Varsity Championships

Last night was the first practice for the varsity team championship game.  All of the JV players were invited to suit up to practice with the varsity team and if they did that, they could suit up for the varsity championship game this weekend.

We thought most the JV team would do it.   We talked it up big for Timothy -- telling him what a great experience it would be.

After he didn't get put in the game on Sunday, he was relieved and eager to continue practicing and going on with the varsity team.

However, there was only two or three JV players who came out to practice last night.  None of Timothy's regular coaches were there either.  I thought he was going to be so upset that he had come when most of his teammates didn't.

I was totally blown away after practice when he was all smiles (just like all his other practices). He never said a word about being upset because all his teammates weren't there.  He never said anything about not wanting to continue on with practice this evening or go to the game on Sunday.

I told him how proud I was of him, and reminded him that he is showing everyone that he is a part of the team!   He is amazing me even more every day!

First Day of School

 Today was Timothy's official first day of school.  We worked hard all weekend making sure everything was prepared and in place for this morning.  He went to bed fine, but didn't sleep very well.  He woke up around 3:30 and couldn't go back to sleep.  I think he finally fell back asleep around 5:30 or so.  Amazingly, he woke up with a good attitude at 6:30.  I wanted to make sure he had enough time to get dressed, eat, and relax before it was time to leave.

He began to get nervous when it was time to leave.  As we were driving to school, Mr. Galan called to make sure everything was going smoothly and to remind Timothy to check in at his homeroom and then come see him.

By the time we were pulling into the drop off area, he began to get really nervous, but he held it together and got right out.  I was so proud of him.

Throughout the day, I got several encouraging texts and facebook messages, reminding me that he would do great. I also got a special sneak peak update early in the afternoon.  A friend's son is in several of Timothy's classes.  She checked him out of school early for an appointment, and he told his mom that Timothy was in his classes and seemed to be having a good day.  :)

When Timothy came out of school this afternoon, he had a huge smile on his face and said he had an "awesome" day.  Mr. Galan came out with him and said that Timothy did really well.  He only requested one break when a class got too loud for him and he was about to shut down.  I'm so glad he was able to request that break to go to Mr. Galan's room, regroup, and then go back to class 5 minutes later, able to cope with everything.

Mr. Galan said every time he was with Timothy, there were kids giving him "High-5s" and telling him "hi".  He had two football teammates in his gym class (the class he was most worried about), and he ate lunch with a lot of his teammates.  He also has teammates in homeroom, reading, and math.  He has a band (drummer) friend in science, social studies, and Family and Consumer Sciences.  He is so happy to have friends.  He has been all smiles!

I know that there are going to be many hurdles to overcome, and there will be good days and bad days in the future, but I am so very thankful that his first day was a success!  Wilson West did an incredible job of preparing Timothy for this great adventure that began today, and a lot of great 6th-grade young men did an incredible job of making sure Timothy felt welcome as he joined them as part of the Wilson West Family!

Supporting the Varsity Team!

Kids with autism have many character traits to be proud of.  However, there are also some character traits of kids with autism that are negative and need a lot of extra help for them to overcome.  One of the biggest struggles kids with autism have is an extreme self-focus.  Their "world" is usually very small, and they are the center of their world.

Timothy had a small victory in that area today.  The JV players were invited to suit up and come out to the Varsity play-off game.  I thought it was important for Timothy to do this to show his support and to continue to be a part of the team.

Timothy did NOT want to suit up.  He was so afraid that he would have to play, and he kept telling me over and over again that the 12-year-olds were huge.  He was scared he would have to go out there and would be put up against a huge 12-year-old.    I explained to him that he would probably not even play.  He couldn't understand why he needed to suit up if he wasn't going to play.  I continued to try to explain to him that it would show his support to his teammates by being there suited up and on the sidelines.

He sort of understood and agreed to do it, and then had a great time.  The Varsity team won and it was an *VERY* exciting game.   He was glad that he did it, and is look forward to suiting up for next week's championship game!  :)

Last JV Game of the Season

The last game of the season was at Twin Valley Middle School in Morgantown.  It is a gorgeous area - especially in the fall with all the color in the mountains.  Unfortunately, it was also *VERY* cold, rainy, and windy!  The rain eventually tapered off toward the end of the game, but the cold and wind was relentless.




