Pursuing Dreams

This video could word for word be about my son Ronnie. Well, if you substitute wheelchairs for legs! I have heard the same words from Ronnie and his wheelchair basketball teammates. While I believe schools for the Deaf can provide a good education and experience, I also believe that a full life will not be lived in the Deaf community. The Deaf community indeed has its role in the life of anyone who is Deaf, but the rest of the world doesn't stop and doesn't go away. True success, in my opinion, comes in being able to navigate both worlds.

Spokes Rule!

We traveled to Smithfield, North Carolina this past weekend for Ronnie's wheelchair basketball tournament. The weather was beautiful. The traffic was light. And the Sportable Spokes (Ronnie's team) won two out of their three games!!








Way to go, Spokes!!!

Compassionate Sportsmanship

The inaugural wheelchair basketball tournament for the Sportable Spokes (Ronnie's team) was held at the University of Richmond this weekend. Teams from North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Long Island, New York joined the Spokes for as many games as could be packed into the two days.

This was the first tournament hosted here, and only the second tournament in which the Spokes have competed. Last January's first tournament was in Smithfield, NC. During both tournaments, I was struck by the level of compassionate sportsmanship shown by all the teams involved.

What do I mean by that? Well, wheelchair basketball teams are composed of young people with many different levels of abilities. On Ronnie's team there are boys like him with Spinda Bifida, boys who experienced life changing accidents, boys with different kinds of birth injuries, and even one boy with a trach. There are very small boys, very large boys, and a whole lot inbetween. Some play very competitively, and some are just happy to be able to wheel back and forth on the court. It's what happens when teams like that come together that makes magic.

There is, of course, a lot of competition - a lot of rough play, wheelchairs crashing into each other, a lot of yelling out positions and a lot of stealing the ball. But there is also a lot of rolling aside so the smallest boy on the team can try for a basket. If the score is heavy on one team and light on the other, there is a lot of 'letting' some scores happen. And, I have never seen the anger that erupts sometimes when teenagers get together for competitive sports.

When I first witnessed this during the North Carolina tournament, I thought perhaps it was a fluke - maybe just some really good kids on a team ensuring that everyone had a good time. But I saw it again this weekend - among all the teams that played.

The kids on the team, with no orders from their coaches, made sure everyone had a chance to play as well as a chance to shine. After the games, there were true smiles, true 'thanks', and true joy. It's this kind of behavior, behavior initiated by the kids themselves, that reaffirms my faith in the future.

I am so proud of the Spokes and all the other teams that played this weekend, and we are all looking forward to the next tournament. Chip was the official photographer for the tournament, and Ashley is shown below modeling the official t-shirt! Here are a few pictures - more to come soon!







The young man below is from the Long Island team and after the last game, showed us all one of his 'special' wheelchair moves!



And finally, here is a link to some pictures that appeared in our local newspaper.

No Longer About Basketball or Interpreters

I approached my school district with the following request:

Ronnie started playing wheelchair basketball last school year for a team organized by Sportable. Sportable is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing sports experiences for people with physical disabilities.

Ronnie loves playing on the team and is showing real potential as an athlete. It’s a sports experience that unfortunately he cannot get at school. While he can attend school events such as football games, basketball games, and such, because he is a wheelchair user, he can’t participate on those teams. To my knowledge, the school district does not offer any wheelchair-centered sports teams.

Because he is not afforded the opportunity of school sports teams, I would like to have school district support for his commitment to the Sportable wheelchair team, including interpreter support during practices and games. If HCPS did offer wheelchair sports teams, I’m sure providing an interpreter for those would not be a problem.

The school district mulled it over and then politely declined my request because they contend they do offer sports teams on which he could compete. When they explained the teams to me, I knew exactly what they were talking about.

In my school district, the special education department has organized ‘special’ basketball games where one school team plays another. The teams are made up of all the special education students in each particular school, and Ronnie played on his school team last year. However, he was the only student in a wheelchair. As you can imagine, this is not the level of basketball play Ronnie prefers.

I explained that to the person who contacted me about my request. She said, “Well, if he would like to be one of the managers of our regular football team, we could arrange that.”

