Learning Disabilities and Athletes

by Greg Sanders, Psy.D.

The label "Dumb Jock" has been applied to highly skilled athletes for a long time; remedial or introductory English and math courses were practically invented with the football team in mind. Yet college administrators, coaches, and alumni will often refer to the same dumb jock as a genius on the field, a wizard on the courts, or a master of the sport. Recently, athletic ability has been recognized as a form of intelligence just as academic skills have always been. In fact, educational researchers view intelligence as being multi-modal and an intelligence profile of an individual is constructed using several lines, such as, verbal/auditory, mathematical, abstract/conceptual, or linear logical.

Someone may have strengths in the areas of abstract thinking, but because of weakness in short-term memory, perform poorly in academic subjects. Or, someone may have a mind like a steel trap when it comes to details, but because of weakness in concept formation, be one of the least creative writers on campus. Athletes tend to be people with a high degree of body-oriented intelligence, visual-spatial strengths, and kinesthetic awareness. They also tend to have a high incidence of learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and chemical addiction.

Many elite athletes will tell stories of how sports saved them from feeling like a failure at school, of how being good at physical activity was the only thing that saved their self-esteem. By the time an athlete reaches college or the professional level, he or she may have experienced two decades of feeling different than others, learning how to cope with overwhelming homework assignments, and struggling with remembering facts and figures that seem totally irrelevant. They may also have stories of how alcohol and drugs, especially "speed," helped them to feel in control or at least not so out of control in their lives. When it comes to displaying ability or intelligence, people do what works and tend to avoid what doesn't work for them. So if remembering facts, reading, solving math problems, or paying attention in class is difficult, but running or hitting a ball is easy, it is only natural that sports is chosen over homework. Add to that a genetic predisposition to physical strength, balance, and coordination, and this athletic intelligence blooms.

There are many other reasons that people with academic learning problems and attention deficit disorder find their salvation in sports, not the least of which is public approval and financial reward. The problem is, however, many of these athletic prodigies still carry with them the stigma of the dumb jock, and those whose athletic ability does not reach elite stature, may feel out of place in either world.

Educational therapy is a fast growing profession that helps people to identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop accommodation strategies, advocate for themselves, and succeed in academic areas to the best of their abilities. Many people find both understanding and a certain relief just defining their learning differences and realizing that they are not dumb, unmotivated, or lazy. Sport psychologists, coaches, and educational therapists can work together to bring athletic intelligence the recognition it deserves, and learning disabled athletes the help they need.

Symptoms to watch for:

• Poor or spotty academic record.
• Impulsiveness.
• Disorganization.
• Perfectionism.
• Moodiness or temper tantrums.
• Easily distracted or tendency to hyper-focus.
• Procrastination or avoids reading tasks.
• Fine motor difficulties.
• Trouble remembering details in sequence.
• Consistently mispronounces words.

A good place to begin is by joining C.H.A.D.D.(Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder) or the Learning Disabilities Association and by inviting professionals from the community to speak about athletes and learning differences at meetings and inservice training sessions at your sport organization.

12/29/97