Today was a very special day for Timothy.  The Reading Eagle is still working on the article about the difference football has made in his life.  They sent out a photographer to the game to get some game day pictures.  I can't wait until the article finally comes out.   :)



The most special part of the game was at the end. Timothy's coaches and team honored him during the post game huddle by presenting him with a game ball signed by every player and every coach.  Coach Heckman gave an incredible speech, thanking the boys for being such a great team, and telling them that it was because of them that Timothy was able to succeed on the football team.  It was a beautiful speech from the heart.


 After the post-game huddle, the team all posed for a team picture.  I love it!  Our purchased team photo was both the JV and V Midgets.  It was awesome to get a picture of just the JV team - especially one after a real game.  I can't wait to get it enlarged and get a frame for it.




When it was all over, the Reading Eagle photographer had a few things to talk to me about, so I asked Hannah and Timothy to go back to the stands to pick up our stuff that we had left there.  As they walked across the field, Hannah put her arm around Timothy, and it was a scene that just melted my heart.  Hannah has been one of Timothy's biggest fans.  She was right there with him all summer as he was walking/jogging/doing sit ups/etc.  She has gone to dozens of his practices, and has been to every game unless she has been working.  She's been such a great support and encouragement for him.

First Unofficial Day of School

Today was the unofficial beginning of a new adventure for Timothy.    It was an early-release day at school.  They got out at 11:00, so everyone thought it would be a good day to get Timothy acclimated to being in school again.  They were also practicing various drills - fire drill, severe weather drill, and an intruder drill.

Timothy did really well.  He said he was scared during the intruder drill, but I'm glad he got to practice for it.  He also got to wear his jersey to school and found out that he has two teammates in his homeroom and at least one in his reading class.  :)  He will find out about his other classes on Monday.

Wrestling Statistician

This afternoon was the first Wilson West Wrestling (say that three times real fast!) informational meeting.    Timothy is going to be a team statistician.   Mr. Galan, his autistic support teacher, is one of the wrestling coaches.  He tried to recruit Timothy to actually wrestle on the team, but Timothy wasn't quite willing to do that just yet.  He did, however, agree to be a team statistician.   He will go to all the practices, matches, and tournaments.   I think it's great that Mr. Galan works to get his students involved in extra-curricular activities, and I am glad that Timothy has a chance to be a part of a new sport.  :)

Middle School Fall Festival

You're probably wondering what in the world this fire truck photo has to do with Timothy and football.    Well, this picture was taken tonight at the Wilson West Middle School Fall Festival.  Timothy really wanted to go.  He heard that many of his teammates were planning to be there.  I was blown away by how many boys came up to Timothy and said, "Hi Mashie."  Every couple of minutes, there were more kids saying hi to him.  I think the whole team must have been there mingling around.

He was kinda like a cross between a ping pong ball, a boomerang, and a deer in headlights.   He was literally bouncing all over the place.  He couldn't seem to stay in one place for more than 30 seconds.  I kept trying to get him to go off with some of his friends and walk around with them.  I told him that we would wait in the library at the book sale, and that's where he could find us when he was ready to go.

He went off with a few friends, but only stayed with them for a couple of minutes and then he was back.  Then he saw a few more friends and went off with them for a couple of minutes, and then he was back again.  He must have repeated this five or six times, never staying with anyone for more than 3 or 4 minutes..  I was beginning to get dizzy! (LOL!)

At the end, he hooked up with just one of his teammates (pictured above) and spent the longest with him, walking around at the trunk or treat area and then admiring the fire trucks.  I was finally able to stand off at a distance and just let him socialize for a little while.  :)

Humbled.....

Tonight has been an incredibly humbling experience for me as Timothy's  mom.  We have had so many difficult years with Timothy -- feeling as though we were so alone in this journey with him.  As this football season is coming to an end, I am so amazed at the different child I have today.

The Reading Eagle is doing a story on Timothy and the difference football has made in his life.  A reporter and photographer came to practice tonight and interviewed him and his teammates.  Timothy absolutely LOVED being the center of attention, and his teammates had fun with it as well.  When we got home, he told me that he almost cried when he heard all the nice things his teammates were saying about him.  For a kid who has never really had friends, he was so touched.

Since practice was at Bulldog Field under the lights, I was finally able to capture that incredible scene of his teammates rallying around him, cheering him on, and bringing him home as a team at the end of the night.  My heart just melts......

