From social skills classes to a major league clubhouse: my journey with Autism

[Noah Berger]

As the Marlins celebrate Autism Acceptance Day, I share my perspective on what it's like covering baseball as an adult with Autism. 

Being diagnosed at a young age with Asperger's syndrome, now known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, I have experienced untold frustrations and incredible successes on my way to bringing you Miami Marlins coverage.

What is Asperger's? There are many characteristics of someone with Asperger's, but for me, several stood out as a child: difficulty with social interactions and social language; not understanding emotions well or having less facial expression than others; not understanding nonverbal communication, such as gestures, body language, and facial expressions; not understanding sarcasm; becoming upset at slight changes in routines; and difficulty managing emotions, sometimes leading to verbal or behavioral outbursts.

Luckily, I have a brilliant mother who picked up when I was very young that something was different, or "atypical," as she liked to put it. She took me to social skills classes throughout my youth to enable me to develop the skills I would need in the real world. And for an adult with Asperger's, I still work on those skills every day. It's an ongoing fight to understand behavior, recognize changes in routine and how that affects me, and manage my emotions.

Several years ago, Fish On First (then under the Fish Stripes banner) took a shot on a kid with Asperger's. Being on their roster has only added to my skills building. But the challenges persist. 

It is hard to settle into my "routine" when we have such a large staff that divides up the coverage assignments. I take pride in being prepared and have lost control of my emotions—lashing out to my colleagues both privately and publicly—when being away from the ballpark has left me with outdated or incorrect information. Although embarrassing, these have been important teaching moments and reminders that my Asperger's does not go away, it just needs to be controlled.

Being a member of Fish On First is a huge success in and of itself. I am proud to be part of a team that delivers the finest Marlins coverage on the internet and travels across Major League Baseball to do it for you. The relationships I have developed with the Marlins and their personnel, coaches, players, and executives have all helped me. My questions and mannerisms may be “atypical,” but I feel welcomed by all. And for that, I am truly thankful.

The most rewarding part of this journey comes when someone finds out I have Asperger's for the first time. Two things happen:

1. A person whispers in my ear that they never knew I had Asperger's, and they are proud to see where I am. Obviously, that fills me with pride.
2. A person starts to tell me of their family member who has Autism and how they are motivated by how far I have come. And sometimes, if you can imagine, they even ask me for advice. 

As we celebrate Autism Acceptance Day with the Marlins, please take a moment and look around at all those around you who may be “atypical.” There are more around than you know. When you meet someone with Asperger’s or Autism, take a moment and give them an extra second to take in what’s going on around them. Be patient. Ask what you can do to diffuse an escalating situation. Remember that social skills are essential for everyone. They can take you anywhere, even to a Major League pressbox.

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