Introduction
Sport is one of the recognized means of promoting individual and communal health and wellness. However, the goal of deaf sports goes beyond this simple understanding to a more sophisticated form of social interaction. It is estimated that “one in every 1000 children” possess acute hearing loss at birth (Hopper). The diminished hearing capability during the formative years considerably hampers the acquisition of speech and language skills in individuals. Thus, the majority of deaf people exhibit stunted growth in cognitive, social and academic levels. This scenario changed radically with the advent and extensive adoption of deaf sports across the globe. The deaf community perceives deaf sports as a cultural celebration and an essential tool for overcoming stereotypical attitudes directed at them by the hearing population. This profound mental shift has boosted the self-esteem of those with hearing loss to astronomical levels that they no longer consider themselves as disabled, but rather as a cohesive population segment with distinct values and culture. The deaf engage in multiple conventional sports that are organized at the local, regional and international levels, with minimum modifications. Examples of successful deaf sportsmen include: William Hoy, a baseball player in the Major Leagues, who is also acclaimed for designing signs to cater for the communication needs of deaf team members in baseball; Curtis Pride, who is a professional basketball coach and player; and Terence Parkin, a world-renown Olympic swimmer (Scriver).
Deaf Sports: meaning and importance
The deaf community has a long of participation in sports. Over the decades, it has used deaf sports as a conduit for advancing the understanding of the dynamics surrounding hearing impairment. As such, deaf sports serve a social, psychological and educational function. As a social institution, deaf sports are an embodiment of deaf consciousness and culture. Deaf consciousness is the awareness of the limitations posed by hearing loss and the “scaled-down version of norms” entrenched in the non-deaf dominated society (Stewart 66). This consciousness is coupled with an awakening as to the opportunities and capabilities that deaf people can exploit through communal efforts. In this regard, deaf sports create a constructive space within which deaf people can exert their autonomy through the organization, association, and competition. Additional social benefits of the sports include greater mutual respect between the hearing and deaf populations, and inculcating a sense of deaf pride and self-esteem. Secondly, the deaf sports serve a psychological function by acting as a social support system for deaf people. This system creates a healthy environment for developing the cognitive and social potential of the deaf individuals away from the toxic stereotypes and misperceptions in the society at large (Stewart 2). Thirdly, the education purpose of deaf sports revolve around imparting and dissemination the values and culture of the deaf community. The primary mechanism for culture transmission stems from the emulation of the mental and physical traits of successful sportsmen with hearing loss. Furthermore, the sports provide a safe outlet for the suppressed tensions, energies and hostile feelings that deaf people acquire from the depreciating interactions with the hearing community (Stewart 8).
History of deaf sports: Deaflympics and Paralympics
The participation of the deaf in sports originated in the aftermath of world war 2, as an avenue for providing assistance and motivation to injured war veterans and civilians. The oldest deaf sports organization is the Deaflympics, formerly known as the World Games for the Deaf. The organization was founded in France in 1924 by a deaf cyclist sportsman called Eugene Rubens-Alcais (DisabledWorld.com). The first international deaf sports competition, dubbed the Paris Silent Games, was held in the same year. The event was organized by the Comite International des Sourds (CISS), formally known as the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The Deaflympics is the organization is the second oldest sports organization in the world after the Olympics. It is held every four years, attracting more than 3, 000 deaf athletes competing at an elite level. The Games consists of summer and winter competitions. Examples of Summer Games include athletics, basketball, bowling, handball and beach volleyball among others. Winter Games include ice hockey, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and alpine skiing.
During each edition of the Games, member countries bid for the hosting opportunity. The successful country organizes the games through its national sports organization, which forms a board to run the event. The responsibility of the board is to solicit funds and sponsorship from external partners such as the government and the local sporting organizations. As of 2008, the ICSD had about 98 member countries (Ammons). Unlike other international sports organizations, the ICSD consists of only deaf officials. Prior to the Deaflympics, the ICSD organizes regional and world championships in an assortment sports. Regional tournaments involved elimination matches between countries in order to secure nominations for various spots on the national Deaflympics teams (Ammons). Business partners such as WIDEX (i.e. the manufacturer of hearing aids) sponsors awards for Deaf Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year.
