Athletics
ADHD: The Necessity of Showing Rather Than Telling
The necessity of showing rather than telling is a foundational concept when collaborating with, coaching, or leading individuals with ADHD. Because abstract verbal instructions require a high degree of mental sequencing and working memory, concrete visual examples act as a cognitive bridge. The dynamics of this approach are illustrated by the basketball examples, the bakery analogy, and […]
The Ancestral Engine: Why the ADHD Brain Thrives in Craft, Trade, and Action
For decades, modern education and corporate culture have treated ADHD as a deficit of attention and executive function. Individuals with ADHD are frequently diagnosed as having "broken" internal wiring because they struggle to sit still for six hours, absorb abstract lectures, or organize their day using traditional planners and spreadsheets. However, when you strip away […]
The Vector of Real Empathy: Why We Are Failing Neurodivergent Kids and How to Fix It
My former psychiatrist, Dr Joseph Llinas, is a two time APA man of the year for his clinical research on ADHD and ASD kids from low income families. One day I once asked him based on two people I know who had challenges with their ADHD kids the following question “What percentage of the problems […]
The Goalkeeper Paradox: High-Stakes Focus, Spatial Clarity, and the Multisport Advantage
The goalkeeper position in soccer is a fascinating paradox: it is an isolated, highly specialized role that requires intense psychological resilience, making it uniquely suited for an athlete with ADHD. While it is often viewed as a "wallflower" position because the keeper stands apart from the continuous, fluid movement of the rest of the team, […]
Striking a Balance: How Rhythmic Bowling Mechanics Calm and Coordinate the Autistic Nervous System
In the context of sports, recreation, and adapted physical activity, bowling is often a highly recommended sport for individuals on the autism spectrum (ASD). However, standard delivery styles can sometimes feel mechanically rigid or sensory-jarring. The "rock the baby" approach—a specialized bowling delivery technique where the bowler cradles or swings the ball smoothly close to the body, emphasizing a […]
The Neurodivergent Arena: Singles vs. Doubles Table Tennis
For individuals navigating neurodivergence, sports are rarely just about physical exercise. They are an intense exercise in cognitive load management. While a sport like soccer introduces a massive, 21-vector matrix of chaotic human movement, table tennis shrinks the physical universe down to a highly predictable, $9 \times 5$ foot geometric surface. However, how a brain processes this […]
Effects of physical exercise on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
This review article examines the role of physical exercise as an adjunctive, non-drug treatment for children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) . It synthesizes how both brief, single sessions (acute exercise) and regular, long-term programs (chronic exercise) impact the neurophysiology and cognitive functions of children dealing with the disorder . Key Highlights […]
Why Certain Individual Sports and “Island” Positions Are Sanctuaries for ASD Thinkers
For youth on the autism spectrum (ASD), team sports characterized by continuous, unpredictable social choreography (like basketball or soccer) can create an overwhelming cognitive load. However, individual sports and highly structured, isolated roles within larger sports provide an ideal canvas. These environments allow a rigid, systematic, and deeply focused brain to achieve mastery by turning […]
When to Remove the “u” in AuDHD to Master Performance in Golf
Traditional school systems are fundamentally built on a structural model that rewards sequential processing, conformity, and uniform paces. For a student with a highly active, nonlinear brain, the rigid environment of primary and secondary education often acts as a friction point rather than a catalyst for learning. When a high-IQ, hyperactive thinker checks out of […]