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Columnists - StatesmanJournal.com
The first time you see a coach and a referee argue a call without a word being spoken, you realize this is something you won't see anywhere else.
This is the Western States Basketball and Cheerleading Classic.
The tournament, at Oregon School for the Deaf in North Salem, which started Thursday and runs through Saturday, brings together high school basketball teams from eight deaf schools in Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona and California.
For those of us who don't know American Sign Language, it is something you have to experience first-hand before you can hope to understand.
When someone signs, 'Is that seat available?' to you and you have no idea what it means, you quickly realize that you are outside of your comfort zone.
"I think that in today's world, we're trying to be more global and understand different cultures and the diversity that's here in our nation and out in the world," OSD director Patti Togioka said.
"This is an opportunity for people to experience a completely different language, a completely different culture and to be able to be infused in a situation, like for yourself, where maybe you don't understand the language and to know that feeling and to see another culture in action."
After a few minutes of watching a game, you begin to understand that this is not all about basketball.
At times, the only sound in a gym populated by hundreds is that of a solitary basketball being bounced.
The athletes look forward to the tournament more than they do the competition they face at home.
"I think it is more of a challenge," said California School for the Deaf senior Jose Lopez, who won Wednesday's Hot Shot Competition. "It is more competitive. I think that playing with hearing teams, other teams, there's just not as much of a challenge."
The players and coaches -- and the three deaf referees who came from Texas, New Mexico and New York -- who come to the tournament stay on the campus of OSD, which is a boarding school.
Many of OSD's students are sent home for a long weekend.
"We pack them in there," WSBC 2008 coordinator Jacki Wolf said.
Being in such close surroundings for three days, along with many social periods, serve to bring the community together.
"Oh yes," said OSD freshman Levi Brown, who is playing basketball and competing in cheerleading at the tournament. "I love to see and meet new friends, so I love it."
This is the fourth time and first since 2000 that Oregon School for the Deaf has hosted the tournament.
Look on the walls of OSD's gym and you will see banners celebrating the school's past accomplishments at the tournament, not the league or state championships the school has won.
Schools come in and out of WSBC occasionally, which brings a new bag of experiences for another group, such as Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind, which is making its first appearance in 25 years.
"Oh, absolutely yes, because it's an even playing field for them," said Utah girls coach Jen Byrnes, who like everyone besides Togioka and Wolf, were interviewed for this story through an interpreter. "For example, if they're playing against hearing kids, the hearing kids seem to think that we're more aggressive because we can't hear the whistle of the refs.
"Now both teams will be using their eyes, depending on their eyes. We still can compete against hearing teams, but this is better because we're all using our same senses. I'm not sure how it's going to be, but I'm sure it's going to be great."
For the Marlton Charter School for the Deaf of Los Angeles, which is making its second WSBC appearance, President Bush's approval rating dropped a few more points in the eyes of the athletes and staff members.
Their airplane was delayed from taking off from Los Angeles International Airport for 30 minutes Wednesday because of Air Force One touching down.
Consequently, the school's teams missed most of Wednesday night's opening ceremony.
When they arrived, the southern Californians showed up to cold, wet weather they're not accustomed to.
"I had been warned," Marlton athletic director Ernie Epps said. "They told me that there was snow here last night and that it was going to be around 32 degrees.
"Most of us have never experienced ... snow before and actually a lot of the kids haven't ever flown before. It's a new experience for all of us."
The competition level is more even at this tournament.
OSD's girls were 3-13 playing a mixed nonleague, JV schedule this season until beating Utah's second-year program by a convincing 49-18 margin Thursday afternoon.
And the stands Thursday were packed at OSD's Peck Gym for the games.
The children and adults in the stands seem to communicate with each other as much as they watch the games.
"Communication is clear and it's straight and they can talk to each other," Togioka said. "Really to play against another deaf school and to have the opportunity to communicate freely is a huge deal.
"You will see many deaf adults will come also. People will drive in from all over because it's a large community event."
Most of the games are played at OSD but the championship games are Saturday at nearby Claggett Creek Middle School in Keizer, with the girls at 3:45 p.m. and the boys at 5:30 p.m. All but two of Saturday's placing games will be there as well.
