn't received any language/social skills therapy since elementary school ... he may not understand verbal instruction ... He is more of a visual learner ...he may not be able to adjust or make changes in his game quickly enough to be competetive ... he doesn't react well to criticism ... (this could cause him to develope A-Rod syndrome) ... due to a possible working memory deficiency

imagine the knowledge to be gained if he was walking the dog on Wall Street

I cannot believe you even discussing this - there are all levels of high functioning autism. My girlfriend's son, who is autistic, (19 years old) is on the Great Britain senior mens water polo team. No one had even a second thought that he was not highly competent and motivated and an extremely good player. If that is the case with baseball then he should be playing.

Let me add some thoughts to this subject for whatever their worth. I have a high school sophomore who has a learning disability not dissimilar from what you described. (The autism diagnosis range is so broad these days as to make it almost meaningless.) In addition I also have a very talented freshman baseball player so I like to think I understand the baseball world too. My thoughts are that if the parents are motivated to have their son participate and if he wants to go for it himself, I would suggest working with the school system first (Princ., AD and coach) and advocate for this young man's opportunity to participate. Often times it is a long and lonely journey when you are working with a beauacracy like a school system that is very entrenched in their ways so don't expect open arms and enlightment on their part- just the opposite is my experience and we come from an area with a excellent school system. However there are Federal Laws that protect this young man and require the school system to act on his behalf so you will not go in unarmed (and Federal Laws are something school systems are very familar with).
Regarding the overall team, assuming it's properly handled on the front end and communicated to players and parents, there is an opportunity for everyone to benefit from it greatly and even transform a run of the mill season into something very special for all concerned. However if this is to work out for the best all bases would need to be covered and it starts with the player himself, the parents and then hopefully a positive coach to work with. Realize the process takes time and what might come from it may be different from what you intended to accomplish at the start (ie. maybe his first year he will be a manager who practices with the team and suits up at the conclusion of the season.) Finally, regarding how to start the process, there is no specific road map to follow so if you're motivation is the right one (improving the child's hs experience, and I'm sure it is) then I would trust your gut judgement when you are faced with the many issues that you will be come across. Finally for motivation there was an article in a local paper of ours that described a h.s. girl with autism who tried out for the h.s. cross county team. Because of her condition someone on the team had to volunteer each time to run with her so she would not get lost on the course and wander off, etc. The end result was the whole team looked at the experience at the end of the season as the most positive experience they had in high school and learned lessons from it that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. It can happen. Good luck.

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Actually strike123 is doing what he should be. Legally, it's his neck. He's nowhere near making a conclusion about this player.

By conclusion, I of course meant an ultimate decision as to whether the kid will or won't play.

I fully support his involvement in baseball given he is interested and motivated and the parents and docotrs have blessed it.

Does this young man have documented learning disabilities as per federal guidelines? If so - regardless of how poor the special ed program is at his school all public schools receiving federal (and state funding*) must provide him with any necessary educational modifications and accommodations including social and psychological counseling. If this is not happening, for your son's sake, I highly suggest you get the process started now. It is late in the game but not too late. You owe it to him to have every opportunity to be successful socially and eduacationally.

Not chastising - but this is way too serious an issue to write off as the "school has a poor special eduacation program". They MUST provide within the scope and depth of any documented disability. Get help from an advocate in your area. PM me if you need information on anything related to special eduacation and federal law.

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Originally posted by itsagreatgame:
Does this young man have documented learning disabilities as per federal guidelines?

Can everyone PLEASE remember that when you are talking about High Functioning Autism and/or Asperger's Sydrome, you are often talking about people of ABOVE-average intelligence.

Their deficits are in the realm of social functioning and sometimes physical abilities.

I believe the boy should be judged on his talent alone. His reluctance to slide and get dirty is a factor in his performance. If he's a good pitcher, he might do fine at the end of the lineup. Less an issue.

My middle school aged son had a boy in his class last year with AS. Poor social skills, doesn't like to be touched, issues with little things, etc. He is a very good tennis player, and a respected s****r player, so his ability to play sports is unquestioned. But he had a very hard time with other kids for his "odd and annoying behavior". My son was, unfortunately, one of those who had very little tolerance for him and was vocal about it. About mid year, one of the teachers sat everyone down, explained to them the nature of this boy's problem, and recruited them to be his allies. Without fail, each of the boy's classmates rallied to his side. No, they didn't all become his best friend, but they became more empathetic and tolerant of the oddness. My own son felt terrible that he'd been impatient with this boy, and became very protective. He just hadn't understood why the boy behaved so differently. With understanding came acceptance.

