When you are first introduced to sweet Collin, he may hang back… just a little. His shyness and anxiousness about meeting someone new may take over, but it doesn’t take long to see his wonderful personality emerge. Collin lives with autism, which alters his view of situations. Activities that may be “easy” to some are challenging to Collin. Crowded restaurants are overwhelming; a shower can become a difficult sensory task. He is 16 years old and incredibly smart, but his anxiety can create fear which, in turn, makes Collin want to shut down. Couple that with the fact that he is a freshman in high school and this bright, caring young guy has a lot to overcome. When the Marvin Ridge Jr. Dream Team selected Collin to have his sports dream come true, he was simply overcome with emotion. He is thrilled to have a peer group rally behind him and accept him wholeheartedly.
Collin’s competitive streak comes out when playing video games, he loves spaghetti and meatballs, and his favorite subject is Math. He recently became REALLY interested in baseball. It started when he attended two minor league games and was solidified when he attended a LA Angels v. Seattle Mariners game. HE LOVED IT. It was one of the first times when a crowd of strangers did not overwhelm him. Collin has since learned more about the game and the rules and his passion for the sport continues to grow. His sports dream is to get back to an Angels game and the Jr. Dream Team at Marvin Ridge High School is working hard to make Collin’s dream come true!
