Is ADHD Necessarily an Impairment?

We all know stories about how inattention and lack of concentration for such pursuits as schoolwork and other essential skills can turn ADHD into a source of impairment, but many of us know that under the right conditions, it can lead to a very interesting type of hyper-concentration as well.

Let’s start with a personal story. I have known that I have ADHD since early adolescence, even if we didn’t have the language for it that we do now. I grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and played most seasonal sports. I liked baseball best but didn’t really love it. When I was 13, a barnstorming 4-man fast-pitch softball team came to town and “the King and His Court” took on the best team in NJ. Eddie Feigner was the pitcher/king, and he made the ball dance any which way he wanted, including behind the back, between the legs, blindfolded, and from 2nd base—and he even struck out a batter pitching from center field.           

The game is now dominated by women at the college and Olympic level, but back then it was played in most towns by club or industrial teams who represented their company. I watched the King perform magic, playing the 9-man opponent to a standstill, and something in me concluded that fast-pitch throwing was going to be a central part of my future.

And so, the next day, with pictures of King Eddie in my mind, I took my glove and a softball and found a wall to throw at. Day after day and hour after hour, I threw at the wall, getting better and better at putting the ball where I was aiming. It was pure fun.After a bit of time, some older guys noticed what I was trying to do and gave me some tips. One guy who played 2nd base for a top fast-pitch team gave me some ways to hold the ball to make it change direction.

What I didn’t understand then was that personal passion combined with a willingness to improve can provide the person with ADHD an advantage over less passionate players. But that is just what happened. My instant passion for this game I was randomly introduced to one summer evening led to my pitching in men’s leagues when I was 15 and playing in interstate, regional, and even a national tournament before I hung ‘em up at 43.

In 2018, I was inducted into the USA Softball of New Jersey Hall of Fame for pitching and writing three books about my favorite game—an achievement that I managed not despite but because of ADHD.

Steven Clarfield, PhD