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Deaf players love their camp chance to hoop it up | www.tucsoncitizen.com ®
They may not be able to hear basketballs dribbling across the floor or bouncing off the backboard, but they can sure play the game.
Eighty kids ages 8 to 18 from around the country attended Arizona Desert Fire, a basketball camp for deaf athletes, June 18-22.
The camp was hosted by the Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, and the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd.
"They love the opportunity to show to everyone they can play basketball just as good as hearing players," said Stu Epstein, director of sports and fitness at the JCC. Campers were visited by University of Arizona women's basketball coach Joan Bonvicini, UA men's assistant basketball coach Josh Pastner and Glenn Parker, former UA and NFL football player.
The kids stayed in dorms at ASDB, attended a WNBA Phoenix Mercury game, a Tucson Sidewinders game and swam every day, in addition to basketball activities.
Bonvicini, Pastner and Parker gave inspirational speeches to the kids, sharing stories about their experience with the hearing-impaired, Epstein said. Bonvicini spoke about a former deaf basketball player she coached and Parker talked about his deaf niece.
"I think the reason the organizers run the camp is they want to show the kids in the world that if you try hard enough, you can accomplish anything, no matter what the handicaps," Epstein said.
They may not be able to hear basketballs dribbling across the floor or bouncing off the backboard, but they can sure play the game.
Eighty kids ages 8 to 18 from around the country attended Arizona Desert Fire, a basketball camp for deaf athletes, June 18-22.
The camp was hosted by the Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, and the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd.
"They love the opportunity to show to everyone they can play basketball just as good as hearing players," said Stu Epstein, director of sports and fitness at the JCC. Campers were visited by University of Arizona women's basketball coach Joan Bonvicini, UA men's assistant basketball coach Josh Pastner and Glenn Parker, former UA and NFL football player.
The kids stayed in dorms at ASDB, attended a WNBA Phoenix Mercury game, a Tucson Sidewinders game and swam every day, in addition to basketball activities.
Bonvicini, Pastner and Parker gave inspirational speeches to the kids, sharing stories about their experience with the hearing-impaired, Epstein said. Bonvicini spoke about a former deaf basketball player she coached and Parker talked about his deaf niece.
"I think the reason the organizers run the camp is they want to show the kids in the world that if you try hard enough, you can accomplish anything, no matter what the handicaps," Epstein said.