Beyond the label: Understanding and supporting neurodiverse athletes in sport

Sport is a place for everyone. It is somewhere to have fun, escape life’s stresses, burn off energy, learn life skills, and pursue success. As a trainee sport psychologist, I’ve had the privilege of working with athletes across a wide range of sports, ages, genders, and abilities. It’s inspiring to witness the diversity amongst athletes, each bringing their own unique strengths, challenges, and experiences. Yet, recent conversations have prompted me to reflect more deeply...

"Is sport truly inclusive and accessible for everyone?"

Neurodiversity (e.g., Autism) has been suggested to be more prevalent amongst athletes than in the general population. Despite this, when I searched for resources to help coaches support neurodiverse individuals, I found the information to be surprisingly sparse. Furthermore, difficult conversations with parents have suggested that there seems to be a lack of understanding around neurodiversity in the world of sport, and a lack of education on how to support neurodiverse athletes.

This blog doesn’t claim to have all the answers. It’s shaped by conversations with clinical professionals, coaches, parents and neurodiverse athletes; informed by journal articles; and grounded in personal experience. Its aim is to offer insight into how we can better support neurodiverse athletes, and to emphasise that coaching is about meeting the needs of every individual… beyond the label.

As a coach, your role goes beyond teaching technique and tactics. You’re creating an environment where athletes feel safe and respected, where they can learn, fail, succeed, and continue to grow. Every athlete who walks through your door, or onto your pitch, is different. It is your responsibility to get to know them, understand who they are, and support their development.

The sporting environment can be difficult to navigate and the challenges associated with sport may be even greater for autistic athletes due to differences in social communication, sensory processing, and cognitive processing. According to interview data from neurodiverse athletes (see study by Wood et al., 2025), many report feeling isolated and disconnected within their sport. This is not because of their neurodiversity, but due to the barriers they can face in training and competition environments.

It is difficult to hear some of the challenges that athletes I have worked with face, especially knowing that small adaptations could make a huge difference. Sport should be a place where everyone can thrive, be uniquely themselves, and feel supported by the community.

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Potential Barriers for Autistic Athletes (note: these may not apply to all autistic individuals and may not cover all barriers)

Over-analysing performance or interaction

• Hyper-fixation on mistakes, or on solutions to them, taking focus away from the task at hand

• Hyperfocus can also mean that pain thresholds are not recognised, pushing past limits and risking further injury

• Consistently striving for the next goal, meaning that there is an increased risk of injury and burnout

Sensory overload/overwhelm from environmental factors

• Chaotic or noisy environments can be overwhelming

• Tactile discomfort (e.g., bib-wearing) or harsh lighting may be distressing

Lack of structure or predictability

• Traveling to new venues for away matches, perhaps needing to stay overnight in an unfamiliar place, facing uncertainty about food availability, or what space they’ll have to get ready in

• Uncertainty at training may mean the individual doesn’t know when there will be breaks or chances for them to downregulate if needed

• Concern around having the right equipment if session plans change

Communication breakdowns with coaches or teammates

• Challenges interpreting open-ended, sweeping questions, idioms, or sarcasm

• Challenges with small talk, perhaps seeking their own company over that of a group

Burnout due to masking who they truly are

• Suppressing stress or anxiety to ‘fit in’

• Masking can be mentally and emotionally exhausting

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Practical Considerations for Coaches

1. Use a communication questionnaire (start of each season)

Encourage all players and staff to complete a short questionnaire indicating their preferred feedback style (written, visual, verbal), learning preferences, stress responses (e.g., support wanted vs space wanted), and communication under pressure.  

• Build mutual respect and understanding

• Encourage open communication

• Enhance team cohesion

• Enhance wellbeing and performance

2. Prioritise Structure & Predictability

Prioritising structure and predictability helps reduce anxiety, build trust, and create a more stable environment where neurodiverse athletes can focus, feel safe, and perform at their best

• Share session plans in advance, or at least have a plan displayed at the start of the session

• Keep warm-ups and cooldowns consistent to build familiarity

• Offer clarity about breaks and transitions

3. Adapt Communication Styles

Adapting communication styles helps your athletes better understand what is expected of them, promotes mutual respect, and helps build stronger relationships within the team

• Be open to alternative communication styles (e.g., written or visual cues)

• Use direct and concise language (check for understanding)

• Keep instructions short and to the point, and allow time for processing

• Generally avoid idioms or sarcasm

4. Create a Sensory-Safe Environment

Creating a sensory-safe environment helps your athletes feel calm, comfortable and more in control, making it easier for them to focus and perform at their best.         

• Designate a ‘quiet zone’ for regulation or downtime: find out what your athletes need to help this process and whether it is something you can provide or that they can bring themselves

• Allow use of loop headphones (if possible)

• Offer bib-free options (if required)

5. Build Trusting Relationships

Building trusting relationships helps your athletes feel safe, valued, and understood, laying the foundation for open communication, confidence and personal growth.         

• Make athletes feel heard – they’re more likely to speak up

• Hold regular anonymous feedback sessions

• Be curious: ask questions to your athletes, find out what they need from you

6. Be Flexible – Avoid Assumptions

Avoiding assumptions allows you to truly get to know your athletes, it builds trust and respect, prevents miscommunication, and creates a more supportive and inclusive environment         

• Everyone has hidden strengths and unseen challenges

• Stay open-minded and responsive to individual needs

7. Keep learning

Every conversation is an opportunity to learn, so take time to hear your athletes' stories, understand their experiences, and create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive         

• Encourage open conversations with athletes and parents/guardians

• Stay committed to growth

• Seek training opportunities: e.g., https://vault.thefmha.com/understanding-neurodiversity-in-grassroots-football/

Final Thought

If you take one thing away from this blog today, let it be this: being a good coach starts with knowing your athletes – label or not.

“Remember we are all different in many ways, but in the end we are all the same because we are created equally and we ARE all people.”

Anthony Ianni, NCAA Division 1 Basketball Player and Autism Advocate

Let’s move beyond assumptions, beyond limitation, and beyond the label so that every athlete feels seen, supported and empowered.

Thank you to everyone that has helped contribute to this blog post - athletes, parents, and professionals

Wood, S., Marshall, B., Kaiseler, M., & Wood, G. (2025). Navigating Neurodiversity in Elite Sport: Lived Experiences of Neurodivergent Athletes. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2025.2534896