Pine Tree OT

I need everyone to challenge themselves to understand that neurodivergent people always have existed in so many spaces. When talking about sports, there are so many neurodivergent folks.

You may ask, so if they already exist what more do we need to do then? We need to make sure coaches, programs, and communities understand how to fully support all children so that we can facilitate POSITIVE experiences. Yes, many neurodivergent children can become so hyperfocused on something that maybe even bullying, uninformed coaches, and getting put into extremely uncomfortable situations can be overlooked because of their love of the sport… BUT that shouldn’t be their experience.

Sports, ✨especially✨ youth sports are about fun, skill building, social interaction, building relationships, resilience, and so much more.

Youth sports are not equivalent to elite and pro player funnels. Let’s stop this narrative and start supporting ALL children in sports.

A huge shout out to neurodivergent athletes like


Just having a conversation provides representation, and it matters.

Let’s get something straight.

Try It Sports Day is not a consolation prize.
It’s not a watered-down version of sports for kids who “can’t handle” the real thing. It’s a seat at the table that neurodivergent kids have always deserved.

If the assumption that neurodivergent kids can’t be athletes crossed your mind even for a second? That’s ableism. We need to check ourselves.

Here’s the truth: the barrier was never the child. It was the adults around them who didn’t know how to show up for them. That’s what this event is actually about.

Not fixing the kids. Educating the community.

Training coaches and volunteers on what real inclusion looks like in practice so that every kid gets the same experience.

Neurodivergent kids are not less capable. Not less competitive. Not less deserving. They are underserved. And we’re changing that.

Try It Sports Day. This July. Hermon High School. 🌲⚽

‼️Inclusion is not the same as being included.

A child can be on the team and still not be part of the experience. Real inclusion means the environment was built to work for all kids—the coach knows what to do, the structure supports neurodivergent kids, the parent can sit in the stands like all the other parents, and the child can play like all the other kids.

Everyone gets to have the same experience.

That’s acceptance, not just proximity.

Try It Sports Day is built on that.

Trained coaches.
Designed environment.
Resources ready.

So that every kid and every family actually belongs.

That’s what we’re building.

Movement is regulation. Gross motor foundations support fine motor. Postural stability. Hand-eye coordination. Research shows kids engaged in regular physical activity have better focus, better grades, and better cognitive function overall. Sports can be transformative for their own development. And if sports happens to align with a special interest? That’s a structured, healthy way to meet their own needs. Families want this. Rec sports need this. That’s exactly why I created Try It Sports Day! A sensory-informed, inclusive event this July at Hermon High School where every kid gets to try.

Please share with anyone who may be interested in participating, and/or anyone who may be willing to volunteer or donate!

You can contact me by sending me a message here or emailing me at [email protected]

I spent a whole series naming the gaps. Now I’m building bridges.

⚽️Try It Sports Day is neurodivergent kids getting to belong in community, getting to try sports, getting to be part of something bigger than therapy and school.

⚾️In small towns, the support doesn’t exist yet, so we’re creating it. OTs can lead this. We can train coaches. We can show communities what inclusive actually means.

🏃🏾‍♀️This is what happens when we stop just talking and start doing.