Which do you prefer: playing with a hearing or deaf team? Several years ago, I joined recreation club and played basketball with the hearing girls. We made it on the basketball team and it was my first time playing with the hearing girls with no communication. I never paid attention how I feel about began playing with the hearing girls. Our elder basketball coach was Don and he was wonderful guy. I have no knowledge about him; I have only known him as my basketball coach. We played many games and we won all the basketball games. We also champed that final tournament, 5/6-grade girl’s basketball champion in all the over central of Vermont.
One day, an excited basketball game many fans, families, and friends went to our basketball game. One of them, my dad, Joe was going to watch us. After game began, I was sitting and waiting for my Coach Don to call me, my dad, Joe was upset that I did not play in that the court for almost basketball game was over. He walked to my Coach Don and asked him why I did not play. Suddenly my dad and coach Don bickered.
“You are not her father! It is my decision!” shouted Coach Don. Somehow I don’t remember what my dad did say to him. I assumed he said,
“I want my daughter to play now!” Said Joe.
Finally my coach Don sent me into basketball court at fourth quarter of game. I was kind embarrassed because everyone, the fans saw a whole moment between my dad and coach Don. I knew that how they feel about that tension moment. Of course I was Joe’s daughter and he expected my coach would send me to play on the court as he was watching my basketball game. My coach had feelings about began having a deaf player and it was hard for him to communicate with me. He was not being nice and appropriate as a real coach to my dad and me.
For all days we practiced to improve our skills for basketball, I had no interpreter to communicate with my team and coach. Often players did not talk with me, as we were shy to step being communicating each other. We tended using gestures, often I was so confused with my positions and I always took many mistakes. But we did pretty well at almost all basketball games. So that event between my dad and coach, was impact me bit. I realized my coach did not send me to play on the court because I am deaf. Of course I felt hurt and frustrated how he labeled me as his deaf player.
I have learned a lesson which was I should play on the deaf team instead hearing team. There is always having a communication with deaf players and coaches who can sign with me. This incident is a kind of important to share how I feel and, what I learned about communication between the hearing and deaf.