But im good at sports

A place to talk about your experience of living with Dyspraxia

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shadowgirl021
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But im good at sports

Post by shadowgirl021 »

I do not know if this thread should be in this section but its not exactly day to day living so hopefully in the right place.
Anyway this has been bugging me ever since ive researched and looked into Dyspraxia. When i was 17 some assessment teacher said i had Dyspraxia and its not until the last year and a half to two years (im 21 now) that ive actually looked into it after an unfortunate job loss and another job where i felt like i was struggling. I can identify with some of the points then and now like
*short term memory therefore losing things
*bumping into people and tripping over things
*being easily distracted
*getting lost very easily
to name but a few but with every case study ive read or anything ive seen about Dyspraxia, ive seen people who struggle with sports and i believe im good at sports, i play football, i was on the basketball team and i am a fast runner.
So is it possible to be good at sports and have Dyspraxia?????
Tom fod
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Tom fod »

Everyone's different while medical science tries to categorise things/people.

I'm a bit of a sport hater though it's probably organised sport I dislike. I try to play badminton not well as far standards go but I wouldn't want to play competively myself that would put too much pressure on me. I was in a pool team but was getting too competitive and too much pressure/blame so gave that up as was unhappy. I'm pretty good at swimming and can also turn my hand to a bit of DIY too Just need to allow myself time and don't rush/panic
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
Jpowls
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Jpowls »

I would definitely second the point about every dyspraxic being different. Not everybody has the same symptoms or is affected in the same way.

I've always been interested in sport and have played but at very poor standards. What I tend to find though is that it is not impossible to develop skills or ability at sport but it takes longer to develop. It seems to me quite plausible that you have developed skills whilst you were not aware you had dyspraxia or dyspraxic tendencies.

For example, I like to cook and have quite good knife skills etc. A lot of which should not be applicable and i struggle with other fine motor skills. But with enough practice it is possible to acquire skills.
Tom fod
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Tom fod »

Always try never to let the fact that you 'have' dyspraxia stop you from trying stuff! Persistance can get you there though if it 'hurts' too much and is soul destroying maybe it isn't for you.You've tried and it's time to try something else. Sorry that's so contradictory! I guess the trick is balancing stuff and not feeling bad/focusing on what you like and are good at and not worrying about the other stuff.

Tom
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
shadowgirl021
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by shadowgirl021 »

Thank you, I did need reminding that everyone who has Dyspraxia has it affected differently, like my friend who says has it can now drive so there are barriers that you can either overcome or work around, its just disheartening when you come across some information and you think that's not true surely or something like that or says something that you know you can do quite well, though I do know that everyone is different.
That is right, when I was younger i was always this disorganised, scatty person who would always get lost, but was on the basketball team so didn't figure there was anything wrong and I still don't, don't get me wrong, until the word Dyspraxia comes along and although its nice putting a name to something, I look it up and think hang on so im not supposed to be good at sports then.
I will try not not to, I am still looking for care work even though my last two care jobs were a struggle, but at least this time I knew where my pit falls were and so can work on them
Catwoman42
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Catwoman42 »

I'm good at dancing and am doing salsa and jive at present. But I don't do sports; my hand/eye co ordination is rubbish.
Ldyalb
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Ldyalb »

Everyone is different, I'm rubbish at sports, especially racket sports like tennis. But I was pretty good at Hockey (I think being 5"1 was the reason behind that one, I was that much nearer the ball than everyone else so I could easily keep possession of it).

I also can't drive - others can. I can't play instruments but others can. I am able to tie my shoelaces and I can deal with buttons and fiddly things quite well, whereas other dyspraxics can't.

No-one has all symptoms, there's always going to be some people who are good at things most people with dyspraxia struggle with.
Dyspraxia - Dx Jan 2010, borderline ASD as well plus strong Dyscalculia overlap.

Fibromyalgia - Dx Jan 2011.
Hypermobility - Dx April 2011
Willis-Ekbom Disease - Dx November 2011

I also have Eczema, Rosacea and Trichitollomania. Oh joy :)
Raf123
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Raf123 »

This topic is very close to my heart, I got diagnosed with dyspraxia when I was around 12. I really struggle writing and doing my show laces etc all small motor skills, but when it comes to sport I have always excelled I have competed for team uk been world championships been ranked 8th in the world at one point. I have always been one of the first picks when it comes to sports teams when I was a kid.
But I really do struggle with a lot of things most dyspraxic people do, I would love to figure out if it is dyspraxia I have or maybe something else?
Tom fod
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Re: But im good at sports

Post by Tom fod »

Raf123 wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:30 am This topic is very close to my heart, I got diagnosed with dyspraxia when I was around 12. I really struggle writing and doing my show laces etc all small motor skills, but when it comes to sport I have always excelled I have competed for team uk been world championships been ranked 8th in the world at one point. I have always been one of the first picks when it comes to sports teams when I was a kid.
But I really do struggle with a lot of things most dyspraxic people do, I would love to figure out if it is dyspraxia I have or maybe something else?
Hi Raf Welcome to our corner of the WWW.

The typically must be clumsy / useless at sport is an unhelpful stereotype. The Rugby player Ellis George is Dyspraxic, Daniel Radcliffe, Florence Welch (of Florence And The Machine) and Cara Delvigne too There are quite a number of dyspraxics who have found their niche and excel in various professions where you wouldn't ever think you'd find us. We've had a Dyspraxic Tree surgeon on here! Awareness is poor and ignorance abounds. We've heard stories where people have been dismissed by GPs because they're 'too intelligent' or they can type or catch a ball.

Professor Amanda Kirby one of the foremost experts on Dyspraxia and Neurodiversity uses an analogy of balls in buckets and how you have to have enough balls in a particular bucket to be considered to have Dyspraxia or ADHD or ASD etc. I'd struggle to get near the bucket with my balls but got enough to earn the label. I work hard to try not be constrained by it.

So often the difficulties we experience come when we're constrained by our own or others unrealistic expectations or false notions of what we can/cannot do. We definitely have persistence and bloody mindedness built in but we have to be careful to use it wisely so as not to cause difficulty for ourselves.

I conform in that I was typically one of the last to be picked, Sport isn't my thing and some people I meet find that hard to comprehend. I wasn't one of the cool kids or ever that interested as I would compare myself and give up or dismiss it as the 'new religion and replacement 'Opium,of the people'. I defy the 'rules/laws of dyspraxia' in my own ways but I'm aware I have to work harder/smarter and I have my bad days where stuff doesn't go to plan.

When you meet one person living with Dyspraxia, you've met one of us. We're a very diverse bunch!
Tom
Moderator/Administrator

With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
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