Autism Peer 1 on 1 Forms Partnership with Special Olympics Coach
Autism Peer 1 on 1 and Special Olympics coach Jeff Littman joined forces on Friday, July 14th, 2023 to successfully produce a collection of basketball coaching skills training videos.
Founded in 2017 in Cypress, Autism Peer 1 on 1 is a nonprofit organization aims to create a supportive and inclusive community that empowers individuals with autism. Our mission is to raise autism awareness among NeuroTypical (NT) individuals, especially youth and teens, while fostering understanding, acceptance, and empathy. Through personalized one-on-one interactions, we strive to enhance the social and communication skills of individuals with autism (Neurodiversities - ND), thereby creating a more inclusive world for future generations.
Autism Peer 1 on 1 has been providing weekly basketball sessions for special needs youth for a number of years. However, the youth volunteers, known as peers, have faced challenges in effectively engaging and training these special needs youth in basketball skills. Recognizing the need for improvement, Mrs. Zhanqi Cheng, the founder and director of the organization, sought the expertise of Special Olympics coach Jeff Littman to embark on an exciting project of creating a series of basketball coaching skills training videos.
In this remarkable endeavor, six peers from Peer 1 on 1 teamed up with six special needs athletes from the Los Alamitos Special Olympic basketball team. Coach Littman, known for his exceptional coaching skills in training special needs athletes, began by focusing on the fundamental aspects of basketball, including dribbling, shooting, passing, and footwork. He skillfully broke down complex skills into smaller, more manageable components, providing clear and concise instructions and demonstrations. Coach Littman's approach also involved offering positive reinforcement to boost the athletes' confidence and motivation.
These invaluable training videos, resulting from the collaboration, will serve as a lasting asset for Peer 1 on 1. Preserved and shared, they will greatly support the organization's mission to empower and uplift special needs youth.
