Case Study | Alex

Alex (15) has autism and dealing with everyday situations is often a struggle as she feels she isn’t understood, doesn’t fit in with her peer group and has even experienced bullying at school.

It’s very rare that Alex finds an activity that she enjoys, but one exception is cricket. On days where she is due to play, Alex is up early and excited about going to training and meeting her friends.

Her mum, Alison, says the change she sees in Alex makes her unrecognisable from the girl she was three years ago:

“Cricket has become the highlight of her life. She just loves it! Since she started playing at Hackney, Alex is a different person. The team are her friends; they accept her, listen to her and make her feel welcome and she happily talks and laughs with them.”

Seeing Alex playing cricket has allowed her family to see that she can mix with others and has the potential to make her own way in the world; something they always feared might not be possible.

“I’m so proud of what she has overcome and achieved, I now feel really positive about her future,” said Alex’s aunt, Janice.

Alex herself recognises that cricket has really helped her:

“Cricket makes me happy. It takes my mind off all the stress and anxieties from school and life; it all just goes away. The team respect me and don’t judge me like the kids at school do.”