The Difference Is Our Coaches

Yesterday was Timothy's 9th football game of the season.  I have attended every single game and every single practice so far this year.  I've observed both our coaches and our opponent's coaches in action  Wow - what a difference.

Our coaches can be tough.  They push.  They work those boys hard.  They require the boys to be respectful and disciplined.   I'm sure that's not any different than other team's coaches.  However, the difference is in the coaches *attitude*.

When one of our boys makes a mistake, the coaches may be frustrated, but rather than be demeaning or angry, they are encouraging.  In stark contrast, I've witnessed other team's coaches rant and rave and demean their players when they make a mistake.

At the beginning of the season, Coach Dahms (the high school coach) gave the boys a speech about what it means to be a Bulldog.  He said when they wore their Bulldog jersey, they represented Wilson Bulldogs.  He said when others saw his players wearing a Bulldog jersey, he did not want them to say, "There goes a great football player."  He wanted them to say, "There goes a young man with class."

Not only do Timothy's teammates exhibit class, but his coaches do as well.  Thank you Van Reed Coaches!

Supporting the Varsity Team

The Varsity Team (7th graders) play their games on Sunday.  The Junior Varsity (6th graders) and Varsity (7th graders) all practice together during the week.  Timothy has wanted to go watch the varsity games this year, but we've been busy most Sundays.  However, this Sunday, we didn't have anything planned, and it just happened to be the varsity team's biggest game of the year.  There were several kids from the JV team that went to watch the game as well.    Timothy "hung out" on the sidelines for most of the game.  It's so amazing to watch him follow other kids around and interact with them.  For years he has avoided kids his age - and now to watch him willingly interact with them - it's just amazing.  

It was also so cool to see him giving the players a high-five as they left the field for half time.  One of the struggles kids with autism have is with being very self-focused.  They tend to be so lost in their own little world, that they do not think about others.  Football has definitely given him a sense of teamwork and supporting others.

Victory #9

It was another Van Reed Bulldog victory today.  Van Reed defeated Daniel Boone 35-0.  It was a gorgeous, although cold and windy, fall afternoon. Timothy did really well today.  I think he only got knocked down two or three times, with no major hits.   

I love this picture of Timothy being given a squirt of water.  Off the field, he will not drink out of anything except purchased water bottles.  He doesn't even drink out of cups or glasses because he is afraid of germs on them.  It's amazing that he will take water like this.  It's just one of the many changes that he has made because of football.  :)

It was a dark and stormy night......

Oh my....what a miserable night of football practice, but nothing stops those Van Reed Midgets!!  There wasn't rain even in the forecast for the evening, so when it started to rain, everyone thought it was just a passing shower.  Slowly but surely all of the other teams went home -- but not our Midget Bulldogs.  They stayed out there in the pouring rain for the entire practice - never stopping.  That's why they are still undefeated!  So proud of those tough Bulldogs!!!

THE BLASTER!!

Tonight, the linemen worked on "The Blaster."  They all seem to enjoy doing this drill, and it's fun to watch.  It's tough for them though.  I love how the coaches cheer them on.

Look At That Boy Go!!!

 Look at that boy go!!  Timothy is really getting the hang of it!  He is learning to break through blocks.  He's even getting in on tackles!!

Van Reed is now 8-0.  They defeated Exeter 20-0.  It was a hard-fought win for these boys.  Exeter put up quite a fight, but our boys were strong and determined.

The Sled

One of Timothy's favorite parts of football practice is when they get to work on pushing the "sled".    I had never watched them work with the sled until tonight.    Wow!!  It looks really hard.  Not only are they having to work together to push that piece of equipment, but then they have two grown men on it that they are pushing too!!

Under the Lights -- Timothy's First Tackle - Still Undefeated!!

Last night was a huge victory for the Van Reed JV Midget Bulldogs.  They played their Wilson rival, Lincoln Park.  It was a very special game, played at the high school on Bulldog Field under the lights.  Timothy got to be one of the team captains

It was a tough win for the Van Reed Bulldogs.  They had to play their hardest ever.  Lincoln Park went into this match up undefeated as well.  Someone had to go home with their first loss of the season.

Timothy took a terrible hit toward the end of the game.  Another player's helmet somehow got up under his chin into his throat/neck.  He was really hurting.  As a couple of his teammates helped him up, the rest all huddled around him to make sure he was okay -- every single one of them.  I didn't even realize it until I looked at the picture and counted 10 helmets huddled around him.


