Approaching the parish gym of St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood, New Jersey, I could hear bouncing basketballs and delighted shouts. From outside, it sounded like a regular basketball practice, but the scene in the gym was hardly typical: Young adults with profound autism were dribbling and shooting baskets under the friendly supervision of high school students and a few adult supervisors. There was a palpable atmosphere of joy.
(See the PHOTO GALLERY below for photos.)
This basketball clinic began in the spring of 2022 at the instigation of a parishioner named Mary Beth Walsh. She wanted her son Ben to have access to some of the things he was missing out on due to his autism. He needed regular social interactions, a sense of direction, and something fun in his life. She thought basketball might be the answer.
“Sports are a vehicle for inclusion and belonging, even for people who aren't easily included and don't feel like they belong in a lot of other places,” Mary Beth explained to Aleteia.
She phoned a friend, Gerry O’Connor, who ran the parish’s youth sports programs, and proposed her basketball idea.
"We'll see how it works"
Gerry balked at first. “I didn't go to school for special ed,” he explained. A professional fundraiser by day, he had no experience working with people on the autism spectrum. Gerry told Mary Beth that he had no idea how the kind of program she was proposing should even be run.
“I don't know either,” Mary Beth told him. “You get some coaches; I'll bring some players and we'll see how it works.”
It has worked quite well so far. There are now around 12 young men and women with profound autism who regularly participate in St. Joseph’s basketball clinic. They gather for eight weeks each spring and fall.
By design, activities are kept simple. For one hour the participants receive one-on-one basketball instruction and engage in group drills that emphasize fundamentals like passing, dribbling, and shooting. Gerry and his coaches have been learning on the job, identifying the individual needs of each player and figuring out what works for them.
For instance, a few of the participants prefer to shoot baskets for the entire hour and that’s okay. Coaches meet the players where they are and are always very understanding and encouraging.
An accepting environment
“All the coaches, all the volunteers are accepting,” said Pat Miller, whose son John has been attending the clinic since the beginning. Like the other participants, John has profound autism, meaning that he faces cognitive challenges and possesses limited language skills.
Pat is impressed by how the volunteers, who have had no previous experience working with adults with autism, are able to engage with her son:
“They work with him, they imitate, they show him what to do. They praise him when he gets it done right. And they really take the time to get to know each player individually to make sure that they're successful in the clinic. That’s an exciting thing because all that our sons and daughters want is to be able to be part of something.”
Stephanie Fritsch, who brings her son Jackson, age 24, to the clinic, agreed.
“Many people with autism during their education years are kept fairly isolated. They work one-on-one with people and never really get an opportunity to be part of a group experience which most typical young people do.”
She drives half an hour in rush hour traffic to bring her son to St. Joseph’s. Other parents come from over an hour away, but they all feel it is worth the trouble. “There's a desperate need for programs for adults once they hit 21,” Stephanie said.
“The programs disappear, or they become programs that people with profound autism can't engage in, such as social nights, where people are having conversations and coffee. That doesn't work for the majority of people on the spectrum, so we will travel far and wide. It gets tiring, but I can't tell you how good it feels to stand here and watch my son.”
A great opportunity
Alexis, who is 30, was beaming when she spoke of her participation in the clinic. “I love it here very much,” she told me. “I like playing with my other friends and having a good time.” She was sad that the current season had come to an end but was eagerly looking forward to the fall clinic.
Paul, another participant, said that this was his first season in the program and that he will definitely be returning.
“It's a great opportunity for me to get out and socialize and to play basketball. I feel that doing this has motivated me a lot in terms of having social practice and being able to look forward to something that I enjoy.”
The adult coaches and teenage volunteers also value their time at the clinic. One high school student, Simon, confessed that he had been “stressed out” when he first volunteered, not knowing what to expect, but had been pleasantly surprised.
“When you play on the court with these guys, you see how much they really enjoy it. And that’s something that's unexpected, but awesome.”
Gerry O’Connor puts it very simply: “It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in 35 years of coaching.” He and Mary Beth Walsh are hopeful that what is happening at St. Joseph’s will inspire similar programs for young adults on the autism spectrum.
The Archdiocese of Newark has taken notice. "Other parishes should follow the lead of St. Joseph," Dr. Anne Masters said in a statement. She is the director of the archdiocesan Office for Pastoral Ministry with Persons with Disabilities. Dr. Masters pointed out that many other types of activities could be drawn upon to bring people with disabilities into engagement with others.
"There are other great ideas for shared interests for young adults with and without disabilities, such as music, gaming, coding, drawing, model trains, etc."
Pizzas and trophies
Since it was the last night of the spring clinic, Gerry had a surprise for his players. A table of trophies and stacks of pizzas were brought out. Watching as the coaches handed each of the participants their awards while their parents cheered, it seemed that the program’s greatest value may be the bonds of friendship it has built among everyone.
One of the dad’s looking on had a slightly different take. “Basketball, pizzas, and trophies,” he told me. “It doesn’t get any better than that!”
Paul, Ben, Alexis, John, Jackson, and all their friends would certainly agree.