The deaf community also participates in the Paralympics, held on the heels of the Olympics, every four years. The Games were first held in Rome, Italy in the year 1960, drawing 400 participants from 23 countries. Since then the Paralympics featured thousands of athletes and spectators globally. In the United States, the deaf sports are managed by the American Athletic Association of the Deaf, which was established in 1945 (Hopper). The organization, currently known as the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADF), organizes state and national tournaments. National sports competitions include golf, soccer, handball, martial arts, cycling, ice hockey and basketball. Small league games managed by individual committees include water polo, swimming, bowling, table tennis, badminton, and volleyball among others.
Game modifications for the deaf
Deaf athletes usually engage in multiple types of sports with little or no game modifications. However, minimum alterations such as visual aids are essential in enhancing communication between deaf athletes and officials (Scriver). Instead of a fired gun, deaf sporting events use flashing lights to signal the start of a race. The waving of hands or colored flags and gestures are used to gain the attention of participants. Tags placed on referee or players identifies the designation of the individuals involved in the game. Visual aids such as signs, scoreboards and video screens provide guidance and additional information to players. The presence of interpreters and the knowledge of the American Sign Language by coaches, teammates and spectators eases communication. The primary qualification for a deaf individual to take part in the Deaflympics is the existence of “hearing loss of at least 55 dB in their better ears” (DisabledWorld.com). Furthermore, the Deaflympics bans the use of cochlear implants and hearing aids by players during competitions to eliminate unfair competitive advantages stemming from disparities in the severity of individuals’ hearing loss.
Challenges facing deaf sports
Despite the apparent success of deaf sports, deaf athletes still face a number of obstacles. Firstly, communication barriers between the deaf and hearing teammates in mainstream sports events are still dominant. The level of sign language knowledge among the hearing population is very small, owing to the less priority that conventional educational institutions give to deaf education. This barrier makes it difficult for deaf athletes to interact with officials such as referees. Secondly, most sports equipment such as swim caps and football helmets inhibit the function of hearing devices. This phenomenon hampers the deaf players’ ability to engage fully in the competitions. Thirdly, death athletes are prone to physical injury existent in some sports such as cycling, because of their diminished ability to sense competitors approaching from behind. Lastly, stereotypes that the hearing population associate with the deaf individual is nonetheless conspicuous. These negative connotations such as “disabled” or “incapacitated” dent the self-esteem and morale of deaf athletes, making them perform at below optimum levels. Despite these challenges, the deaf community has made great strides over the years in mitigating the adverse effects of these challenges.
Conclusion
In conclusion, deaf sports are a necessary social institution in the deaf community and society as a whole. Through engagement and success in sports, deaf athletes have significantly overcome the societal misperceptions regarding deaf people. Unlike other forms of disabilities, the sports have elevated the standing social status of deaf individuals to an almost equal level of the hearing population. Deaf players engage in conventional sports, much like the hearing athletes. History has proven that the obstacles encountered by deaf athletes are surmountable, with joint efforts from both the deaf and hearing communities. With such a unified institutional support in place, the deaf community can soar to even greater heights through competitive sports and deaf education.
Works Cited
Ammons, Donalda K. "Deaf sports and Deaflympics." N.p., Sept. 2008. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <https://www.jfd.or.jp/deaflympics/resources/presrep-e.pdf>.
DisabledWorld.com. "Deaflympics: International Games for the Deaf." Disabled World. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.disabled-world.com/sports/deaflympics/>.
Hopper, Chris. "Deaf and Hard of Hearing: NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities." National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD). N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nchpad.org/517/2429/Deaf~and~Hard~of~Hearing>.
Scriver, Hannah. ""Deaf and the Sports Community" American Sign Language (ASL)." N.p., 13 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/deaf-and-the-sports-community.htm>.
Stewart, David A. Deaf Sport: The Impact of Sports Within the Deaf Community. Washington: Gallaudet UP, 1991. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1v1Pb3umbXwC&oi=fnd&pg=PP9&dq=sports+for+the+deaf&ots=4xv4M6ev46&sig=qbnyXPCZCp2_o1Q2swZ7WxUM0Bk&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=sports%20for%20the%20deaf&f=false>.
