No teeny tiny here, I just like to BRAG!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
No teeny tiny here, I just like to BRAG!
6
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 10:22pm

Mike is on a Basketball team!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so the league is for kids 3 years younger than him and I have already gotten comments on the tall kid. He has never, ever had a positive team experience before and lord knows we have tried. Even had him playing on the "special" leagues.

Last year Emily played Biddy Ball Basketball and loved it. Has a great head coach guy who is awesome with the kids and it is a great program. They needed more kids for this session so first I signed up Dave and they took him because he only missed the age cut off by a few weeks. But Mike kept asking me if he could play. There is NO WAY he could play with his age group peers.

So I approached the coach and explained Mike and asked. He said he would give it a try and he put Mike on a team where the coach has a dd with Downs. Does god work sometimes or WHAT. THe little girl with downs is on the team too. Mike did great. He paid attention, he was helpful and the dad is so patient with him.

WARNING HERE IS THE BRAG!!!!!!!

Well, last year Mike's class couldn't even do relays or play games with Mike because of the tantrum that would happen if any thing went wrong, which it always did. Bad tantrums, some times aggressive tantrums. Often he couldn't even go to PE. Relays in particular were the worst. He had made progress at school and seemed to be enjoying PE but I was nervous.

They had a relay at the end of the practice like they do every week. Mikes team naturally was falling behind and the girl with downs was slower. He cheered on the whole team and was a great sport! He cheered on the other teams too! HE particularly cheered on the little girl with downs and told me later "mom, I could tell she had something like autism and needed extra cheering".

Tonight, again, he was a good sport! The coach had to redirect him back to task and to the group a bunch of times, but over all he did absolutely fabulous and still was a great sport about the relay race. He is loving basketball and can't wait to play next week. This head coach has been doing this program for 20+ years all the way up through all the levels. I think maybe I have something I can keep Mike in that he will enjoy and be successful at.

THAT'T MY BOY!!!!!!!
Here's hoping!

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 11:10pm
That is so awesome!!!

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 11:20pm


Great job, Mike! It gives me hope for Jake whose dad played college basketball.There's no pressure for Jake to play by his dad(yeah right). I just hope his co-ordination improves or that is just not going to happen(LOL).

Teresa

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-15-2003
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 7:36am

That's awesome! and I love that he made a special effort to cheer for the little girl with downs!

ml

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 1:16pm

Dear Renee,

HOORAY FOR MIKIE! This is a great week for brags. And hooray for the relay race, that is just huge. I'm so happy for you both.

We have also had this issue sometimes with competition and Malcolm, just like you describe with Mike in past years, and the worst was this summer in Day Camp with NT kids and apparently some bad coaching as well, grrrr.

Now that his sensory system is back to relaxed, Malcolm has swung into competition situations again and is doing great, and with basketball as well, just like Mike. Gee, if we lived near each other, I bet they'd be pals. He is playing mini-basketball games alot with his sports therapist and 3 other boys, also with his buddies at the playground and during freetime at the community center gym. NOW he has joined a basketball clinic on Saturdays for NT kids, 23 kids in the group, run by a dad Malcolm is good pals with, and it's like there has never been a competition problem in his life. Miracle!!!

I'm glad we've stuck with it. There were times I was tempted to just give up on the idea of competitive sports for Malcolm, but then I could always tell that deep down he really WANTED to be able to play. And now the joy in him when he is able to do it and do well is so strong.

yours,

Sara
ilovemalcolm

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 3:12pm

Great job, Mike!!! That's great that he's found a sport that he loves to do! Nathan isn't into sports...too much of a thinker and not so active. I really don't picture Nathan doing sports anytime soon! Great brag, Renee!

michelle

Avatar for betz67
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 3:38pm

WOOO HOOOO! that is so great! and yes, God certainly does put us in the right place at the right time sometimes! and it's so cool that he realized that she needed extra cheering! so so cool!

Betsy