Common difficulties

Why this matters: 

• Team sport is about much more than physical activity. It can build friendships, confidence, teamwork, fitness and a strong sense of belonging. Hearing athletes usually rely on whistles, coaches calling instructions from the side-line and teammates communicating while play is happening. Deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes may not have reliable access to these cues, particularly when there is background noise, distance or lots of movement. When communication is made accessible, deaf athletes can participate on the same basis as their teammates; when it is not, sport can become isolating, frustrating and sometimes unsafe.

• Learning something new often involves watching, listening, asking questions, copying someone else's actions and receiving feedback. Hearing children and adults can usually listen to instructions while continuing to look at the task they are trying to complete. Deaf and hard-of-hearing learners may need to look directly at the person speaking in order to understand them, meaning they cannot always watch the demonstration and receive verbal information at the same time. Breaking instructions into clear stages and using visual demonstrations can make learning much easier and can prevent frustration from being mistaken for inability.

Being Deaf or Hard of Hearing while trying to play sports is really difficult, not just because they can’t hear, understand, or communicate with others, but also because of feeling isolated, discriminated against, left out, and not being able to have proper connections with teammates and coaches. Some of the difficulties include: 

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS: 

Communication barriers are the biggest problems when it comes to team sports. When they play their sport, you may notice: 

• They find it difficult to hear instructions from the coach

• They find it difficult to hear teammates calling out, requesting help, or warning them

• They miss out on important information and instructions from coaches and teammates

• They struggle when communication solely relies on spoken words

Background noises make playing their game very difficult, as they are trying to focus on the game and what's going on around them on the court or field, and then there are other noises behind and around them on the side lines. Some other things that might make it difficult are: 

• Crowds, whistles, and other players can make communication harder

• Sports halls and stadiums can be noisy or echoey, making speech difficult to hear or understand

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HEARING DEVICES:

When a Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual plays a sport, they might be wearing hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, which can make it hard for them, because: 

• Hearing aids or cochlear implants can be damaged when playing a contact sport 

• Some sports may require the individual to remove their hearing devices, or they may choose to remove them 

• Helmets, swim caps, and other equipment may interfere with hearing devices when playing the sport 

Athletes may need extra protective equipment to participate in their sport safely without damaging their hearing devices

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:

Playing sport can involve specific safety considerations for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Hearing devices may become loose, fall off or be damaged by sweat, water, physical contact or fast movement. However, removing them may make it difficult to hear whistles, instructions from coaches or referees, teammates calling out, approaching players, or warnings about balls and other hazards. Visual signals, agreed hand gestures and clear communication plans can help make sport safer and more accessible.

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SOCIAL INCLUSION CHALLENGES: 

Some young people might avoid joining teams because they have difficulty hearing. If they do join a sport, you might notice: 

• They stop participating

• They withdraw socially and emotionally 

• And they lose their confidence, 

These things might happen because the team environment just isn't right for them, and because they feel like the team doesn’t support them or understand them. 

There is not much information about deafness in the world, and there is definitely not enough knowledge and information about deafness in the sporting industry, which may make:

• Coaches and teammates are nervous to communicate with the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing player, as they may feel scared they'll mess up because they don't know how to communicate properly

• Deaf athletes can be left out when instructions are not given in an accessible way to them 

• Some players may feel embarrassed to ask the other teammates to repeat themselves, so they might not understand but pretend they do. 

There are lots of safety concerns when it comes to someone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing that plays a sport, not because they cannot hear, but because: 

• They may not hear warnings from referees, coaches, teammates, and other players, which can lead to them getting seriously hurt/injured. 

• They may not notice other players approaching them from behind during some sports or games.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing people who play sports tend to feel left out or excluded in their teams, even if the other players don’t mean for it to happen or for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing person to feel like that. Some of the things that contribute to this are: 

• They might feel isolated when communication becomes difficult 

• They may miss out on conversations, team discussions, and social interactions with other players, teams, and teammates

• Participation can be harder when accessibility accommodations are not already in place. 

There is very limited access to Deaf-friendly teams or sports, which may make Deaf or Hard of Hearing individuals too nervous or scared to join in on sports where there are no other Deaf or Hard of Hearing people in the team. Some other things that make sporting programs limited to Deaf or Hard of Hearing people are: 

• Some programs are not designed with Deaf accessibility in mind

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Participation in sport can have a positive impact on confidence, friendships, well-being,g and community connection. When communication barriers prevent Deaf or Hard of Hearing young people from fully participating, they may miss out on these important social and developmental benefits.

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MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPACTS:

Deaf athletes get very fatigued, stressed, and anxious while playing sports. There are o many things that as a Deaf person they need to do, such as looking out for body language, watching peoples lips, making dure I can see their face clearly, working hard on trying to listen to what is going on around me and what is being said, and just working harder to fit in. for someone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, playing a sport requires so much concentration as it is, but then there is also additional things you they need to do, such as: 

•  needed to monitor your teammates and other players

•  And having to watch their coaches

• Tracking all the visual cues 

• And needing to follow along with conversations 

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Doing all of these things at once while also playing your sport can be very draining, and can make them burn out incredibly easily, making it harder for them to want to play the sport they once might have enjoyed. 

Playing a sport as a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person isn’t all bad. A lot of people who have a hearing difficulty (including me) love playing sports. Some sports can be a lot harder to participate in and play, but there are always ways around being able to play and feel like you fit in. Sports can have a very positive impact on a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person’s life, such as: 

• Sport can build your confidence.

• Sport can improve your mental health. 

• It can help you build better friendships and be able to connect with other people. 

• It can increase your independence.

• It can increase your ability to work with others and develop teamwork skills. 

• It can strengthen your identity and belonging with other people