Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Team Sports and GT?

The introvert/extrovert question is interesting, and I am wondering: might enjoyment of team sports also be linked to processing speed?

My son has a very slow processing speed; making quick decisions and acting on them is not his strong point. His sports tend to be endurance-oriented, e.g. long hikes or skis. I have a high processing speed and love fast-paced sports!

High working memory doesn't help when a ball is flying toward you... but might help you hold all that info and analyze it later...

Can practicing sports help processing speed in other areas... just curious and don't know much about this. Anyone know anything about this?

As I wrote my bit about why I enjoy the mental side of team sports, I was having this same thought, because I was basically demonstrating how they reward high processing speeds.

The possible connection between processing speed and team sports is very interesting! My oldest would much rather read than move his body (much like me as a child, although as an adult I've learned to appreciate what my body can do and enjoy pushing myself physically now) and he does not like any team sports. We both have slower processing speed. He's also an introvert. We've encouraged him to find something physical that he likes, because I strongly believe my mind works better when my body has worked out. He's now swimming, takes karate, and will try track in the spring.

My husband and younger two kids, though, LOVE team sports (and are more extroverted and have wicked fast processing speeds). DD focuses on soccer and basketball, DS on soccer, baseball and hockey.

Interestingly, my daughter's travel soccer team has an unusually large percent of gifted kids on it -- 5 of 11 kids (that I know of because they're in the public school's gifted program...the other kids go to private schools, so I just don't have that info).

Here's mine

DS9
HG+ overall with 109 PSI
ADHD
Extrovert
Athletic but not HG in sports (above average) and loves team sports.
He gets and knows a lot about sports, but his body just does not seem to be there yet - ie to take him to a gifted athlete level.

I have never really thought of it as a reflection of his PSI, more just developmentally he is not there yet, but I agree, it is interesting.

I'm not an authority, but my hunch is that processing speed cuts two ways. I'd guess enjoyment is increasing in processing speed of the individual subject to the constraint of processing speed of team members. This probably varies by sport depending on the opportunity for individuals to make a meaningful individual contribution.

I would think a sport like pairs tennis would be more forgiving of impatience than, say, baseball or football because individual tennis players can function autonomously more easily if teammaes slow down the play. I realize that last comment advocates subverting teammates- which I'm not advocating- and was unsportsmanlike.

Yes, Dude, your post is what made me think about processing speed. I resonated with your description of the thrill of quick decisions and lightning fast interactions... and realized this is exactly what the rest of my family doesn't enjoy.

You can train to increase your speed in sports... does this translate to other areas of life or is it a single-domain skill? I think my increased speed in skiing does not improve the speed of my reading Russian... but is there some overlap? Or is it more the thrill of feeling happy and competent and energized that spill into other areas of life? Research or opinion, anyone?

As far as the OP, it is certainly interesting when our kids don't love the same things we loved as kids!

I just remembered another trait of gifted kids that I've found can contribute to success in sports, team or individual, when channeled correctly: emotional intensity. I could go into a long list of big plays I made immediately after I got psyched up for some reason or other, for example:

- Last play of the half/game
- My number was called for whatever reason
- Other side trash talking
- Fell behind and just made up my mind I wasn't going to lose

Of course, that emotional intensity can cut both ways. It can take you to another level, or it can make you crash and burn.

I issues with team sports here as well. DS is 5 and just started basketball. He as well said he likes practice better than games. Probably becaus he gets to actually hold the ball without it being taken from him, like someone said. With him it is also about extreme perfectionism and getting frustrated with himself. (He is not the best player for sure) also the need to always do things the best out of everyone. We see this being a very very long struggle, But I am not about to save him from the reality of life, and pull him out of team sports.

I do think practicing sports can improve processing speed. My son has a documented processing disorder and has written into his IEP that he gets extra time to take tests, although we have chosen not to use that.
He is doing fencing now, for a year. It really relies on processing speed. He seems to have improved alot in that area by doing fencing.

Awesome! Congrats! Inspiring.