Meet Victor
Victor, a young man with autism, has grown up with KEEN. He has been a KEEN athlete for the past 10 years and participates in KEEN’s Sports programs in Baltimore. Victor likes to play and have fun, but he also has limited social skills and verbal capabilities. And his attention span is short. All of this makes team activities challenging.
At KEEN, Victor doesn’t need to worry about keeping pace with others or meeting the demands of a group activity. He and all KEEN athletes are paired one-to-one with volunteer coaches who work and play independently together. So, Victor has an immediate friend in that one-to-one volunteer, who will stick by his side, give him 100 percent attention throughout the sessions and do whatever activities Victor wants to do. At KEEN, Victor is empowered to play in his own way and at his own speed with a variety of sports equipment—balls, scooters, indoor bowling pins, etc.—and socialize as much as he wants.
Here’s what his dad says about his KEEN experience: “Victor is a naturally happy, gregarious young man who loves to interact with people, which is why KEEN is such a great opportunity for him because the volunteers ‘get’ him, accept him for who he is, and accept him on his own terms. We’re very grateful for KEEN and Victor just loves it.”