The first time you see a coach and a referee argue a call without a word being spoken, you realize this is something you won't see anywhere else.
This is the Western States Basketball and Cheerleading Classic.
The tournament, at Oregon School for the Deaf in North Salem, which started Thursday and runs through Saturday, brings together high school basketball teams from eight deaf schools in Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona and California.
For those of us who don't know American Sign Language, it is something you have to experience first-hand before you can hope to understand.
When someone signs, 'Is that seat available?' to you and you have no idea what it means, you quickly realize that you are outside of your comfort zone.
"I think that in today's world, we're trying to be more global and understand different cultures and the diversity that's here in our nation and out in the world," OSD director Patti Togioka said.
"This is an opportunity for people to experience a completely different language, a completely different culture and to be able to be infused in a situation, like for yourself, where maybe you don't understand the language and to know that feeling and to see another culture in action."
After a few minutes of watching a game, you begin to understand that this is not all about basketball.
At times, the only sound in a gym populated by hundreds is that of a solitary basketball being bounced.
The athletes look forward to the tournament more than they do the competition they face at home.
"I think it is more of a challenge," said California School for the Deaf senior Jose Lopez, who won Wednesday's Hot Shot Competition. "It is more competitive. I think that playing with hearing teams, other teams, there's just not as much of a challenge."
The players and coaches -- and the three deaf referees who came from Texas, New Mexico and New York -- who come to the tournament stay on the campus of OSD, which is a boarding school.
Many of OSD's students are sent home for a long weekend.
"We pack them in there," WSBC 2008 coordinator Jacki Wolf said.
Being in such close surroundings for three days, along with many social periods, serve to bring the community together.
"Oh yes," said OSD freshman Levi Brown, who is playing basketball and competing in cheerleading at the tournament. "I love to see and meet new friends, so I love it."
This is the fourth time and first since 2000 that Oregon School for the Deaf has hosted the tournament.
Look on the walls of OSD's gym and you will see banners celebrating the school's past accomplishments at the tournament, not the league or state championships the school has won.
Schools come in and out of WSBC occasionally, which brings a new bag of experiences for another group, such as Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind, which is making its first appearance in 25 years.
"Oh, absolutely yes, because it's an even playing field for them," said Utah girls coach Jen Byrnes, who like everyone besides Togioka and Wolf, were interviewed for this story through an interpreter. "For example, if they're playing against hearing kids, the hearing kids seem to think that we're more aggressive because we can't hear the whistle of the refs.
"Now both teams will be using their eyes, depending on their eyes. We still can compete against hearing teams, but this is better because we're all using our same senses. I'm not sure how it's going to be, but I'm sure it's going to be great."
For the Marlton Charter School for the Deaf of Los Angeles, which is making its second WSBC appearance, President Bush's approval rating dropped a few more points in the eyes of the athletes and staff members.
Their airplane was delayed from taking off from Los Angeles International Airport for 30 minutes Wednesday because of Air Force One touching down.
Consequently, the school's teams missed most of Wednesday night's opening ceremony.
When they arrived, the southern Californians showed up to cold, wet weather they're not accustomed to.
"I had been warned," Marlton athletic director Ernie Epps said. "They told me that there was snow here last night and that it was going to be around 32 degrees.
"Most of us have never experienced ... snow before and actually a lot of the kids haven't ever flown before. It's a new experience for all of us."
The competition level is more even at this tournament.
OSD's girls were 3-13 playing a mixed nonleague, JV schedule this season until beating Utah's second-year program by a convincing 49-18 margin Thursday afternoon.
And the stands Thursday were packed at OSD's Peck Gym for the games.
The children and adults in the stands seem to communicate with each other as much as they watch the games.
"Communication is clear and it's straight and they can talk to each other," Togioka said. "Really to play against another deaf school and to have the opportunity to communicate freely is a huge deal.
"You will see many deaf adults will come also. People will drive in from all over because it's a large community event."
Most of the games are played at OSD but the championship games are Saturday at nearby Claggett Creek Middle School in Keizer, with the girls at 3:45 p.m. and the boys at 5:30 p.m. All but two of Saturday's placing games will be there as well.