Autism

Young people on the autism spectrum typically have differences in how they socialise and communicate with others. They are usually very keen to join in, they just may need your support to do so.

Every autistic person different. Some people may like tasks to be done in a particular way or order. Others might have a favourite activity that they are happy to do over and over again, and may need lots of warning to switch between activities. Some young people on the autism spectrum may find loud noises or particular sounds or textures uncomfortable.

If you have an autistic player in your group, take the time to get to know their likes and dislikes, and what they are comfortable and not comfortable doing.
By providing a safe and supportive environment, you can help keep them engaged and safe. With a little planning, you can ensure young people on the autism spectrum have enriching opportunities to make friends, learn new skills and participate in the footy fun.

You may notice some players having difficulty expressing themselves or understanding the meaning of some things you’ve said. They may not know when or how to join in activities with other players, or they may choose to keep to themselves if they’re not comfortable in social situations.

An autistic player may feel uncomfortable making eye contact with you. They may stand close, talk loudly, or say things that don’t seem to fit during a coaching session.

Some players may require additional structure to help them understand how the day will pan out at a footy session, and to support them to move between activities.

The key is to ensure they feel included and prepared for what you have planned for the day. 

My name's Elise and this is my story.

I'm First Nation. I'm part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I'm proudly autistic and I also have ADHD and anxiety.

Autism is an ever-evolving thing. For everyone that has autism, it's different in every one of us. The similarities, though, is that we don't just see the world differently. We think, feel, all the senses of the world differently, 'cause it affects our senses. So we have sensitivity to sensory, that's like light, there's touch, sound. And we can be, at different times, seeking that stimulation, or it could be too much and we're avoiding that stimulation.

When I was playing for Essendon, I would desensitise myself before the game. I really struggled with mud, so I would be seen as the most hydrated person 'cause I would always say yes to the water umpire to wash my hands beforehand 'cause I hate the feeling of dry mud on my hands.

Autism doesn't mean that I don't want friends. Autism means that it's difficult to make friends. And when I've had experiences where it's been unsafe for me to put myself out there 'cause I've been excluded or bullied, that's when I'm gonna withdraw.

There's a lot of things that are misunderstood about autism. There's a lot of things that are said about us, such as, like, it's bad parenting or that we're from another planet. Really, the only people that can actually explain what it's like to live with autism, what autism is, is the person. If it was a culture thing and it was seen as rude to look at someone in the eye, it was seen as rude to be sarcastic, all that sort of stuff, I wouldn't actually struggle and need an interpretation.

"Stimming" is a slang for us. It's short for self-stimulation. It is either repetitive words or repetitive movements for self-stimulation. It's the same as what someone else might do when they're sitting down and they're jiggling their leg. But for us, people with ADHD and autism, we have lower registration in our body. So we need more of the movement, more of that vestibular input, to be able to regulate ourselves.

I have autism, I have ADHD, I have anxiety. I have these labels and the disability doesn't live in them.  The disability exists when the environment, approach, and system isn't created with me in mind, and my needs get left behind. They're not supported and therefore my differences is a limitation. 

Everyone's experience of autism is different, and in saying that, my experience of autism at the beginning of the day, to the middle of the day, to the end of the day is different. As my energy goes down, it becomes more difficult. 

I was taught to be ashamed of my differences. I didn't wanna hear about autism and I had a code word for it whenever it was brought up. Since then, I've identified proudly as someone who's been on the autism spectrum, and I've also used my advocacy to try to shift the way we perceive someone when they say that they're autistic. 

So I also say I'm autistic. But it's really important when you're speaking about someone or speaking to someone who has autism, that you mirror how they identify, whether it's "aspie", person with autism, autistic, on the spectrum, all those things, even just using their name 'cause we are a person, that's really important. If you're not sure how the person identifies, just ask them. And also check if they're younger and the parent is someone that you have contact with, just check, 'cause they might not even know that they have that diagnosis. So, first check and definitely ask the person how they choose to identify.

I think what I'd tell coaches who are at grassroots is the approach that works for us and for everyone with different support requirements is actually just good coaching practice.

This is my story, but everyone's story will be different. In the next section, you will learn tips of how to support young people with autism to participate at footy. For example, you could use a visual timetable for activities to support players to know the structure of the session.