Growing up, I never really knew what Autism was or what it meant. For the most part, I thought I was just a regular child running around the playground with all the other kids. But sometimes, I seemed to lack a few social skills and noticed that I didn't always process things as fast as other kids. When I was six years old, I was diagnosed with a high-functioning Autism after my parents started noticing different behavior patterns and sent me to Little Friends, Inc. in Naperville, Illinois. That moment my life changed forever.
Throughout my youth, I played five different sports: hockey, soccer, football, basketball and baseball. My first memory was in hockey when I was five years old and I had a penalty shot opportunity. Just like any kid, I was heavily influenced by "The Mighty Ducks" movies, and during my penalty shot, I tried to mimic Charlie Conway's "Triple Deke" in slow motion, only to airmail the puck almost over the glass behind the net. Also, unlike today, I did not have skating lessons or any other kind of hockey lessons. I was pretty much told to just go out there and skate, and by some miracle, I did it. But, how? Through the power of watching everyone else do it. As broad as that sounds, it's just how I got my playing skills throughout my career.
Having Autism might be the worst thing to ever happen to some people, but to me and my family, it was the best. Sports have played a pivotal role in who I am. Just ask any friend or parent in Sandwich, Illinois. Everywhere I went, I was always carrying a football, basketball, baseball, etc. Sports is what I'm comfortable with, something to escape reality with, whether it's shooting hoops, kicking a football, or tossing a baseball around. I wasn't the best athlete out there, but understanding concepts better than people allowed me to compete at a high level. Autism allowed me to see a different perspective than anyone else, share knowledge with friends and teammates and apply that to day-to-day life.
One of my life goals was to play a collegiate sport, and didn't really matter what it was. Ultimately, I was extremely blessed with an opportunity to play football at North Central College. My coaches really guided me through quite a hectic journey, and my teammates were more than accepting of me, they were family to me. Having Autism didn't matter to them, they liked me for who I am. Now that I'm at school as a kicker on the football team, I would like to give a shoutout to my mom. When you posted on Facebook the day I committed to North Central that I wasn't supposed to graduate high school, let alone not get to where I am today, it hit me hard. If you told me that statement when I was six, this article wouldn't have been written, I would've not known any of my incredible teammates here at school, and I wouldn't be playing college football. You knew sports was what I could thrive to do in life, you and dad pushed me to levels I couldn't imagine going. And to my brother and sister, thank you for believing me since day one, loving me unconditionally, and just showing unbelievable support.
Every day seems to be an opportunity to make a positive impact. I enjoy playing sports and using that to hopefully build a positive reputation. Although I've gone through a lot of adversity to get where I am, everyone goes through adversity. Getting to where you want to be in life will not be easy at all, and I believe my story is an example of how no matter how much adversity you endure, no matter the circumstances you're in, nothing should ultimately stop you from achieving your dreams. I'm not a rags-to-riches story, nor should people feel sorry for me because of a "disability." Teammates of mine have gone through worse, way worse actually, but I hope that you read this and can say "this kid made an impact on me somehow," and remember that Autism is not a disability, it's simply a different ability.
