Giftedness and sports

[Anonymous]

Curious if any of your gifted kids (using a strict definition of kids with 130 FSIQ or higher on WISC) are any good at sports?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I've known a number of gifted kids who were also excellent athletes. I know one who was in the FCPS GT program who went on to college with a combined merit/athletic scholarship, graduated and was employed as a professional athlete.

Also, there was a swimmer at TJ a few years ago who went to the Olympic trials.

[Anonymous]

My DD with a 139 and my DD with a 141 are both good atlhletes (according to their coaches and their stats).

[Anonymous]

My nephew is an exceptional athlete and gifted in math and science.

[Anonymous]

I think this is very common.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on processing speed. It is really common for gifted kids to have lower PSI scores, and I think that makes most team sports hard.

[Anonymous]

Mine certainly is not but I know a number of gifted kids who are.

[Anonymous]

Dyslexia and sports of very common.

[Anonymous]

My own IQ is in the 130s and I ran track in HS / college.
I have one in AAP now, who is decent at one sport (I'm guesstimating within the top 25%, though not a superstar by any means).
I have a younger one, who I think is top 25% or better in most sports tried (including ball sports) and I arguably think DC2 excels in school more than DC1, but I have no IQ test to confirm my hunch at this point in time. That said, more things come easily to DC2 (school & sports) and I see DC2 get very upset when not "the best" at any given thing, which I think is something DC2 really has to work on (and we are working on it!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on processing speed. It is really common for gifted kids to have lower PSI scores, and I think that makes most team sports hard.

This statement is ridiculous. Processing speed is based on 2 different 2 minute paper and pencil tests. Some gifted kids have lower processing speed because they more cautiously complete the task or spend longer because they write a bit neater or are doing the first task-Coding and realize there is potentially a more efficient way to do the task than the completing the task the required way. Having average processing speed on these brief pencil and paper tasks and being in the gifted range in every other area on the WiSC is not going to affect your ability in team sports. I have seen kids get average scores on PSI (processing speed index) yet score in the superior range on the writing fluency subtest on the WJ academic which is a timed 5 minute (used to be 7 minute) task where you write sentences based on a picture and three words and math fluency (3 minute test of basic math oroblems). Those more accurately mimic school demands. If your kid sucks at team sports, they just aren't athletic.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Son who was identified as gifted in APS and admitted to TJ is also an excellent ice hockey player (plays Tier 1 hockey for the Washington Little Capitals), as well as a good all around athlete (plays soccer, low level travel baseball, lacrosse, and basketball).

[Anonymous]

My gifted child (also ADHD-I) is not unathletic however doesn’t like team sports and doesn’t like trying when it comes to sports/excercise. He rather be reading or building robots. However I know plenty of gifted kids that are amazing/love for sports so I think my son’s ADHD-Inattentive is his issue.

[Anonymous]

My dyslexic son (only IQ 120) is playing D1 sports. Many of his teammates (also D1 and high level D3 bound) have much higher IQ. Of course we don't ask their IQ but they are in tons of AP classes, high SAT scores and going to "better" colleges (he is going to a top 20 college).

I think many gifted kids are athletic but I don't think many gifted kids are D1 level gifted.

[Anonymous]

...but I don't think many gifted kids are D1 level gifted.

Well, yeah. Maybe because less than 3% of kids are D1 players of any sport. Don't think IQ and D1 level has been studied.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/estimated-probability-competing-college-athletics

[Anonymous]

My son tested as an IQ of 135, but since he's only 10 I don't know how accurate that is. He's good at soccer, but not great (lower-level travel team). He doesn't like any other sports, just soccer.