Communication is key. Your ability to respectfully explain the boy's actions and recruit his teammates toward empathy and understanding should help a great deal in their acceptance of him should he make the team.

From working with austitic kids on and off for the last 35 years I am a proponent of mainstreaming mentally handicapped kids. However I have many reservations about mainstreaming for the sake of patting ourselves on our back just because we did. Many have pointed out that every situation is different, but I feel the big picture has to be looked at by a professional before the kid is tossed to the wolves. It could take a long time of observations, and work before a the kid is thrown into that situation where the results may be very negative. We often tell posters that we are not Doctors when a physical situation comes up. When mental a diagnosis and related actions are asked I think we are even less able to form an opinion.

On a related topic. If an autistic kid is put in the situation does a competitive opposing coach have his team "back-off" the kid, unlike any other player who is struggling, or does the coach say "turn it up" and find his weakness as it is done with all other players? The physically challenged player says do not treat me differently, the mentally challenged player.......were not sure what he's thinking sometimes. Very dangerous situation.

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Originally posted by rz1:
From working with austitic kids on and off for the last 35 years I am a proponent of mainstreaming mentally handicapped kids...the mentally challenged player.......were not sure what he's thinking sometimes. Very dangerous situation.

Why do you guys keep assuming that the guy is mentally retarded (or "challenged" or whatever)?

He may be, but the odds are that he is actually smarter than average.

Again, if he's HFA and is in a mainstream school, then his issues are more likely to be social, not mental.

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Originally posted by thepainguy:
Originally posted by rz1:
From working with austitic kids on and off for the last 35 years I am a proponent of mainstreaming mentally handicapped kids...the mentally challenged player.......were not sure what he's thinking sometimes. Very dangerous situation.

That comment on my part was not in reference to this kid but my experience in general

The original question was.........

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would you be comfortable having a high functioning autistic pitcher on your team?

I doubt if anyone here has enough information or professional experience to make that call. I didn't mean to irritate anyone I was making a general statement. I am not qualified to make specific judgements.

My middle son is HFA and also a pretty decent youth pitcher.
I have been encouraged by some of the thoughts i have seen written here. Our knowledge of the PDD spectrum has certainly grown since my guy was diagnosed in '98.
He is a good pitcher and outfielder. We've never tried football because he can't defend himself, basketball is so complex he can't defend worth a hoot but will bury you in a game of horse. On the diamond he has had shots hit at him and nobody would ever suspect he has any kind of label. He sounds a lot like the kid in question...
As for the question it sounds to me like he has the ability to play the game... so let him play the game if his ability dictates he can.
Great Discussion Folks....

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Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
He is a good pitcher and outfielder. We've never tried football because he can't defend himself, basketball is so complex he can't defend worth a hoot but will bury you in a game of horse. On the diamond he has had shots hit at him and nobody would ever suspect he has any kind of label. He sounds a lot like the kid in question...

I have had the opportunity to coach some HFA/AS guys in both s****r and basketball.

The one kid (11/12) I'm coaching now in basketball is really in over his head and doesn't know it. He honestly seems to believe that he's Michael Jordan (he wants to play point guard), but he's not.

However, he was a solid goalie and defender this fall when we played s****r. I think those two positions worked better for him because they were less complicated. He didn't have to do anything other than worry about catching the ball or kicking it right back where it came from. He did both quite well (but he was a handful at practice).

The kid mentioned above is also a strong rebounder.

My 7 YO son has also had two AS/HFA kids on his s****r team the last two years. They both were completely out of their depth when it came to offense, but could play goalie and defense.

Again, the key was to get them to focus on the ball, because trying to get them to move according to what the other players did just confused them.

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Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
My middle son is HFA and also a pretty decent youth pitcher.

I'm interested in learning more about your son, If you don't mind. I'd be greatful if you would share more information about his accomplishments in baseball, such as any great games he may have had from the mound. How good is he at hitting? How quick is he with his glove? When pitching, can he protect himself with a quick instinctual reaction with his glove when a bullet is hit right back at him? Feel free to brag about any great moments in his career. I'd love to hear about it.