Yeah, but the original reference was to a “prodigy” of any kind , not a talented athlete who makes the all star team that plays relatively locally. Lots of those without psychotic parents , but there are plenty of psychotic parents whose kids don’t actually have extraordinary talent who do this to one degree or another - maybe they don’t mortgage the house three times, but they send the kid to college to play baseball for four years (without a scholarship) and then, when that has gone nowhere he starts at a different college and only 12 credits transfer from the entire four years at the first college. Or they choose a private high school based on which one has a ice hockey team.
@Dr_Paprika’s article is about the pathological cases of child-athlete worship. Of which there are many. I’ve worked with guys whose kids are olympic wannabe skiers, tennis pros, or golf pros. It’s amazing how they can turn the life of the entire family into a support structure for one kid to the detriment of everyone else in the house. My own middle school & high school career included an olympic gymnast in our classes. On the rare occasions she attended.
It’s not at all relevant to the OP @msmith537’s case.
Nor is it relevant to the basic case of a neurotypical kid who plays school sports either enthusiastically or reluctantly, but only to middling results. Those are not the pathological cases the article is talking about.
When we moved to this house maybe 10 years ago, the neighbors had 2 boys in middle school. Their family life appeared to revolve around the boys’ soccer activities, and the (not wealthy) parents told us the unbelievable (to us) sums they were paying for coaching, traveling teams, etc. Me having a big mouth, at one point I asked what the expectations were - whether they really thought these 2 boys were going to get college scholarships or be pro-players.
Well, you can predict it. By end of HS, neither boy was on the HS team. Moreover, they were pretty lousy students. The parents loudly complained that the schools weren’t doing enough for their little darlings, and that the parents couldn’t compete with all the rich neighbors who spend $$$ on tutors and test prep. 
Now the oldest is in the Army - which seems to have been the best possible thing for him. The youngest is probably 22, flunked out of the local community college, and AFAIK is working part-time bussing tables in an assisted living facility.
No, I do not understand peoples’ excessive interest in youth sports. But what the OP describes - exposing the kid to different activities to see if anything clicks, and to see if he gets any social or fitness benefits - makes complete sense to me.
nmxxx
I did not mean to imply the things were comparable. Completely different situations. I just thought it might be of interest. However, I apologize if this is not the case or the proper thread.
I didn’t mean to personalize my comments, and if left you with the impression I was targeting you, I apologize. That wasn’t my intent.
Very late to the discussion but …
First an anecdote. My youngest, the girl, finally just told me “Dad, when are you going to get it? I’m just not a sporty girl!” I laid off having her try to find a sport. Then she found badminton and came home from the first tourney thrilled “Dad, I made her cry!” She got nice again next tournament. She is very physically active and fit young adult now.
Only point is to pile on the let them find it. And emphasize that it matters if they are having fun, period.
Second. The physical activities stereotypically enjoyed by autistic kids include horseback riding and swimming. You’ve already stated swimming is non-negotiable and you have a pool. He may not be a great swimmer but odds are he will enjoy it. So now get horse!
People with higher-functioning autism may WANT to be social, but that’s going to be a challenge because “normal” kids can tell the instant they meet those kids that something is “wrong” with them. Adults may not be able to tell, and that includes parents who are often in denial.
Somebody way up thread mentioned proprioception, which is a common weak-spot for neuro-diverse people. It’s one of the ways that we pick each other out in a crowd, and what makes NTs unconsciously peg us as “Weird.”
I was lucky that an early obsession with ballet taught me this skill, even though I was obviously terrible at first. I loved it so I stuck with it. That’s what you need to find for your son. What music does he like? Find a dance class that uses it. What movement does he like? Hatha yoga, tai chi, parkour, flying yoga, all are things he might like, that would help him get in touch with the placement of his limbs. Even a clowning class would be helpful.
This is not just a matter of “being good at sports.” Proprioception is what helps us go up and down stairs safely, and walk across rugged terrain. People who leave this problem unaddressed end up with more broken bones. Proprioception is also what helps us predict where the corners of a vehicle will be once we turn it, or back it up. Poor proprioception is a predictor of dents, especially in parking and changing lanes.
He’s old enough that if he were my child I would just discuss it with him. Look, this is a weakness for you, but it’s something you learn, not something you’re born with. We need to find an activity you’ll enjoy that includes physical movement. Then include him in the decision.
Generally, this also correlates with poor eye-hand coordination. Things like playing an instrument (especially piano) or crochet or sculpting, pottery, etc. can all help get that on track. Again, there is such a wide range of possibilities, there has to be one he would like.
It’s also really important to make clear to kids that they are not supposed to be good at things the first time they try them. The myth of “Talent” that those who are good at things just naturally know how, does enormous damage. We don’t have to be Mozart for piano lessons to be valuable.
The 10,000 hour rule of thumb, although a generalization, is helpful for kids to grok what they need to put into a task before they should judge their success level. I was taught you have to put 2,000 hours of practice to be adept, 10,000 for mastery. Again, not a matter of accuracy, but a concept kids need to understand. [Please let’s not start a stupid side bar about the “rule.”]
It may be possible that your pediatrician can recommend him for occupational therapy that might give him a quicker start at finding his hands and feet. A good pediatric Physical Therapist can help you nail down exactly where his challenges lie, so he can target his effort for the fastest returns.
I hope some of this is helpful, and that you will ignore any of it which isn’t. I’m just dumping info here, so tone may be lacking. 100% hoping to help and nothing else. Wishing you the best of luck in helping your son.
I think the odd mannerisms and quirks are what often the “neuro-diverse” stand out as “off”.
While my son does have some motor skills challenges at time (which he gets OT for) generally he doesn’t have any problems running and climbing and generally playing without tripping and falling over himself.
Since trying him out at sports, we’ve also been enrolling him in this. The videos look a bit “Cobra Kai”, but the actual classes are more laid back. Mostly small groups of kids doing plyometrics, which is definitely good for him.