ADHD and Organized Sports: Optional or Necessary?

As we begin a new year, I hope the months behind you brought many blessings and opportunities to learn more about ADHD. Today, we’re talking about organized sports and their role in living with ADHD.

Exercise vs. Organized Sports for ADHD

Organized sports are great for anyone, simply for the health benefits of rigorous physical activity. Exercise is good for the body and for the mind. This message has been repeated ad nauseam from every fitness influencer on social media. However, exercise simply for the sake of exercise does not stimulate the ADHD brain as effectively as organized sports.  

One benefit of organized sports is the quick decision-making required in most forms of athletic competition. Fast decision-making, with quick actions following those decisions, places less priority on the executive functions of planning and analyzing the consequences, which are more innate in neurotypical thinking. ADHD competitors are mentally rewarded for reacting on instinct, while under the pressure of time constraints, thereby providing the urgency needed to galvanize them into action. 

Choice Matters: Individual vs. Team Sports 

Another benefit is the plethora of sports choices. Right now, the research is inconclusive regarding the benefits of individual sports vs. team sports. In my opinion, this is a good thing. There is less pressure on someone to choose one sport over another based on what is most scientifically beneficial. Instead, people with ADHD can look at sports as an excellent recreation for the sake of enjoyment, without a higher agenda.  

Hybrid Sports Offer Flexibility

Hybrid sports are also an option. There are sports that combine team competition with individual competition, which can be especially appealing for individuals with ADHD. These activities offer structure without forcing someone into a single format.

One example is marksmanship sports that reward competitors both individually and as a team. Think:

• Archery
• Darts
• Cornhole

Tennis and pickleball are also hybrid sports, in which competitors can play as individuals or as part of a team.

Are Athletics Necessary?

Yes, athletics are a necessity not only for ADHD but also for general health and well-being for everyone. Unfortunately, education treats recreation as optional (unless it generates revenue for the school). This means that you have to be enrolled in a well-endowed school to have a school-sponsored ultimate Frisbee team. Recreation/sports programs are near the top of the list for budget cuts (art and music are the first programs to be cut).

Parenting a Child with ADHD and Sports

How does that affect the parenting of a child with ADHD? Cutting athletics as a form of punishment is not beneficial for anyone with ADHD. Physical fitness has been shown to improve concentration and provide an outlet for pent-up energy. To restrict a child from physical exertion is like sealing the relief valve on a pressure cooker (Ka-Boom!). Restrict physical movement from a child and you are asking for a meltdown.

Would you like to know more? Please consider scheduling a complimentary get-acquainted meeting with me or any of our outstanding coaches to learn more about exercise, sports, and all things ADHD.