My son was afraid of the ball and later on Aspergers was confirmed. Also related poor eye tracking, finger motorics. We did OT and he was able to attend regular school but still hates team sports

I"d quietly, with no reference to sport, get his eyes checked.

A lot of my fear of the ball as a child was related to a complete inability to locate it in space.

He's not afraod of the ball. He's afraid of the man.

I’m not sure about soccer but I used to be afraid of the ball playing softball after bunting it off my face and hitting it off my hands, breaking a finger. It helped me to wear a mask for a little while batting again, and also just standing in the batter’s box during pitching practice, watching balls. So the answer is yes, just more practice. I like the idea of softer balls like a beach ball.

How old is your son? My kids were both afraid of the ball in soccer when they were small. My younger child still is at age 10 but the older one now at 15 much more fearless, unless really close when it’s about to be kicked and I think rightly judged whether or not to turn head, dodge, etc.

I don't know if this is helpful, but contact with the ball hurts a lot less if he meets the ball instead of letting it hit him - this is particularly true with heading.

Tennis balls...always use tennis balls until they feel
More comfortable. The color green is less intimidating, easier to see, and fairly painless if hit with.

I think it depends on their personality but more they practice less they get afraid of the ball. My son was afraid of the baseball because it hurts like hell when you get hit by a line drive. So he's been hit several times where it causes a bruise and once in a ribcage by a pitch in machine pitch (40 mph) so he knows how it feels. He's 8 now and knows how to catch and field pretty well and he plays on a travel team.

OP, depending on their age, be careful so they don't quit on you. Motivate them and keep playing catch with them OFTEN and have fun doing it and that should correct it.

I remember playing soccer as a child and hoping the ball never came near me on the field. I as worried about being hit in softball games. Then as I was older we had to play volleyball in gym and my natural reaction was to duck and run. In high school I was on the crew team and it was perfect for me. Try a sport without a ball!

Anonymous wrote:I have one son who plays baseball and would eagerly jump in the batters box with scherzer pitching, or play infield in with harper at bat.
No fear of the ball, any ball.

I have another son who plays soccer and winces and covers up any time the ball is kicked near him. Baseball he did not have much of a issue, but not as fearless as his brother.

Is there a way to teach away being afraid of the ball or is it just a natural you have it or not?

In my experience, once he gets hit with the ball a time or three the fear will disappear, or as PPs suggested, you will need to find him new sports to play.

Anonymous wrote:I'd look at non-ball sports - swim, fencing, karate, archery, running, biking, etc.

+1 Lots of sports that don't require having a ball kicked towards you at high speeds. Fewer injuries in some of these sports, too, as the kids get older.

Maybe it’s just not his sport? We tried all types of “ball” sports before age of 8 with my son. He couldn’t get the rules, and was just either covering himself with hands when it flew into him, or grabbed the ball and ran with it from other players. It was extremely funny, and he couldn’t understand why other boys didn’t want to play with him.
We enrolled him into a swim team and it became his only sport for many years.

I'd look at non-ball sports - swim, fencing, karate, archery, running, biking, etc.

Start with a beach ball - kick it around. Move to the inexpensive balls you get at the grocery store. Next the playground ball.

Just play with each. After having the confidence with one - will build to others.

Does you he have any OT issues? How are they on the monkey bars / slide?

I have one son who plays baseball and would eagerly jump in the batters box with scherzer pitching, or play infield in with harper at bat.
No fear of the ball, any ball.

I have another son who plays soccer and winces and covers up any time the ball is kicked near him. Baseball he did not have much of a issue, but not as fearless as his brother.

Is there a way to teach away being afraid of the ball or is it just a natural you have it or not?