Miss-Delectable
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Making noise in a quiet world - Examiner.com
Karlin Hirschfeld has played competitive soccer since the age of 5, but this summer will be a whole new experience for him.
Hirschfeld, who is 80 to 90 percent deaf, recently made the U.S. Deaf National Soccer Team and will join them in their upcoming United Kingdom Tour beginning July 20.
Hirschfeld, who is double majoring in physical education and athletic training at Towson University, was born hard of hearing. However, he has played hearing soccer for all his life.
Hirschfeld played high school soccer at James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring and currently plays club soccer at Towson, but has done so with the benefit of a bone conduction hearing aid which allows him to hear normally.
He is not currently on the soccer team at Towson because being involved in both the athletic training program and the varsity team would be too time constraining.
Deaf soccer, which requires that all players have greater than 50 percent hearing loss, is a new experience for Hirschfeld. He only recently started playing for the Metro Deaf FC, a recreational team.
The National Team recruited Hirschfeld by another team member that he knew from recreational league soccer. He attended four training camps in Pensacola, Fla. and was just recently named to the team.
Hirschfeld, a midfielder, prides himself on being an active, energetic player. “I like to create plays,” he said. “I’m one who looks to make the play and set others up for scoring opportunities. I like to make plays both offensively and defensively.”
The competition on the field is similar to your typical soccer game. One notable difference is that referees get the attention of the players by using flags instead of whistles.
However, a major obstacle for the players is raising enough money for the trip. The team does not receive finances from any outside sources and the players pay the expenses out of their own pockets.
Each player needs to raise $2,000 for the trip to England, as well as additional money needed for future events. The team will travel to the World Games in Greece in 2008 and the Deaf Olympics in Taiwan in 2009.
“Part of the reason many players who have been on the team didn’t return is because it is such a big financial burden,” Hirschfeld said.
Contributions can be made by contacting board members through the team’s website usdeafsoccer.com or reaching Hirschfeld at khirsc1@towson.edu.
Karlin Hirschfeld has played competitive soccer since the age of 5, but this summer will be a whole new experience for him.
Hirschfeld, who is 80 to 90 percent deaf, recently made the U.S. Deaf National Soccer Team and will join them in their upcoming United Kingdom Tour beginning July 20.
Hirschfeld, who is double majoring in physical education and athletic training at Towson University, was born hard of hearing. However, he has played hearing soccer for all his life.
Hirschfeld played high school soccer at James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring and currently plays club soccer at Towson, but has done so with the benefit of a bone conduction hearing aid which allows him to hear normally.
He is not currently on the soccer team at Towson because being involved in both the athletic training program and the varsity team would be too time constraining.
Deaf soccer, which requires that all players have greater than 50 percent hearing loss, is a new experience for Hirschfeld. He only recently started playing for the Metro Deaf FC, a recreational team.
The National Team recruited Hirschfeld by another team member that he knew from recreational league soccer. He attended four training camps in Pensacola, Fla. and was just recently named to the team.
Hirschfeld, a midfielder, prides himself on being an active, energetic player. “I like to create plays,” he said. “I’m one who looks to make the play and set others up for scoring opportunities. I like to make plays both offensively and defensively.”
The competition on the field is similar to your typical soccer game. One notable difference is that referees get the attention of the players by using flags instead of whistles.
However, a major obstacle for the players is raising enough money for the trip. The team does not receive finances from any outside sources and the players pay the expenses out of their own pockets.
Each player needs to raise $2,000 for the trip to England, as well as additional money needed for future events. The team will travel to the World Games in Greece in 2008 and the Deaf Olympics in Taiwan in 2009.
“Part of the reason many players who have been on the team didn’t return is because it is such a big financial burden,” Hirschfeld said.
Contributions can be made by contacting board members through the team’s website usdeafsoccer.com or reaching Hirschfeld at khirsc1@towson.edu.