Not sure if this is the correct forum for this. The US Deaf National team is headed to Belgium next week to particpate in a tournament with clubs from all over Europe. Thsi tournament is a tune-up for the Deaflympics qualifiers to be held later this year in Argentina. The Womens Deaf National team is also sending a team over to play in the futsal tournament (they are defending Champions). The Deaflympics will be held in Melbourne Australia in 2005. In the last Deaflympics held in Rome the US team finished 10th. The team consists of players from throughout the country and ranging in age from 16 to 39. Visit their website at www.usadsa.net The tournament website is www.dhc2003.be.tf
No special devices to assist the players with the ref's calls. The ref carries a flag instead of whistle and waves that when there is a foul. The players then basically stop playing and let each other know. It is kind of based on the honor system if you will. The quality is quite good. There are a few Division I players, a few Division II players along with some young ODP talent. The players come from all over the country.
The last international event was the 2001 Deaflympics in Rome. The US finished 10th but tied the eventual gold medalist, Italy. The current team bares little resemblence to that team. The organization has made a concerted effort to find new players and bring in younger players during that process. I think I mentioned that the age range was 16-39, actually the youngest is 14. He is from Southern Califonia and is in their ODP program. This upcoming trip should give the team a chance to play a few games together and get to know each other prior to the qualifiers coming up in September. Only two countries from the Western Hemisphere make it to Melbourne in 2005. The organization is optimistic abou the team and beleives it can bring home a gold medal from the Deaflympics.
I could only find seven of the players who are playing college ball, 2 of them at Division I schools Joel Gross, 22 Shawnee State (OH) Ryan Hallerman, 20 Culver Stockton College (MO) Mike Higgins, 19 George Washington Mike Lawson, 19 Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) Josh Reiher, 20 Indiana DJ Rowse, 19 Gallaudet (DC) Brian Sipek, 23 Gallaudet (DC) Obviously, these 2 are too you for college. Thomas Richards, 16 Chris Wood, 16 Couldn’t find any college info on these guys. Jordan Auckland, 19 Dominic Pisano, 19 Mark Sorokin, 20 And these guys are too old to likely be in college and I have no idea where, or if, they play(ed) college soccer. Chris Hamstra, 24 Trevor Holtgrave, 25 Robert Michel, 24 Christos Nicholas, 38 Shaun Pickering, 23 John Sanchez, 38 Best of luck to these guys.
I didn't realize Mike Lawson was deaf! RIT has as one of it's college's the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Often the RIT athletic teams can recruit top players away from D1 schools b/c of this program. They can offer a full ride because of the gov't funding. Every year there is 1 or 2 deaf kids that play with the team. Lawson started all year as a freshman for the RIT team. He's an excellent D3 player. Probably could play D1, maybe not start as a freshman, but definitely play. If I were the RIT coach I'd be at the deaf Olympics recruiting the top players from say the Italian team to come to NTID.
Hi all. First, in 2001, the MNT did not tie Italy, they beat them, 2-1. Italy allowed only 3 goals in the entire tournament and routinely blew out their opponents, yet we scored 2 of those 3 goals and allowed only one. As for the other players that you couldn't find info on, Dominic Pisano: Walked onto the JHU university team (division 3) Mark Sorokin: Played for JHU Bobby Michel: Played at Franklin & Marshall Trevor Holtgrave: U of Cincinatti Christos Nicholas: Gallaudet I agree, we are making a great effort to rejuvenate the team. Only two players are over 30 years old, as compared to maybe 6 or 7 in 2001, and the average age is somewhere around 20, 21 years old I love this board. Who set this up? Good to see that USADSA is getting some recognition!
The US Deaf National Team returned to the states as Champions of the tournament. I will post a tournament recap tomorrow. A great result on an international stage!
I'll say it now, too bad Curtis Pride chose 1) a basketball scholarship, then 2) Major League Baseball over soccer. A phenomenal high school player. He'da been on this team, if not busy professionally.
Looks like Pride is back in action at 40 for the new minor league (baseball) Southern Md. Blue Crabs: http://www.somdbluecrabs.com/roster.cfm?rosterID=31
Dave, you probably saw Goff's lengthy piece on Matt Eby a couple of weeks ago. Eby's not a YA, but - since this is a four-year-old thread - I thought others might be interested to know that another world championship (for deaf players) is scheduled for this summer. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041802952_pf.html .... Eby, 24, played at Gallaudet University from 2003 until 2006 and is an assistant coach at the school. He is a member of the U.S. deaf national team, which will compete in the world championship this summer in Greece. ....
i do not mean to be disrespectful, but my wife would definitely say that there are times that i would qualify for this team.