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GIRLS BASKETBALL: Soundless defense: Through sheer force of will and energy, deaf North Gwinnett senior has become varsity team leader on basketball court. | ajc.com
In basketball, communication is key.
"Talk on defense," a coach will often preach. "Call out screens."
Senior Katie Fullem hears none of the chatter because she's deaf.
That hasn't stopped the 5-foot-6 defensive specialist from contributing to North Gwinnett's varsity.
Fullem, who reads lips easily and is an articulate speaker, checks with teammates and coaches to find out what offense and defense the Bulldogs are playing. Often she needs just a quick glance to the bench while running upcourt.
Fullem smiled recounting the time the ref blew the whistle and she kept dribbling. Everyone else had stopped.
"The ref came up to me, grabbed the ball and said, 'Hey, it's their ball,' " Fullem said.
Fullem was born deaf and had a cochlear implant installed when she was 6. The external portion sits behind her ear and a second portion was surgically placed under her skin. It does not restore normal hearing, but supplies a sense of sound that Fullem uses with her lip-reading.
Fullem recently stopped wearing the device during games or practices.
"I felt so cautious about it because it falls off so easily," said Fullem, whose game revolves around high energy. "One day I took it off in practice and I was all over the place, getting after it, having fun. I wasn't worried about anything."
She carried over that aggressive style to a 60-49 region win over Peachtree Ridge last week.
"I felt like I was in my own world, just having fun, because I couldn't hear anybody," she said. "I was just focused on basketball and I really liked it a lot."
Bursting with energy, Fullem has played multiple sports since she was little. Softball is her best. After starting in right field for North Gwinnett, Fullem will attend Truett-McConnell College on a softball scholarship.
"Whatever she decides to do in her life, she just goes for it," her mother, Jill Fullem, said. "God gave her a great personality to be stubborn that way."
Still, Fullem wasn't sure she was cut out for varsity basketball. She didn't try out last year after playing JV as a freshman and sophomore. Instead she played in a rec league.
When she learned North Gwinnett had hired Kevin Jacobs, she approached the new coach. She wanted to make sure she'd be welcomed in the highly competitive environment of varsity hoops.
"He said, 'Come out, we'll do whatever we can and take care of you,' " she recalled. "And he really does take care of me every day. He makes sure I know what's going on, always gives me encouragement and makes me feel welcome on the team."
Before games, Jacobs tells the refs and opposing coaches about Fullem. During games, he and his assistants signal to her. Jacobs said Fullem's hustle and work ethic —- she gets to practice early and stays late —- make her a team leader.
It helps that her sister Kristin and other softball players like Katie McDannald and Brianna Hesson all play basketball, too.
"They really help me out, tell me what the coaches say," Fullem said. "I'm very blessed."
McDannald calls Fullem one of her role models.
"With her hearing problem, and she's gone this far, I'm really impressed with that," McDannald said. "It's amazing to me."
Fullem is in a freshmen mentoring program at school. She's a credible spokeswoman for overcoming obstacles.
"I told them, 'If you have a disability, do not let that stop you from what you want to do,' " she said. "I'm very big on that. Don't let anybody stop you or say you can't do it."
THE KATIE FULLEM FILE
School: North Gwinnett, senior
Family: Parents, David and Jill; sisters, Kristin, 17; Karly Ann, 13; Kelsey, 7
On the court: The 5-6 guard is a defensive specialist who comes off the bench for the Bulldogs.
Off the court: Started in right field for Bulldogs softball team and will attend Truett-McConnell College on a softball scholarship.
In basketball, communication is key.
"Talk on defense," a coach will often preach. "Call out screens."
Senior Katie Fullem hears none of the chatter because she's deaf.
That hasn't stopped the 5-foot-6 defensive specialist from contributing to North Gwinnett's varsity.
Fullem, who reads lips easily and is an articulate speaker, checks with teammates and coaches to find out what offense and defense the Bulldogs are playing. Often she needs just a quick glance to the bench while running upcourt.
Fullem smiled recounting the time the ref blew the whistle and she kept dribbling. Everyone else had stopped.
"The ref came up to me, grabbed the ball and said, 'Hey, it's their ball,' " Fullem said.
Fullem was born deaf and had a cochlear implant installed when she was 6. The external portion sits behind her ear and a second portion was surgically placed under her skin. It does not restore normal hearing, but supplies a sense of sound that Fullem uses with her lip-reading.
Fullem recently stopped wearing the device during games or practices.
"I felt so cautious about it because it falls off so easily," said Fullem, whose game revolves around high energy. "One day I took it off in practice and I was all over the place, getting after it, having fun. I wasn't worried about anything."
She carried over that aggressive style to a 60-49 region win over Peachtree Ridge last week.
"I felt like I was in my own world, just having fun, because I couldn't hear anybody," she said. "I was just focused on basketball and I really liked it a lot."
Bursting with energy, Fullem has played multiple sports since she was little. Softball is her best. After starting in right field for North Gwinnett, Fullem will attend Truett-McConnell College on a softball scholarship.
"Whatever she decides to do in her life, she just goes for it," her mother, Jill Fullem, said. "God gave her a great personality to be stubborn that way."
Still, Fullem wasn't sure she was cut out for varsity basketball. She didn't try out last year after playing JV as a freshman and sophomore. Instead she played in a rec league.
When she learned North Gwinnett had hired Kevin Jacobs, she approached the new coach. She wanted to make sure she'd be welcomed in the highly competitive environment of varsity hoops.
"He said, 'Come out, we'll do whatever we can and take care of you,' " she recalled. "And he really does take care of me every day. He makes sure I know what's going on, always gives me encouragement and makes me feel welcome on the team."
Before games, Jacobs tells the refs and opposing coaches about Fullem. During games, he and his assistants signal to her. Jacobs said Fullem's hustle and work ethic —- she gets to practice early and stays late —- make her a team leader.
It helps that her sister Kristin and other softball players like Katie McDannald and Brianna Hesson all play basketball, too.
"They really help me out, tell me what the coaches say," Fullem said. "I'm very blessed."
McDannald calls Fullem one of her role models.
"With her hearing problem, and she's gone this far, I'm really impressed with that," McDannald said. "It's amazing to me."
Fullem is in a freshmen mentoring program at school. She's a credible spokeswoman for overcoming obstacles.
"I told them, 'If you have a disability, do not let that stop you from what you want to do,' " she said. "I'm very big on that. Don't let anybody stop you or say you can't do it."
THE KATIE FULLEM FILE
School: North Gwinnett, senior
Family: Parents, David and Jill; sisters, Kristin, 17; Karly Ann, 13; Kelsey, 7
On the court: The 5-6 guard is a defensive specialist who comes off the bench for the Bulldogs.
Off the court: Started in right field for Bulldogs softball team and will attend Truett-McConnell College on a softball scholarship.