Miss-Delectable
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The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports - Sports - Deaf soccer player not slowed by disability
The first thing you notice about No. 30 on the Stonewall Jackson Middle School soccer team is the blazing speed he possesses. He sprints down the outside flank calling for a pass, then turns and races back to cover his marking assignment after the opposition has taken the ball.
While maintaining his speed and defensive marking, seventh-grader Naquay Little glances back and forth from the action around the ball to Jean Lowe giving directions near the midfield touchline. He's looking to Lowe for instruction, information and encouragement.
Lowe, you see, is a sign-language specialist at Shoals Elementary School, and Little is deaf.
Lowe uses a mix of American Sign Language, soccer officiating signals and improvised hand gestures to convey information to Little as quickly as possible during games. But after two years with the team, she's not the only one communicating with him. Many of the Stonewall players have developed an interest in ASL.
"I especially enjoy it when the team tries to sign with me, even if they aren't very good at it yet," Little laughs as he signs his answer.
"He's so fast. He knows what to do on the field," said teammate Jordan Adams. "He's never out of a teammates' sight so we can relay information from player to player."
Little plays a variety of positions, from forward to goalie, but generally plays close to the touchline and within eyeshot of Lowe.
Lowe was a soccer mom for 23 years, but her two sons have grown older and moved away from competitive soccer. She has maintained her love for the game, though, and has become an important part of the Generals team through her work with Little.
"Both my sons played since they were 5, but now since they no longer play I'm glad to have an opportunity to still come out and enjoy the game," said Lowe.
She came to know Little through her work at Shoals. Though they worked together for six years while Little attended school there, this is only the second year in which the two have been perfecting the signals they use to communicate during a soccer match.
"He was diagnosed as deaf when he was 2 years old," said Little's mother, Tia Welch. "He's never seen himself as different. He wants to play everything that any other kid does."
Although he doesn't hear the crowd or the voices of the coaches, Little can read the faces of his teammates to appreciate the gravity of a situation or understand an atmosphere of excitement on the field.
"He gets excited when he sees us get excited," said Adams.
Little's situation has had a decidedly positive impact on the team and his teammates. Each player has been made aware of the importance of good communication, whether it's verbal or not.
"When I'm running hard, it's hard for me to know if the whistle has been blown or not, but my teammates always try to help me out," said Little.
As the non-verbal communication increases with his teammates, Little depends on Lowe a little bit less.
"He watches what the other players are doing more this year," said Lowe. "I don't want to distract him too much. I'm just here to keep him on task and make sure he's comfortable."
Little has turned his disability into a weapon on the field. He uses his other senses to read players, and he picks up on every nuance around him. He has no trouble using his heightened awareness to extend himself against an opponent.
The way in which Little communicates with his family, Lowe, the coaches and his teammates is not special because it's different, but special because it affords those around him the opportunity to become better at expressing themselves.
The first thing you notice about No. 30 on the Stonewall Jackson Middle School soccer team is the blazing speed he possesses. He sprints down the outside flank calling for a pass, then turns and races back to cover his marking assignment after the opposition has taken the ball.
While maintaining his speed and defensive marking, seventh-grader Naquay Little glances back and forth from the action around the ball to Jean Lowe giving directions near the midfield touchline. He's looking to Lowe for instruction, information and encouragement.
Lowe, you see, is a sign-language specialist at Shoals Elementary School, and Little is deaf.
Lowe uses a mix of American Sign Language, soccer officiating signals and improvised hand gestures to convey information to Little as quickly as possible during games. But after two years with the team, she's not the only one communicating with him. Many of the Stonewall players have developed an interest in ASL.
"I especially enjoy it when the team tries to sign with me, even if they aren't very good at it yet," Little laughs as he signs his answer.
"He's so fast. He knows what to do on the field," said teammate Jordan Adams. "He's never out of a teammates' sight so we can relay information from player to player."
Little plays a variety of positions, from forward to goalie, but generally plays close to the touchline and within eyeshot of Lowe.
Lowe was a soccer mom for 23 years, but her two sons have grown older and moved away from competitive soccer. She has maintained her love for the game, though, and has become an important part of the Generals team through her work with Little.
"Both my sons played since they were 5, but now since they no longer play I'm glad to have an opportunity to still come out and enjoy the game," said Lowe.
She came to know Little through her work at Shoals. Though they worked together for six years while Little attended school there, this is only the second year in which the two have been perfecting the signals they use to communicate during a soccer match.
"He was diagnosed as deaf when he was 2 years old," said Little's mother, Tia Welch. "He's never seen himself as different. He wants to play everything that any other kid does."
Although he doesn't hear the crowd or the voices of the coaches, Little can read the faces of his teammates to appreciate the gravity of a situation or understand an atmosphere of excitement on the field.
"He gets excited when he sees us get excited," said Adams.
Little's situation has had a decidedly positive impact on the team and his teammates. Each player has been made aware of the importance of good communication, whether it's verbal or not.
"When I'm running hard, it's hard for me to know if the whistle has been blown or not, but my teammates always try to help me out," said Little.
As the non-verbal communication increases with his teammates, Little depends on Lowe a little bit less.
"He watches what the other players are doing more this year," said Lowe. "I don't want to distract him too much. I'm just here to keep him on task and make sure he's comfortable."
Little has turned his disability into a weapon on the field. He uses his other senses to read players, and he picks up on every nuance around him. He has no trouble using his heightened awareness to extend himself against an opponent.
The way in which Little communicates with his family, Lowe, the coaches and his teammates is not special because it's different, but special because it affords those around him the opportunity to become better at expressing themselves.