Every Mind on the Team: An Introduction to Neurodiversity in Sports

• The athlete who gets it instantly.
• The one who needs to walk it through.
• And then there’s the athlete who’s still wondering… wait, what are we doing?

That’s not always about effort or self-control. Sometimes, it’s just how their brain is wired.

If this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. This article is here to help you start seeing your team in a new way, through the lens of neurodiversity.

My hope is that you’ll walk away with more curiosity, more empathy, and a few questions to bring to your next practice. Ready? Let’s get into it.

This isn’t just a quirk or a phase. It’s neurodiversity, the idea based on the assumption that there’s no single right way to think, learn, or behave. Each athlete understands the game in their own way, and that affects how we coach.

Neurodiversity includes everyone:

• Neurodivergent individual - a person whose brain development and cognitive processing do not align with the statistical majority (neurominority).
• Neurotypical individual - a person whose brain development and cognitive processing align with the statistical majority (neuromajority).

Most often, you’ll hear it in context about a neurodivergent individual: autism, ADHD, dyslexia, processing differences, and more. These aren’t flaws; they’re just natural variations.

Now, you might be thinking, “What does this have to do with sports?” Everything. Coaching is about finding the road to help each athlete optimize their abilities. Every brain processes information differently, which can be challenging for coaches. But, isn’t that part of why we do this?

What You Might Notice on the Field (or Court, or Track...)

Neurodiverse traits can be a superpower or present real challenges.

You may notice some athletes, at times:

• Need structure and repetition
• Never seem to make it to practice on time
• Becomes disengaged as the practice goes on
• Struggle to translate what you say into action (leave a timeout and have no idea what you just drew up)
• Need to see a drill before it clicks
• They never seem to understand the plays, no matter how hard they try

While at other times you notice:

• Hyperfocus and see patterns instantly
• Memory like a steel trap
• Extremely direct and honest, sometimes without tact
• Bring creativity and intensity

Here’s the truth: many neurotypical athletes can identify with these traits, too. Showing these signs doesn’t mean someone needs a diagnosis or treatment. The real goal is to recognize that each athlete thinks, processes, and communicates differently. Our job is to create an environment where all athletes can thrive.

But we can’t ignore the elephant in the locker room… In sports, thinking or processing information differently can carry a heavy stigma. It’s difficult to stand out, especially when athletes are just starting out. Needing extra support may make them feel like failures, even if they’re working twice as hard as their peers.

That stress can sound like:

• “Why can’t I understand as well as my teammates? I always feel like I’m missing something.”
• “Why does it take so much energy for me to focus?”
• “Why, no matter how hard I try, can I never be on time to practice?”

Take A’ja Wilson, one of the most decorated players in WNBA history. 4-time WNBA MVP, 3-time WNBA champion, and the list goes on… She’s spoken openly about her struggles with dyslexia, sharing how she felt “stupid” growing up, despite her work ethic. It wasn’t until late high school and college that she got the support she needed. Her coaches and friends made a huge impact, helping her advocate for herself and embrace her neurodiversity. Now, she’s using her experience to help others through her foundation, fighting stigma and bullying, and empowering individuals to own their differences.

Why Neurodiversity Matters for Teams and Culture

We need neurodiverse athletes on our teams. Neurodiversity brings creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. All qualities that are integral for team success. Inclusive teams not only perform better; they have stronger cultures, clearer communication, and increased trust. When you make space for all thinkers, everyone thrives.

A Moment of Honesty for Coaches

Let’s be real. When athletes don’t “get it,” it’s easy to default to:

• “Pay attention.”
• “Lock in.”
• “Try harder.”

Honestly, I’d bet every coach reading this has at least one story from their playing or coaching days that proves just how common this is (myself included!).

But what if it’s not a motivation problem?
What if it’s a processing difference?

Understanding your athletes, how they think, process information, communicate, and what helps them focus, is the first step to unlocking their potential.

Quick Gut Check: A Reflective Exercise for Coaches

The first step in this journey is recognizing your current habits.

Think about the last time you had to stop practice to reteach a concept and ask yourself:

• How do I currently handle situations when an athlete repeatedly struggles with drills or instructions?
• Do I offer different ways to learn, or do I just repeat myself?
• Do I tend to assume an athlete’s lack of focus or engagement is a motivation problem, or could something else be going on?

So, how do we apply this new perspective?

The answer: Universal Design Coaching.

First, what is Universal Design?

Universal Design is designing an environment or product so that, to the greatest extent possible, it can be used by all people.

I guarantee that every single person reading this knows a Universal Design product/environment, even if you couldn’t name one.

For example:

• Automatic doors - useful for people in wheelchairs, people with limited strength, and anyone with their hands full
• Curb cuts - originally designed for wheelchair users. Benefits people with strollers, travelers with luggage, cyclists, delivery workers, and people with limited mobility

Universal Design Coaching takes the spirit of Universal Design and applies it to the way we coach our athletes. Universal Design Coaching is coaching that benefits everyone. Stay tuned... that topic is for another blog post.