Trying to do Sports with NLD
Today, we’ll discuss what it's like trying to play sports with NLD.
“Nonverbal Learning Disabilities and Sports: How I Debunked the Myth” an article from understood.org, where Michaela Hearst describes the challenges she experiences because of having NLD. “Growing up, my difficulties with motor skills and depth perception as well as my visual-spatial issues made it hard for me to do things like kicking a soccer ball or hitting a baseball. These issues are caused by my nonverbal learning disability (NVLD). But because I wasn’t diagnosed with NVLD until I was 14, for years I just assumed I wasn’t good at sports. Who are you to tell me what I’m not good at? I thought to myself. In my heart, I just wanted to run. Running around the gym 10 times would make me smile. When I ran, I felt alive. I felt free. I felt unstoppable.”
I can relate to Michaela but not because I was told that I wasn’t good at sports. I relate because I fell a lot when I was running on trails. I got into long-distance running when I was in high school because I wanted to do another sport that was year-round and different from the others I did.
No matter how many times I fell I got back up and continued running, even if I was bleeding or bitten by a dog. One time I was bit by a dog when I was running from my home to work. I accidentally spooked the dog from behind. It bit me on my thigh. Luckily it didn’t get infected. The owner of the dog didn’t do anything except for asking if I was okay. I thought I was because it didn’t hurt since I had adrenaline rushing through my body. I ran a total 0f 10 miles that day. I thought my parents would be mad at me because that’s what I always thought at the age when something wasn’t my fault. They were mad at the owner, not me. We never found the owner to try to get her contact info. And it took a few days for me to be able to run without a burning sensation in my leg.
I have run 5 half marathons and one full marathon. I ran the triple crown which means you run these 3 half marathons in the same year: Carlsbad, La Jolla, and America’s finest city. After I ran Carlsbad's full marathon I discovered that I had won second place in my age bracket. I was 17 at the time and it took me 5 hrs, 8 mins, and 8 seconds to run. I’m telling you this not to brag but to encourage you that if you have NLD you can do well in sports even if you think you can’t. Or have been told you can’t. When I ran I often felt like a butterfly or gazelle because I tried to be light on my feet. I got into running because I wanted to do something that would help me release the emotions that I was going through from some family drama.
The reason sports are usually challenging for people with NLD is that we don’t naturally have good fine motor skills. For example, I used to struggle with shuffling cards and learning how to ride a bike. But I did eventually learn how to ride a bike when I was 13 and with practice, I am getting better at shuffling cards. Now I can shuffle cards without looking at them and I can do the bridge too!
I also do downhill skiing and used to do a Japanese martial art called Aikido. My mom has told me that she is impressed with how good I’m at skiing even though I have NLD and visual-spatial issues. I think this is true because I’ve been doing it since I was 5 and a half years old. I also know how to fall properly because of the several times I did rolling in Aikido.
In Aikido you try to send more of your partner’s energy back towards them so you’re not hurting them unless they resist you. It does also hurt when you put your body in certain pins but again only if you resist them. If you ease into them and get used to them it doesn’t hurt as much.
Aikido is a “modern Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba, as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attackers from injury”
With Aikido I lost interest because once I got into the adult class I had more challenges with expressing enough energy and emotions in my techniques. That was because of dealing with healing from the trauma of sexual abuse and the family drama around it. I eventually quit when I was 15 because I didn't do it as much without my brother there once he went to college plus it was too hard with trauma and family drama. But I wouldn’t mind getting back into it someday once I get the COVID vaccine and can afford it.
I remember one time I fell down a ski run when I was in college I think. I was skiing with my brother down a black diamond. I fell on me but because I was sitting too far back. I couldn’t get up because the snow was too icy. Before I knew it my skies had come off and I dropped my pools. And I was sliding down the hill head first. I slide for at least 3/4ths of the run. I even yelled my brother’s name out in exasperation. Eventually, my body turned around so I was facing uphill instead of downhill. I dug in my hands and feet to stop myself from sliding any further. I looked up and saw snow in my goggles. And took them off and saw my brother. He finished his turn and sat down and hugged me. He asked if I was okay. I was okay even though I was a little shaken. Two snowboarders had grabbed my skies for me. My brother had one of my poles and one of his. He had left the other two up in the snow because he raced after me as I was sliding downhill. Eventually, we got our poles back the next day. I did that run two more times without falling it because I wanted to overcome my mistakes and insecurities.
Another thing I got into was arts and crafts and I was surprised that I was able to learn how to knit from my mom. She did teach me how to make a dress one time also. I marvel at what she can do because she taught herself how to knit, sew, and crochet all from books, probably with limited pictures. And she is a very visual person, but I’ve seen some of her knitting and crochet work and it is of excellent quality.
She has a critical eye for quality and has helped me gain one for the 12 years of knitting that I have been doing it. I have started to care more about quality as I got back into especially if I’m giving someone the piece I’m knitting. I’ve gotten better at being okay with starting over even if I have to start all over and undo everything I just knitted. I remember a headband that I had to start over probably 4 or 5 times because I kept forgetting where I would stop in the pattern when I resumed knitting. Finally, I decided to circle or make a mark where I was so I wouldn’t forget the next time. It worked, thankfully.
I think I’ve made about 7 scarves, 2 slippers, one headband, one tank top, one pair of fingerless mittens, 3 hats, 3 bookmarks, two necklaces, and 12 bracelets. All of the different difficulties so I can progress in the ability of knitting. I’m going to redo the tank top because it doesn’t fit me anymore with all the weight I lost recently.
I have surprised myself with how many things I can knit on very small needles. Since I have NLD the fine motor skills make it challenging to knit with small needles. But I can do it if I stick with it and don’t give up. Also if I’m willing to start over when I make a mistake.
So whether it’s trying to do sports or acquire better fine motor skills I and others with NLD still struggle in areas today. I would like for you to think about the challenges you experience because of sports.
