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The Sun News | 10/26/2006 | Socastee player overcomes odds
Deaf student's work ethic motivates Socastee team, coaches
If you had been in attendance when the Socastee junior varsity team pulled off an 18-14 upset of the Conway junior varsity team a few weeks ago and knew nothing of Socastee High's Jaime Lipat, you would have assumed he was just one of the top sophomores on the roster.
That is what he would want you to think.
He just wants to be another student, another athlete. That is why he is at Socastee High. That is why he is playing.
Still, he wishes he could have heard the way the crowd exploded when he recovered a key fumble in that upset win over Conway. A roar would supply reassurance to Lipat, letting him know that he belongs on the field.
Instead, Lipat says the crowd's cheers just feel like a wind or a change in air pressure.
"I feel like I have to prove myself because I'm deaf," Lipat said through sign-language translator Patty Damore. "I can play as well, and sometimes I can do it better [than other players]. I think a lot of people think just because someone is deaf that they can't do these things."
One of Lipat's strongest traits is his toughness, which translates well to the football field.
"When you grow up deaf, and people are picking on you, you kind of have to be [tough]," said Damore.
Lipat passes the eye test, too.
His lanky build and speed are the main assets that have allowed him to earn snaps with the varsity club at defensive end and linebacker. He uses his speed to chase down running backs from behind and dart past offensive tackles to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
He provides a bundle of positive energy.
He bumped chests with teammates last Thursday against the St. James JV team after stuffing a running play, and pumped his arms in frustration after just missing an attempt to recover a fumble.
"If you watch him play, he is the most excited kid on the field and the other kids kind of feed off of him," Socastee assistant coach Marty Jacobs said. "They kind of protect him. They want him to be successful."
Lipat's primary education took place mostly in an all-deaf learning center, but he entered Forestbrook Middle School in seventh grade, despite that some in the deaf community felt he should remain in their system.
"I want to be normal," Lipat said. "I love them. I do understand them [better]. They understand me. But I want to learn new things."
It was at Forestbrook where Lipat took up football and where he met Damore, who is part of a team within a team that is in place at Socastee to make Lipat a success.
On Thursdays and Fridays. Damore is stationed on the sidelines for Lipat and the coaches to better communicate.
"People think I'm the [defensive coordinator]," said Damore, due to her hand signalling.
Jacobs, the actual coordinator, has taken extra time to make sure Lipat is up to speed on the defensive schemes.
"I'm closer to him [than other players]," Jacobs said. "I coach him a lot off the field. We get together after practice and draw plays up. At camp [this summer] we sat down at the table at supper and breakfast and I had to write out verbatim the things I wanted him to do."
It takes extra work to get Lipat game-ready, but few players work harder than the sophomore, who moved to the United States from the Philippines with his family when he was 6.
His work ethic and overcoming of odds affects the entire team.
"For him to get to the level that we are already at," said Chase Damore, Socastee JV player and Patty's son, "that he is able to learn as much as we are without being able to hear is motivating."
The coaching staff didn't feel Lipat was ready to play in JV games until midway through his freshman season last year.
Now, he has earned credit with the varsity team and the respect of his teammates with his stellar play in practice.
"Somebody looking at him, knowing that he has a disability just seeing him play, how hard he gets after it, you just completely forget about it," Socastee tackle Houston Goin said.
It's football that has transformed Lipat from being a deaf kid to just another player at Socastee.
"Not everyone knew how to handle the situation," said Socastee JV player C.J. Bailey of when Lipat joined the high school team last season. "But once he is on the field, he is like everyone else in his helmet and shoulder pads.
"He is just a part of the team."
Deaf student's work ethic motivates Socastee team, coaches
If you had been in attendance when the Socastee junior varsity team pulled off an 18-14 upset of the Conway junior varsity team a few weeks ago and knew nothing of Socastee High's Jaime Lipat, you would have assumed he was just one of the top sophomores on the roster.
That is what he would want you to think.
He just wants to be another student, another athlete. That is why he is at Socastee High. That is why he is playing.
Still, he wishes he could have heard the way the crowd exploded when he recovered a key fumble in that upset win over Conway. A roar would supply reassurance to Lipat, letting him know that he belongs on the field.
Instead, Lipat says the crowd's cheers just feel like a wind or a change in air pressure.
"I feel like I have to prove myself because I'm deaf," Lipat said through sign-language translator Patty Damore. "I can play as well, and sometimes I can do it better [than other players]. I think a lot of people think just because someone is deaf that they can't do these things."
One of Lipat's strongest traits is his toughness, which translates well to the football field.
"When you grow up deaf, and people are picking on you, you kind of have to be [tough]," said Damore.
Lipat passes the eye test, too.
His lanky build and speed are the main assets that have allowed him to earn snaps with the varsity club at defensive end and linebacker. He uses his speed to chase down running backs from behind and dart past offensive tackles to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
He provides a bundle of positive energy.
He bumped chests with teammates last Thursday against the St. James JV team after stuffing a running play, and pumped his arms in frustration after just missing an attempt to recover a fumble.
"If you watch him play, he is the most excited kid on the field and the other kids kind of feed off of him," Socastee assistant coach Marty Jacobs said. "They kind of protect him. They want him to be successful."
Lipat's primary education took place mostly in an all-deaf learning center, but he entered Forestbrook Middle School in seventh grade, despite that some in the deaf community felt he should remain in their system.
"I want to be normal," Lipat said. "I love them. I do understand them [better]. They understand me. But I want to learn new things."
It was at Forestbrook where Lipat took up football and where he met Damore, who is part of a team within a team that is in place at Socastee to make Lipat a success.
On Thursdays and Fridays. Damore is stationed on the sidelines for Lipat and the coaches to better communicate.
"People think I'm the [defensive coordinator]," said Damore, due to her hand signalling.
Jacobs, the actual coordinator, has taken extra time to make sure Lipat is up to speed on the defensive schemes.
"I'm closer to him [than other players]," Jacobs said. "I coach him a lot off the field. We get together after practice and draw plays up. At camp [this summer] we sat down at the table at supper and breakfast and I had to write out verbatim the things I wanted him to do."
It takes extra work to get Lipat game-ready, but few players work harder than the sophomore, who moved to the United States from the Philippines with his family when he was 6.
His work ethic and overcoming of odds affects the entire team.
"For him to get to the level that we are already at," said Chase Damore, Socastee JV player and Patty's son, "that he is able to learn as much as we are without being able to hear is motivating."
The coaching staff didn't feel Lipat was ready to play in JV games until midway through his freshman season last year.
Now, he has earned credit with the varsity team and the respect of his teammates with his stellar play in practice.
"Somebody looking at him, knowing that he has a disability just seeing him play, how hard he gets after it, you just completely forget about it," Socastee tackle Houston Goin said.
It's football that has transformed Lipat from being a deaf kid to just another player at Socastee.
"Not everyone knew how to handle the situation," said Socastee JV player C.J. Bailey of when Lipat joined the high school team last season. "But once he is on the field, he is like everyone else in his helmet and shoulder pads.
"He is just a part of the team."