Dyslexia helped me as a pro-footballer - Lescott

10 hours ago7 min read2 comments

In a revealing discussion that reframes how we perceive neurodiversity in elite sports, former Premier League stalwart Joleon Lescott has articulated how his dyslexia—once a source of classroom anxiety—became his secret weapon on the pitch. Speaking at an event for the charity Made By Dyslexia, the 43-year-old defender, whose career spanned over 200 appearances for Wolves and included successful stints at Everton and Manchester City, detailed the profound contrast between his educational struggles and his athletic triumphs.He recalled the palpable dread of being called upon to read in English class, a moment of panic where his mind would race to pre-learn paragraphs instead of listening, a clever disguise for his reading challenges. Yet, it was this very cognitive difference that Lescott credits for his superior game intelligence.On the field, his brain operated like a high-performance processor, visualizing passing lanes and potential outcomes with remarkable speed. He explained that his dyslexic thinking enabled a heightened visual-spatial awareness, allowing him to map the entire pitch, anticipate movements, and narrow down complex scenarios to the most realistic options in a split second—a skill that echoes the legendary football IQ of a Xavi or a Pirlo, who saw the game several moves ahead of their peers.This aligns perfectly with the insights from Made By Dyslexia founder Kate Griggs, who emphasizes that dyslexic thinkers in sports often possess an unparalleled ability to memorize plays and leverage intuition, pushing boundaries and smashing records. Lescott’s narrative is a powerful testament to a broader shift in understanding cognitive diversity, moving beyond the deficit model to recognize unique strengths. His experience underscores a critical lesson for talent development in football and beyond: what is often labeled a disadvantage in one context can be the very engine of peak performance in another, proving that the mind of a champion doesn't always think in a straight line.

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#dyslexia

#Joleon Lescott

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#Made By Dyslexia