001For me, sports is bigger than just X's and O's. It is a platform for us to see others, build community, and build relationships. When opportunities present itself, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and step out and take advantage of the moment. It all started in the summer of 2023 at summer camp. One of my [music] players stopped me and told me, "Hey, coach, I'm having a hard time hearing you." From that moment, I started observing how she played and how she could hear me throughout the game. [music] I wanted to make sure that I held myself accountable for making sure that she could hear me in the game. Later on in the summer, I got [music] an email from the Kentucky School of the Deaf. I saw this as an opportunity for
002me to [music] have this moment to have a game and I just wanted to [music] make it a learning process for our students so that they could not only just be prepared [music] for the game but also learn more about American Sign Language and building a piece on empathy as well. [music] one of the students that was able to attend is the only student at her school that [music] that uses ASL. And for her, um, just watching her during the game and her [music] enthusiasm, excitement being there, she felt included and she was our why. I feel like I found that I can be an example or a role model and tell other people that they should learn sign language too because it really did have an impact on me. Just having an opportunity to
003set that positive example for our community really did change me. The experience taught me that other people speak in different ways and that I have to be open and to how communication can vary in different ways. It just really [music] taught me that we have a privilege to be able to communicate openly with people. It is important for all people to be seen and heard. Seeing the national anthem done and sign and the cheerleaders and the dancers all do it just made it all seem more than just a basketball game. It makes these deaf students feel like they are welcome in [music] those settings. To see these girls want to learn and want to communicate and want to be able to talk to them without [music] an interpreter there, it's always heartwarming. >> [music] >>
004Sports becomes more than a competition when it is something that includes everybody and makes others [music] feel welcome, loved, seen, and heard. It really truly is bigger than basketball. [music]