Athletes with Learning Disabilities

Related: , More TagsCelebrities with learning disabilities, Dyslexia, Adults with learning disabilities, Fewer Tags

by Quinn Bradlee
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Mohammad Ali

Mohammad Ali was a light heavyweight boxing champion. He overcame dyslexia to learn to read and write when he was younger. He sponsored with Scholastic, in the hopes of introducing and encouraging reading, especially in boys.

Duncan Goodhew

Duncan Goodhew is an Olympic swimmer and struggled with dyslexia. He was diagnosed when he was 13 years old. Duncan explains how it felt to attend school before he was diagnosed with dyslexia, "Before my dyslexia was discovered, being at school felt like being put into a job that I wasn't qualified or competent to do. I'd sit there every day staring into space, trying to survive the experience." [1]

Bruce Jenner

Bruce Jenner won the decathlon in the 1976 Olympics. He credits learning to overcome obstacles to win the gold medal to his dyslexia, "Dyslexia made me outwork the next guy. But it was a side effect of dyslexia, my self-esteem-my perception of myself, which was my biggest problem of all; bigger than the perceptual problems of dyslexia itself, and if I had not been dyslexic, I wouldn't have needed sports." [2]

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson played basketball for the LA Lakers. During his first season he won a championship and a MVP award. During his career he has achieved five NBA championships, three MVP Awards among other awards. He was also a member of USA's Dream Team during the Olympics of 1992.  Magic Johnson has dyslexia and remembers, ""The looks, the stares, the giggles...I wanted to show everybody that I could do better and also that I could read." [3].

Greg Louganis

Greg Louganis is an Olympic gold medal diver. Louganis struggled in school with dyslexia and turned to diving because it was one area in his life he found success. He currently works to help organizations that help dyslexics.

Diamond Dallas Page

Diamond Dallas Page has dyslexia; during his school years his teachers incorrectly thought he was slow and inattentive. Even at the age of thirty, he could read only on a third grade level. Diamond instead turned to sports and excelled in that area. He became a World Wrestling Champion.

References:

"Mohammad Ali Says Read", 2006, Dec 4, Author Unknown, Social Studies for Kids

[1] "Duncan Goodhew Makes Waves for BrightStar", 2005, Feb 3, Alan Williamson, Virtualization.com

[2] "Bruce Jenner Overcoming Obstacles", Date Unknown, Carol Goodrow, KidsRunning.com

[3] "Famous Dyslexics", Date Unknown, Author Unknown, Dyslexic Institute of Indiana

"Louganis Never Lost Drive to Dive", 2007, Ron Flatter, ESPN

"Bio of Diamond Dallas Page", Date Unknown, Author Unknown, Diamond Dallas Page Speaks