He was out of the game for a little while as he recovered and calmed down, but was able to get in the game again at the end.    I am so glad he was able to get back out there because had a part in his first tackle ever.  He was sooo excited.  My pictures are a little blurry. I was pretty excited as I was watching it happen.  :)

Timothy's autistic support teacher, who also played football in high school came out to watch the game.  Timothy was so proud of have people watching him play.

Welcome to the Dark Side of Autism

Up to this point, my blog has only focused on the incredible accomplishments of Timothy playing on the football team.   One of the reasons I am keeping this blog is so I can have a journal recording this awesome time in his life - it's been such an amazing few months.

However, last night, I realized that it would probably be helpful to share about the other side of autism -- the dark side of autism - the side that many families live with every day and never get to experience the victories that we are experiencing with Timothy right now.

A typical day with Timothy begins with him having the exact same thing for breakfast every single day -- half a bagel and a scrambled egg.  If he does not have that for breakfast, his whole morning can be thrown off.  Insistence on routine and sameness is a hallmark characteristic of autism.

After breakfast, we start on his school work.   Timothy does most of his schoolwork online through Wilson Virtual Academy.  He has done his schoolwork online since third grade.  He was in a regular school through second grade.  In second grade, he did not have the autism supports he needed to be successful and had a disastrous experience.  He cried daily, became angry, and by the end of the year was so scared of kids, getting him to leave home to go ANYWHERE was a battle.

Completing his schoolwork comes with it's own challenges.  Timothy is very literal.  He gets upset with things like math story problems that he cannot relate to.  While he ha a high IQ, he has difficulty processing and expressing information - which makes test taking a challenge.   He is easily distracted, and sounds that I may not even be able to hear can drive him crazy.  When he becomes overwhelmed or frustrated with an assignment, it's not uncommon for him to have a meltdown.

He goes to West (Middle School) for 6th and 7th period 4 days out of the 6-day cycle.  He is a drummer in band, goes to an executive functioning class, social skills class, and art class.  He loves Mr. Galan, his autistic support teacher, and looks forward to seeing him each day.

One or two days a week, his behavioral specialist spends time with him.  They talk, play games, wrestle, make things, etc.  Sometimes we take him out to teach him how to behave appropriately in public settings.  Sometimes it goes well -- sometimes it doesn't.

Mealtimes are often a challenge.  Timothy is a very picky eater.  He also will only eat off of his own plates and using his own forks.  He refuses to eat off of a plate that at any time someone else has eaten off of.

Most autistic children have a particular subject that they are obsessed with.  Timothy's current obsession is LEGO mini figures.  Sometimes it is all he can think about.  Even while we were at the Eagles game on Sunday, he spent time obsessing about getting one of the new LEGO mini figures that have just come out.   The good part of these obsessions is that it can be used as a motivator/reward system.

When it comes to social interaction, Timothy is less than skilled.  He usually talks at people, not to them.  He doesn't grasp the concept of the back and forth nature of conversation.

Timothy does not like crowds and claims that he is claustrophobic when people are close to him.  He easily becomes overwhelmed with crowds, noises, lights, etc.  At Sunday's Eagles game, he retreated into his hoodie for a break from all the outside stimulation.   He often deals with frustration and being overwhelmed by flapping his hands and making bizarre sounds.

Every autistic child is different.  There is a quote that says, "If you have met one child with autism, you have met one child with autism."  They are all unique in the way autism affects them.  However, the things I have shared about Timothy are all common characteristics of a child with autism - they are often just manifested in different ways.

Given the struggles that autism brings to Timothy, the fact that he is thriving on a football team is nothing short of miraculous, and I will continue to celebrate and enjoy this incredible season in his life.  :)

Meeting Evan Mathis

Philadelphia Eagles #69, Evan Mathis, is Timothy's favorite football player.  Like Timothy, he is a lineman, so when it came time for Timothy to chose a number for his jersey, he chose #69 like Evan Mathis.

We go to one Eagles game a year. Yesterday was our game of the year.

I follow many of the Eagles players on Twitter.  It's fun to keep up with them and get to know their personalities. Last week, I decided, on a whim, to tweet a picture of Timothy in his #69 jersey to Evan Mathis with the following caption, "Any chance that your biggest 11-year-old fan could meet you at the game on Sunday?"  I certainly didn't expect a response, and was stunned when he messaged me back, "How can we make it happen?"

