For Coaches of Athletes with ASD, ADHD and ID

Looking for tools to help you Coach Champions with Emotional or Developmental Disabilities? Check out any of our free downloadable resources for coaches!

For Coaches of Children with an Intellectual Disability or Down Syndrome

If you are a coach of an athlete with an Intellectual Disability and want to learn more about ID, please take advantage of this information:

Intellectual Disability Overview

For Coaches of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

Thanks to a generous gift from Shire Pharmaceuticals, Play Like a Champion is able to offer resources for parents and coaches of athletes with exceptionalities.

If you are a coach of an athlete with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder and want to learn more about ADHD, please take advantage of this information:

If you are the coach of an athlete with Autism Spectrum Disorder and want to learn more about ASD, please take advantage of this information:

We also offer adjusted practice plans and meeting templates for coaches of athletes with exceptionalities.

Dr. David Baron has written extensively on athletes with ADHD, including Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps. Student-athletes with exceptionalities can take inspiration from professional athletes who have embraced living with ADHD and learned how to succeed:

Anthony Ianni, the first known NCAA athlete with autism talks about life as an athlete with ASD and coping with bullies here.

Here are a number of additional excellent resources:

"How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion" Guide published by Baylor University which teaches youth how to accept others' differences and strategies to foster empathy and understanding.
Check out the video Well Played, which illustrates how ADHD can manifest in children with ADHD.
The National Autism Center has many resources for families on their website.
To learn more about how to effectively coach athletes with ADHD, watch this video featuring Dr. Carrie Hastings and Dr. David Baron discussing the effects of ADHD in Athletics
If you would like to learn more about addressing issues of ADHD and substance abuse, please click here to learn more.

Do you coach or parent a young athlete who you suspect has experienced some trauma? Dr. Carrie Hastings, Psy.D. is available to answer your questions through a CONFIDENTIAL email helpline. Email her at askdoctorcarrie@playlikeachampion.org.

*Dr. Carrie Hastings is a licensed, clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles, CA and is an independent consultant supporting PLACES. No contractual, therapeutic relationship exists with those who exchange emails with "Dr. Carrie." Feedback will be offered as it relates to current literature and practice, but no formal treatment is to be provided. Both Dr. Carrie and Play Like a Champion disclaim any liability directly or indirectly related to any email discussion.