Would having a Special Needs Child on your child's basketball team upset you?

[Marla Murasko]

I know Indiana is known to be fanatical about their high school basketball teams. So if your child was on a championship team, and a special needs player wanted to play on the team. How would you feel? Are you comfortable knowing that they could loose a game just because the coach wanted to offer an opportunity of a life-time to that special needs child. Is winning a game more important then compassion? Just curious.

[Erin Edds]

I would encourage the child to play on the team. I would encourage MY CHILD to do everything in his power to be a good team mate to this child. And I would encourage the coach to give him playing time. What age group are we talking here?
You're talking about an "opportunity of a life-time" vs. losing ONE GAME, ONE SEASON.

Winning a game is NEVER more important than being a good sport, a composed loser, and a gracious winner.

Just curious... Why did you pose this question?

[Marla Murasko]

Thanks for your response. I was referencing high school age in my question.

I posted this twofold:
1) for the Smaller Indiana contest "What's on Hoosiers' Minds?"
2) but more importantly I have a child with Down Syndrome (3 yrs old, so by no means a high schooler), but there has been alot on the media lately with regards to Down Syndrome Awareness, April is Autism Awareness Month, the Notre Dame students put together a committee "To Get Rid of the R-Word" that was on the news recently, and I was just more curious to see what the community's awareness and acceptance was on our special needs children. It's seems like Indiana in a whole has alot more compassion, however I also know that sports are very important in families, so I wanted to get a pulse of what people thought about children with disabilities being included in team sports. Will they be welcomed?

[Shannon Gross]

How about a just-for-fun league?

While there are many folks (and by this I mean kids and parents) who are highly focused on competing and winning, there are plenty of families who are not looking for their kid to become the next Michael Jordan. They're just out to have fun, get out of the house, move their bodies, and try something new.

Surely these are out there somewhere - right? And if not, maybe it's time to start something. Cooperative sports/games comes to basketball!

[Linda J Ranger]

This is a difficult question. We all want our kids to succeed but let's admit that most students do not make the team when they try out. Thus it would be difficult to include someone on the team that may not have very good athletic abilities.

Like Reyna mentioned maybe special after school scrimmage games of students wanting to play that did not make the team would be a fun thing for all involved. This would also give the varsity coaches a chance to evaluate some of the lesser known students in their schools for possible inclusion in the future for the team. I know my son loved playing basketball for fun not competitively and might have enjoyed "pick up" scrimmage games after school on a full basketball court.

Whether we like it or not it is important to the student body and parents that the team tries to win their games. As we all know the coach can be fired if he doesn't win most of his games.

[Greg Blunk]

I think that it would all depend on school, the child, the child's previous involvment with the team, etc.

I would encourage the special needs child to be a part of the team. Jason McElwain, the autistic kid from Rochester, NY who had the amazing performance in his one and only varsity basketball game, was engrained in his high school basketball program. He worked very hard in his role as the team manager. That hard work and dedication inspired his coach to give him a shot.

And now he's an assistant coach for that same high school.

[Marla Murasko]

My outlook for my son is just that I want him to try everything that interests him. He's only 3 yrs old, but he does gymnastics, swimming, kindermusik and to be honest with you he loves his music class the best.

But I just want him to have the same opportunities as others. I would never push him to do anything he didn't want to do and I would never push him on anyone that didn't believe he could succeed. I just hope they will give him a chance to show what he can or cannot do and decide from there. Not just presume because he has a disability he can't do anything. Thank you all for listening and responding. I appreciate your honesty.

[Erik Deckers]

Let him try whatever he wants. If he wants to do gymnastics or swimming, let him do it as much as he wants. If he wants to play basketball, he should be allowed to try. Keep in mind that coaches see their job as winning games. If he's good enough to play, he'll play. Hopefully the coach will be open-minded enough to give your son a chance, and dismiss him just because of his disability.

But my recommendation is that you put him into anything he feels like joining.

[Anita LeBeau Griggs]

Jason & 2 other special needs high school basketball players were highlighted on the CBS Early Show this week. One of the boys was Downs Syndrome. Honestly, I don't remember the full story, but I'm sure it's on the Early Show website. It was a heart warming story.

[Timothy Coomer]

Sports is about teamwork, competition, and who can make the team. It's hard to know if a special needs kid should or could play on a team. I guess it depends upon the nature of the team. I would hate to force someone to have my child on their team but would hope that there might be a place for him. I want my son treated as normally as possible but I think only a certain number of accommodations can be made for him. thanks!

[Darrell G. Walton]

It depends on what are the motives of engagement for the child to be there.

Is it for the best interest of the child's development or is it the unfortunately denial and shame of the parent who doesn't want to accept the fact they have a special needs child?

As a former coach, I've been caught in the middle of this dilemma and believe if the child can meet the basics standards; socially, physically, and mentally, they should be given a chance. The fact is few won't and don't meet those standards and political correctness has to be put aside to many parents dismay and belief that their child, for their child's sake and the sake of the other kids will not make the team and shouldn't make the team.

The main reason is safety! In today's very competitive high speed intense style of play whether it's basketball or football you're putting your child in a very vulnerable situations that no child deserves to be cast into.

Also is it fair to the rest of the team as to have to be held back from there maximum potential to accommodate the special needs child? This also goes the same in the classroom and other learning environments as well.

Whether a kid is special needs, or like me over 40, or anything in between, you should in honesty and reality stay with in your competitiveness skill level leagues and teams as to get the maximum joy and benefit from it. Everybody can't be a pro!

I come from the football side of things. My policy was and will never change is to do what's best for the special needs child best interest regardless of parental or political opinion for what's good for the over all benefit of the team.

[Duane "DORN" Brenton]

I coached this last season rec league basketball and I had a girl with adhd and torrette's Syndrome, She was at times unfocused but she was a great kid and had a blast playing. I had no problem having her on the team she was fairly talented and worked hard to get better and she played great defense. The small draw back was the other girls could at times be hard on her, but they were hard on each other too.

[Marla Murasko]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I appreciate everyone's honesty.

Have a great weekend, enjoy the nice weather.