Neurodivergent Athletes

Coaching the Dyslexic and Neurodivergent Athlete

Resources for coaches, parents, and athletes on how dyslexic and neurodivergent minds process the game — and how to help them thrive.

Why This Matters to Me

My own son is an athlete, and over the years I’ve watched him play nearly every sport imaginable — basketball most of all. Some coaches reached him instinctively. Others, without meaning to, created a communication gap that had nothing to do with his ability or effort, and everything to do with how dyslexic minds process verbal instruction, direction, and sequence.

I’ve seen firsthand what happens both ways: a coach who doesn’t understand this can quietly damage a talented player’s confidence. A coach who does can help that same athlete not just keep up, but truly thrive.

That experience is why this has become one of my ongoing focuses — writing, speaking, and eventually publishing a resource built specifically for coaches and parents of dyslexic and neurodivergent athletes.

What Coaches and Parents Often Get Wrong

Dyslexic athletes are non-verbal, conceptual thinkers — they think in pictures and feelings rather than words. A few things I share with every coach and parent I talk to:

  • Vocabulary needs a picture behind it. If an athlete doesn’t have a clear mental image of a word or instruction, they’ll only have a fuzzy, unreliable version of it to act on — a real problem when a season’s worth of plays depends on shared vocabulary.
  • Directional language is trickier than it seems. Words like left, right, or up court can be genuinely disorienting — not because the athlete isn’t paying attention, but because of how dyslexic spatial processing works.
  • Processing takes a moment longer, and that’s fine. A short pause before correcting or redirecting goes a long way — and that need for extra processing time fades as the athlete gets familiar with a coach’s system.
  • Not looking at you doesn’t mean not listening. This one surprises a lot of coaches.
  • These same traits are often a real advantage. The visual-spatial thinking that makes directional language tricky is often exactly what gives dyslexic athletes exceptional court vision and the ability to read a play before it develops.

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Featured On: Dyslexia Explored Podcast

Sophia was a guest on episode 100 of the Dyslexia Explored podcast, talking with host Darius Namdaran about coaching dyslexic athletes — practical tips for coaches, parents, and the athletes themselves.

(You may see this episode listed under Sophia Gomma — my name at the time.)

Listen on Spotify →

A Manual for Coaches and Parents — Coming Soon

I’m currently writing a manual for coaches and parents on supporting dyslexic and neurodivergent athletes — pulling together everything I’ve learned from working with athletes directly, coaching conversations, and my own son’s experience.

I’m still working out the best way to get it into your hands.

Want to be notified when it’s available? Reach out and I’ll let you know.