Well, it took a couple of days to work it out, but Saturday night, before the game, I got a message from Evan telling me that there would be two pregame sideline passes waiting for us at will call the next morning.  He also said to message him when we got there.

Once we got on the field, I sent him a message letting him know we were there, but then we had to find each other.  He sent me a message back telling me to meet him by the entrance to the locker room.  We headed in that direction, and I did not see him at first.  A security guard asked if I needed help, and I told him I was looking for Evan Mathis.  He looked at me like, "yeah right."  At that moment, Evan walked up, with his hand out to shake mine, and said, "Connie?"  I wanted to stick my tongue out at the security guard!!

Evan Mathis was so sweet with Timothy.  However, Timothy was so star-struck, he could barely talk.  Evan signed a few things for us, posed for a picture, and told Timothy to keep working hard and having fun playing football.  

After our visit, we got to stay down on the field for pregame warm ups.  It was soo cool to be down there so close to all the action.  It was truly an amazing day!!!!!

6-0 Those Boys Are AMAZING!!!

Today was another great Bulldog Victory.  These boys absolutely amaze me every single Saturday.  They play with such determination.  They never slack.  They beat Mifflin 40-6 earlier this year, so I was concerned that they may slack off a bit thinking it was an easy win.  They certainly didn't.  They played their best again, and this time, won 41-0.  

Timothy had a new experience today.  One of the coaches brought anti-glare (aka war paint) for the boys.  Timothy wanted it, but he was a little freaked out at first about having the coach put it on his face.  He eventually let him put the pain on his cheeks, and he looked so cool.

The game was a lot like the others.  Van Reed just dominated.  They turned fumbles and kick off returns into touchdowns.  

In the third quarter, the game began to play under Mercy Rule so the clock wouldn't stop.  Some of the Mifflin players were beginning to struggle with their attitudes.   With just a couple of minutes left to play, one of them took a cheap shot (late hit) with Timothy.  I am pretty sure he was airborne for a second.  It was a hard hit.  It certainly testing my mama bear self control limit!  

I didn't need to worry though because instantly, Timothy was surrounded by teammates who not only helped him up, but helped him walk over to the side-lines.  Thankfully, he wasn't seriously hurt -- more shaken up than anything -- and he was able to get back into the game for the last minute and a half.  -- It's always best to end the game out there on the field playing.  :)

Touched Beyond Belief

When Timothy started playing football, I had no idea how the other players and coaches would react to him.   I had concerns that he would not be accepted by his teammates and that his coaches would easily become frustrated with his lack of experience combined with his autism issues.

I never imagined I would see the understanding, acceptance, and kindness that I have seen from these boys and coaches.   They have all taken Timothy under their wings, and because of that, he is learning to fly.

When he gets knocked down or gets hurt, one of his teammates is always there to help him.  His teammates spend time with him on the sidelines giving him a little extra instruction.    His coaches work extra hard with him making sure he understands exactly what he needs to do and how to do it.

Because of their acceptance, he has persevered and given it 100% at every game and every practice.  He  never gives up.  One of the most touching things his teammates do is something that I can't photograph.  It happens at the end of practice when it's dark.

He is a much slower runner than his teammates.  When they rush "gashers", he always ends up being a lap behind.  Every night, the rest of the team is finished before him, but rather than catching their breath, they all voluntarily choose to run one more lap alongside Timothy just so they can cheer him on.  I've seen it probably 7 or 8 times now, and it still brings me to tears every time.


Timothy's life will forever be changed from this experience.  He has found a place where he is accepted, and he is thriving beyond our wildest expectations.  Thank you Van Reed JV Midget Bulldogs!!!

Victory Again!!

Van Reed defeated Fleetwood 40-6.  That may sound like an easy win, but it was definitely a hard fought win for the Bulldogs.  The start of the game was delayed, and by game time, it was extremely hot, and the boys were already hot and tired.

Fleetwood started out with a "hurry-up offense", and our defense was scrambling to keep up.  Fortunately for us, Fleetwood couldn't keep up the pace, and our defense was able to get it figured out.

 Timothy took some really hard hits this time.  During some plays, he had 3 offense lineman on him at the same time.  He didn't stand a chance.  He handled it well though and didn't give up.  He fought back with all that he had.

Van Reed is now 5-0 and have outscored their opponents 147 - 13.  They are on the path to go undefeated this season.   I am so proud of this team!