David Smith is an American volleyball player that has played in the Olympics 3 separate times on the U.S National team. David Smith is also nearly deaf, and he wears hearing aids to communicate with his teammates. Matt Hamill is an American martial artist that formerly competed in the Olympics as a wrestler. Just like David, Matt is also deaf. He became the first deaf wrestler to win a national collegiate championship.These are just two of dozens of deaf or hearing impaired people that are great athletes.
As hearing impaired people have overcome challenges, changes have been made to the sports community. For example, in NCAA swim meets they have changed the way the start system works. Instead of the use of beeps and whistles, lights have been used instead. Swimmer Faya Frez-Albret sparked this change when she kept getting disqualified from meets for not making it to the block in time for starting. Larry Curran, the head coach of Gallaudet’s swim team, said that “ the way the sport has been set up, they make special rules to allow the deaf athletes to participate, but they don’t go anywhere near trying to make it fair.”
Changes like the ones made thanks to Faya are what inspires people to play. Inclusivity and fairness are crucial everywhere, especially in athletic environments. This is just the start though. Changes like these need to be seen at lower levels as well, not just in colleges or olympic games. How are hearing impaired children supposed to make it to that level, if they can’t even start? That is the next barrier to be broken.