I replied, “So if he would like to be the token disabled kid who sits near the bench for your high school football games and you call him a manager, then that would be ok with you?”

She said, “Of course.” (I swear, that really was her response.)

What would your response have been after that...????

Rules? What Rules?

Ashley loves basketball but hates rules.

Last night, we attended the opening of a new basketball complex, one which includes a league for wheelchair basketball. Now Ronnie’s team will be able to play during the summer as well as during regular basketball season.

Both Ronnie and Ashley were in their chairs when we arrived for the opening ceremony, and most others in attendance assumed both of them would be playing the inaugural game. Unfortunately, it would not have been much of a game had Ashley played.

Ashley’s version of basketball is “gimme the ball”, “no you can’t have it back”, “it’s mine and I just want to sit here and hold it”, and “ok, now I’m ready to throw it but only up in the air so I can catch it again.”

I’m sure in her mind she would be saying, “You want me to roll up and down this court and get all hot and sweaty? No thank you.” Or, “Sorry, I can’t put on that yellow and blue jersey. It does NOT match my cute pink shorts.”

So for now, Ashley and I will be spectators, cheering on Ronnie and his team while we fan ourselves and drink iced beverages. Trust me, it really is safer that way – at least for the other wheelchair athletes!

Somebody's Smiling!

Ronnie got a big surprise when he got home from school yesterday - his very own basketball wheelchair! He had been borrowing an old one from the organization that sponsors the wheelchair basketball team (Sportable), but as of today, he won't have to borrow one any longer.

I think he's just a little bit happy!!

Chip got it all put together for him before the bus arrived, including the big red bow!



Then we made him close his eyes while we brought it out of hiding...



And there's the smile!!!



He then had the chance to try it out at basketball practice! (That's his volunteer interpreter standing.)



He's very happy - especially with how fast it can go :)



Way to go, my handsome son, way to go!!!!

Champions Every One

I yelled and cheered until I was hoarse, but he never heard me.

The crowd on the bleachers went crazy and stood up clapping, but he never heard them.

But I know he felt it all! After sinking a basket at the wheelchair basketball tournament this past Saturday, he would pump both arms in the air, and then immediately turn to find me in the crowd. He knows, really knows, how very, very proud I am of him - whether he hears me or not!

We drove to North Carolina, about 3 hours away, to participate in the tournament. There were lots of teams, and this was the first time Ronnie's team had ever played a real game. Until then, they had only played against each other. They learned a lot, and still had a great time.

They even played the world champion junior wheelchair basketball team. They lost but held that team from scoring until 9 minutes into the game. Their coach said that had never happened!

Way to go, Lazy Legs! You are all champions!

Just Another Player

(photo by Danny Moloshok of the New York Times)

I admit that I worry about Ronnie being the only Deaf player on his wheelchair basketball team. From the first practice, I wondered how Ronnie would understand what the coach was saying and how the other teammates would communicate with him. When he plays in his first tournament at the end of January, how will he hear the referee's whistle and know that play is to be stopped?

But you know what? Somehow it all works out.

Ronnie does some lip reading. Chip and I do some interpreting. And the other players have learned to use gestures, taps on Ronnie's back, and other such signals to let him know what to do. Plus, Ronnie only needs a few moments to observe a play to understand it.

So, I've tried to back off the worrying. And today that got easier when I found the following two articles about Michael Lizarraga, a forward for the Cal State-Northridge men's basketball team. And, as the Times article points out, Lizarraga is not the only one to benefit from his being a part of the team!

Deaf Player at Cal State Northridge Has a Real Feel for the Game

Cal State-Northridge forward is the only deaf player in Division I

Basketball Star!

Ronnie really has recovered fully from his surgery! How do I know this? Because last Thursday night he started playing on a wheelchair basketball team!

An organization in our town called Sportable has lots and lots of different sports activities and teams for people with physical disabilities. These aren't wimpy, made-up activities just to make someone feel like they are making a difference. These are wheelchair ramming, spectator screaming, sweat inducing sports activities!

There are special chairs and soon there will be uniforms. And the star of the team - why, Ronnie of course!! Here's the proof: