"In CrossFit, we all need to adapt to the attitude of a lionheart at times, digging deep to work through a workout or a lift."
An iPad for a 5-year-old may seem like an indulgence for most, but for a child with autism, it’s a lifeline. Thanks to the CrossFit for Lionhearts event hosted by CrossFit Vaal, three autistic children in South Africa now have an iPad in their little hands.
Tracey Vee’s son, Travis, is the original “lionheart.” He has a rare brain malformation called Septo Optic Dysplasia, meaning he has many autistic traits and, at age 5, still cannot walk or talk. What he does have is an abundance of courage, which earned him the nickname Lionheart. This moniker spread through Vee’s blog, and soon, family, friends and the community started calling the special needs children Lionhearts.
iPads for Lionhearts
Why iPads? Brad Strydom, CrossFit Vaal affiliate owner and long-time friend of Vee, says the technology can help these children communicate. “Consider the average child with autism; introverted, frustrated and lonely,” he explains. “An iPad, used together with the autism-specific apps, is a key to unlock the potential that’s just waiting to break free from inside these differently-wired children.”
Vee adds: “For some reason, an iPad is an interface that just ‘clicks’ for a child with autism. It’s an educational tool, a communication tool and it gives them confidence. Sometimes, an iPad is their only friend in a lonely and confusing world.”
A cause close to the heart
The CrossFit for Lionhearts idea came to Strydom during a conversation with Vee about Travis. “We’d been looking for a cause to support and had already scheduled a date to coincide with a local festival, Kidz Festival, on Saturday 25 August,” he says.
Furthermore, Meghan Malan, assistant coach at CrossFit Vaal, recently taught at a school for children with autism. So when Strydom heard about the iPads for Lionhearts initiative, he knew it would be a great opportunity to use CrossFit for a good cause. “We had found a cause with synergy to us and the day,” he says. “The cause is one that we both support and is close to our hearts.”
Hulk, ‘Fros and Furries
Much to the delight of the kids at the festival, athletes arrived body-painted and be-wigged, in fur super hero costumes. It’s not everyday a child gets to see the Hulk workout out.
During the course of the morning, teams of two competed in three challenging workouts. These included deadlifting, lateral bar burpees, box jump squats, thrusters, kettlebell swings and more.
“Being the first event at CrossFit Vaal, we are very proud to say that it was an epic day and very well supported by the local CrossFit Community with teams representing CrossFit Vaal, CrossFit Bryanston, CrossFit Jozi, CrossFit Platinum, CrossFit PBM, as well as CrossFit athletes not training at affiliate gyms,” Strydom says.
While the competitors ended the day with the knowledge that they helped a child with autism, Strydom is quick to point out the kids have something to teach in return. “In CrossFit, we all need to adapt to the attitude of a lionheart at times, digging deep to work through a workout or a lift.”
Visit Vee’s blog at www.ipadforlionhearts.com or CrossFit Vaal’s (http://crossfitvaal.co.za/) website for more information.