My experience

There was this one time when I was playing soccer as my sport, I found playing soccer as a deaf person rather hard and uncomfortable. Over time, I decided that I actually hated playing that sport. There were so many things that made playing soccer incredibly hard for me, such as not hearing the whistles, not hearing my teammates yelling out to me, not hearing my coach from the sideline, and so on. Having to play in windy weather conditions, rainy weather, and super-hot weather made it extremely hard to be able to cooperate with other people. I felt like I was alone on the team, left out, isolated, and not understood by anyone I was playing with. It made me feel upset and rather self-conscious. Yes, playing soccer was fun at times, but a lot of the time I did not enjoy playing at all, except for going to training. So, then, after about 6 years of playing and trying to fit in with all the other girls (which did not work by the way), I quit playing, and thought trying a new sport would be better, like volleyball. A couple of years later, I found myself going to a volleyball training session and trials with some of my closest friends at the time, and I could not tell anyone how much I enjoyed playing. It was quieter, with less movement, and a lot more enjoyable. Yes, I still felt like I didn’t fir in at first and that I wouldnt be easy, and it wasn’t easy, but I have been playing since year 8 now, and I absolutely love it, everyone is supportive, they all make sure I understand what’s going on, and the whistles and coaches are so much more clearer than what it was like when I was playing soccer. Playing soccer was a great time, but being outside with multiple other games going on, where you can't be looking at the ref and coaches, made it extremely difficult. Playing in an indoor sport, where I can look at the refs and coaches, brings me so much more comfort, especially since there is sometimes only one game going on at once. 

 

Looking back, I don't think I hated soccer because I didn't enjoy the sport itself. I love watching it live and on TV, and I am a mad Tilley's (Matilda’s) supporter. But I hated how difficult it was to communicate and feel included when I was playing. Volleyball showed me how much difference a supportive environment can make. When coaches and teammates take the time to communicate clearly and include everyone, sport becomes much more enjoyable and accessible.