That platform, McDonald hopes, will be the 2013 Summer Deaflympics to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria from July 26 to August 4 this year.
"It will be the first time Jamaica is involved in the Deaflympics. Last year we were involved in the World Deaf Championships and that was the first time. I just want us to be involved at that level," a passionate McDonald signed while mouthing every word.
If that dream is realised, the team, which now has some 13 persons, will compete in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, the 4x4 relay and shot put at the event.
"They have a long list but we have just chosen these to be involved in. We have seven males and six females, aged 20 to 35 years old," he said, noting that this group could shrink somewhat depending on several factors.
For the time being, however, all 13 are being trained. With some two months until Bulgaria, McDonald has a few hurdles to clear.
"We have no sponsors yet, but we are working on it. We are trying to send out letters; our budget is looking like about $6 million," he told the Observer.
The athletes, too, have their challenges but sheer determination is keeping them afloat.
"We only have one coach and that is a challenge for us because some of the athletes are from nearby parishes and they have to travel to Kingston and because of that they don't get to come to training every Saturday, and that one day is already not enough," McDonald bemoaned.
That is why the group has set its sight on participating in the sixth staging of the University of Technology's (UTech's Track and Field Classic at the National Stadium, this Saturday.
"We got a space at the Utech Classics and that is a good opportunity for us, for some publicity to show that, yes, the deaf are a small group but they can do the same things that hearing persons can do. We know we might not win, but we want the experience in preparation for the Olympics," McDonald said.
"I see some challenges especially with the starters; we are deaf, but we are also very visual. When they say 'on your marks, set, go' we cannot hear. There is a special device with lights for the deaf, we want to bring it here but it's not ready; we don't want to have a false start, so that is our biggest challenge," he noted.
In the meantime, however, he is inviting the public to include the deaf in events.
"If they know deaf persons within their community, to invite them to become involved in their activities," McDonald appealed.
That involvement, he said, could be the saving grace of the community, which has its own share of issues.
"We also use it (sports) as motivation to cut down on crime and violence in the deaf community. We have stabbing, we have gangs, we have a lot of abuse and all kinds of violence that hearing people have; we have the same challenges," McDonald noted.
"From before, I saw the deaf competing at different levels among themselves and I said, why can't they be involved in other sports, competing with other deaf persons? They really love football, they have a passion for football," he added, as his hands moved furiously to send his message across.
Deaf Sports Jamaica, a non-profit organisation which focuses mainly on the development of Deaf Sports, was started in 2010 by McDonald, along with other deaf and hearing persons.
The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee-sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level, and which are held every four years.
Read more:
Deaf community wants to stamp their mark on sports, too - News - JamaicaObserver.com
