Downs Syndrome and Football

You can put a downs child at center. He hikes the ball when the QB taps him. If his reactions are delayed - And they probably will be - the QB taps him early. In my system, if the kid can learn a snap count of 1-2-3, we have the QB call "Hut One! Hut Two! Hut Three!" The line moves on 1, 2, or 3 but the Downs child moves on the "Hut!" before the snap number. That way his delayed response will get him/her off the line with everyone else. A Downs child that can learn the snap count can be an effective player. If he can't learn this I can also place him at SE and tell him to watch the ball for the snap and then go block the deepest defender they see inside them. I did this with a Downs kid and took him to our league's Super Bowl. I do not play Downs children on defense. I do, however,let them run the ball in practice. They have no clue what they're doing but they have GREAT FUN - ten times more fun than the other kids running the ball even though they're likely to run the wrong way. Don't ask me why. Expect ROARS OF LAUGHTER from a Downs kid running with a football. Next, if you're only going to play a Down's child for one half a game, always play him in the first half and never the second. His attention span won't let him sit on the bench that long. In the second half, his mother can take him off the bench and entertain him (Buy him a hotdog or whatever). But keep him off the bench for more than 5 minutes. Last, but not least, you should ask for a team coach to VOLUNTEER to take him. Any coach that volunteers to take a Downs child will treat him right. A coach that has the kid forced on him may not do so.
Sorry for the long delay in getting back.