Miss-Delectable
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LA Daily News - Burbank football strengthened, inspired by deaf players
Korey Turk gestures to Justin Folk, then rolls his hand into a fist while sliding his index finger between his middle finger.
Folk nods, then takes a few steps to his left.
Jordan Sanders watches from the sideline. He's a defensive lineman for the Burbank High football team, so this nonverbal dialog between the two running backs really isn't any of his business - but he can't help looking.
The ball is snapped, and in the blink of an eye Folk is barreling down the field, breaking tackles on his way to a first down.
The crowd roars with approval. Sanders, still on the sideline, shoots Folk a knowing smile.
"We have a special relationship," Folk said.
He says this through an interpreter. Like his best friend Sanders, Folk is deaf. But that hasn't stopped either from making their mark on the Burbank football team.
For most of their day, Sanders and Folk are two of the 30students in Burbank's deaf magnet program, where they take specialized classes.
They are given interpreters to help them communicate with the rest of the school. But on the field, they are just football players. They run and tackle and bleed just like everyone else on the Burbank football team.
More so, really.
"They're an inspiration to the whole team," Turk said. "I mean, it must be a whole other world, but they do everything everyone else does on the team."
Turk has learned to sign, and part of the experience was eating a restaurant meal with ear plugs so he couldn't hear.
He's been a changed young man ever since.
"It was wild. I've never had an experience like that in my life," he said.
Inspirations off the field, Folk and Sanders are leaders on it.
Folk, a running back, scored the winning touchdown in Burbank's first victory of the season, a 22-16 win over Crescenta Valley last month.
Sanders, a defensive lineman, leads the team with five sacks.
"A lot of people think being deaf is a handicap, but you know what? Jordan and Justin act like they don't have it," Burbank coach Ted Amorosi said. "It's pretty inspirational to be dealt cards like that, but it's just not an issue for them."
Folk and Sanders communicate by sign language and reading lips. They talk on the phone through a video device similar to a Web cam. Many of Burbank's players have learned a few signs, such as tapping their wrists together to signal "good play."
"I don't think there's a big difference, so I don't feel like it's a problem if I can't hear," Sanders said through an interpreter. "I just watch the ball and go with everyone's movements. It's not a big difference."
The two friends have been playing football together since their freshman year, forging a bond that transcends sports.
"We've been best friends since we were little," Folk said.
Turk is part of the circle, and the trio spend countless hours hanging out.
"On the weekends, we're together 24-7," Turk said.
Tito Proano, an sign-language interpreter, is a full-time assistant on the football staff who signals to Sanders and Folk on the field. He keeps a notebook with all of Burbank's plays written on it. Amorosi has learned to sign as well, including every letter in the alphabet, so he can spell something if he has to, along with every color, because some of Burbank's formations are named for colors.
"They're not handicapped in my eyes," Amorosi said. "If anything, they've brought the kids together. How can the other players feel sorry for themselves. Sometimes it makes some of their complaints seem a little silly. They have everything."
Sanders and Folk understand their effect on teammates.
"I feel like we do," Sanders said. "It definitely makes me feel good. I'm proud to be deaf."
The two said football is the favorite part of their day.
"I'm happy to play. There's no competition like football," Folk said. "Football is special."
In some ways, they seem more focused than anyone during games and practices - no screaming and yelling, no background chatter, less distractions.
"And you always know they're listening cause they're staring right at you," Amorosi said. "They really work hard, they've found ways to communicate, and they never use being deaf as an excuse for anything."
Korey Turk gestures to Justin Folk, then rolls his hand into a fist while sliding his index finger between his middle finger.
Folk nods, then takes a few steps to his left.
Jordan Sanders watches from the sideline. He's a defensive lineman for the Burbank High football team, so this nonverbal dialog between the two running backs really isn't any of his business - but he can't help looking.
The ball is snapped, and in the blink of an eye Folk is barreling down the field, breaking tackles on his way to a first down.
The crowd roars with approval. Sanders, still on the sideline, shoots Folk a knowing smile.
"We have a special relationship," Folk said.
He says this through an interpreter. Like his best friend Sanders, Folk is deaf. But that hasn't stopped either from making their mark on the Burbank football team.
For most of their day, Sanders and Folk are two of the 30students in Burbank's deaf magnet program, where they take specialized classes.
They are given interpreters to help them communicate with the rest of the school. But on the field, they are just football players. They run and tackle and bleed just like everyone else on the Burbank football team.
More so, really.
"They're an inspiration to the whole team," Turk said. "I mean, it must be a whole other world, but they do everything everyone else does on the team."
Turk has learned to sign, and part of the experience was eating a restaurant meal with ear plugs so he couldn't hear.
He's been a changed young man ever since.
"It was wild. I've never had an experience like that in my life," he said.
Inspirations off the field, Folk and Sanders are leaders on it.
Folk, a running back, scored the winning touchdown in Burbank's first victory of the season, a 22-16 win over Crescenta Valley last month.
Sanders, a defensive lineman, leads the team with five sacks.
"A lot of people think being deaf is a handicap, but you know what? Jordan and Justin act like they don't have it," Burbank coach Ted Amorosi said. "It's pretty inspirational to be dealt cards like that, but it's just not an issue for them."
Folk and Sanders communicate by sign language and reading lips. They talk on the phone through a video device similar to a Web cam. Many of Burbank's players have learned a few signs, such as tapping their wrists together to signal "good play."
"I don't think there's a big difference, so I don't feel like it's a problem if I can't hear," Sanders said through an interpreter. "I just watch the ball and go with everyone's movements. It's not a big difference."
The two friends have been playing football together since their freshman year, forging a bond that transcends sports.
"We've been best friends since we were little," Folk said.
Turk is part of the circle, and the trio spend countless hours hanging out.
"On the weekends, we're together 24-7," Turk said.
Tito Proano, an sign-language interpreter, is a full-time assistant on the football staff who signals to Sanders and Folk on the field. He keeps a notebook with all of Burbank's plays written on it. Amorosi has learned to sign as well, including every letter in the alphabet, so he can spell something if he has to, along with every color, because some of Burbank's formations are named for colors.
"They're not handicapped in my eyes," Amorosi said. "If anything, they've brought the kids together. How can the other players feel sorry for themselves. Sometimes it makes some of their complaints seem a little silly. They have everything."
Sanders and Folk understand their effect on teammates.
"I feel like we do," Sanders said. "It definitely makes me feel good. I'm proud to be deaf."
The two said football is the favorite part of their day.
"I'm happy to play. There's no competition like football," Folk said. "Football is special."
In some ways, they seem more focused than anyone during games and practices - no screaming and yelling, no background chatter, less distractions.
"And you always know they're listening cause they're staring right at you," Amorosi said. "They really work hard, they've found ways to communicate, and they never use being deaf as an excuse for anything."