Texas School for the Deaf fields powerhouse football team <\/p>\n
By: ROSE YBARRA, The Enterprise <\/p>\n
11\/18\/2007<\/p>\n
When the Texas School for the Deaf football team comes to town today
\nto face Legacy Christian, the Warriors should be ready for a fight. <\/p>\n
Because the players from TSD can’t hear, some opposing teams might
\ntake it easy on them. But San Marcos Baptist Academy athletic
\ndirector Toby Wade is quick to point out that would be a huge
\nmistake. <\/p>\n
“Any team that goes in letting up on them is going to get the tar
\nknocked out of them,” said Wade, whose San Marcos Baptist Academy
\nfootball team lost to TSD 58-20 on Nov. 8. <\/p>\n
Austin-based TSD takes on Legacy Christian at 7 p.m. today at
\nZaharias Stadium in the first round of the TAPPS Division III
\nplayoffs. <\/p>\n
TSD is a publicly funded school that serves deaf and hard-of-hearing
\nstudents from infancy to 22 from all over the state. Half of the
\nschool’s 470 students live on campus in dormitories while the rest
\ncommute from nearby cities, said school spokeswoman Keena Miller. <\/p>\n
Legacy coach Bel Cobbs said he told his crew they have to look past
\nthe opponents’ handicap and go for the win. <\/p>\n
“I told them, ‘We love all people, but if someone is breaking into
\nyour house or standing in the way of something you want, you have
\nevery right to fight for it and this team is standing in your way for
\na state championship,'” Cobbs said. <\/p>\n
Cobbs reminded his team that he’s reviewed film of the Texas School
\nfor the Deaf team and that players are “extremely good” – and fast. <\/p>\n
TSD (9-2) has a powerful running game and two of the biggest threats
\nare junior Delvin Furlough, who racked up 1,634 rushing yards
\nincluding 23 touchdowns; and senior Justin Perez with 1,179 yards and
\n21 touchdowns so far this season. <\/p>\n
“They have Beaumont Central-type speed,” Cobbs said. “They see cuts
\nand holes very well. We’re going to have to take advantage of this
\nbeing a home game, and our kids are going to have to be at their
\nvery, very, best.” <\/p>\n
Another of TSD’s strengths is putting points on the board. The
\nRangers average 48 points per game, including a season-high 78
\npoints. They also shut out two opponents by margins of 62-0 and 56-0.<\/p>\n
Rangers head football coach Matt Thompson, who also is deaf, said
\nmost teams in the Austin area aren’t fazed by playing against a deaf
\nschool. <\/p>\n
Thompson’s first language is American Sign Language, but he
\ncommunicated via e-mail for this story. <\/p>\n
Wade, whose San Marcos Baptist Academy football team plays the deaf
\nteam every season, said there are just a few differences in a game
\nagainst TSD versus opponents from mainstream schools, and Thompson
\nadmits there are a few disadvantages to using sign language instead
\nof audibles. <\/p>\n
“The head referee usually knows sign language and on occasion,
\nthere’ll be a late hit because the player didn’t hear the whistle,”
\nWade said. “From the stands, it will look like every other high
\nschool football game.” <\/p>\n
Surprisingly TSD has received very few penalties for late hits or
\njumping offsides over the years, said Ed Burleson, director of TAPPS.<\/p>\n
“If they make a late hit, they have to accept the penalty, but it
\nvery rarely happens,” Burleson said. “They have their timing down
\nbetter than most hearing teams.” <\/p>\n
On the field, it will be a lot quieter than usual. They’ll be little
\nor no chatter among the TSD players. The TSD quarterback won’t call
\nany audibles and there will be no trash talking from the Rangers. <\/p>\n
The deaf community has a long football history and it is a deaf
\nuniversity, Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., that’s been
\ncredited for one of the game of football’s most important
\ncontributions – the huddle. <\/p>\n
The football huddle was first used at Gallaudet, coach Thompson’s
\nalma mater, in the 1890s when the football team discovered opponents
\nwere reading their signed messages and adjusting their play. <\/p>\n
Today, the huddle is used by virtually all teams, hearing or deaf. <\/p>\n
Provisions can and have been made at mainstream schools to
\naccommodate deaf players but Thompson said the opportunities are
\ngreater at TSD and other deaf schools. <\/p>\n
He said the boys receive much more playing time and individual
\nattention at TSD. <\/p>\n
“Most hearing coaches tend to look at deaf players negatively,”
\nThompson said. “They don’t know how to communicate with him, they
\ndon’t know what to do with him and frankly, don’t usually want to
\nbother with him. And believe me, some coaches around the state are
\nrealizing now that they blew it.” <\/p>\n
The Rangers may be silent on the football field, but they can still
\nbe typical rowdy teenage boys. During spirit week, leading into their
\nhomecoming game against the California School for the Deaf-Riverside,
\nseveral of the boys got Mohawks. <\/p>\n
“We let it go for spirit week, but then we made them shave them off
\nbecause it goes against our dress code,” Miller said with a chuckle. <\/p>\n
Legacy is riding a five-game winning streak into the playoffs, a
\nmajor turnaround from an 0-5 start. It finished in second place in
\nTAPPS Division III District 4 play. <\/p>\n
It’s the best finish to date for Legacy, Cobbs said. <\/p>\n
TSD made the playoffs last season but lost in the first round to Bay
\nArea Christian of League City. <\/p>\n
And Thompson said his team isn’t ready to hang it up for the season
\ntoday. <\/p>\n
“This is the best team we’ve had this millennium,” he said. “We are
\nstill hungry to play more games.” <\/p>\n
Updated 11\/18\/2007 <\/p>\n
\u00a9The Beaumont Enterprise 2007 <\/p>\n
IF YOU GO <\/p>\n
What: Legacy Christian vs. Texas School for the Deaf <\/p>\n
When: 7 p.m. today <\/p>\n
Where: Zaharias Stadium off Interstate 10 near Martin Luther King
\nBoulevard <\/p>\n
Tickets: $7 adults, $5 students <\/p>\n
Info: (409) 924-0500 <\/p>\n
Link:
\nhttp:\/\/www.southeasttexaslive.com\/site\/news.cfm?newsid=19029546&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=512588&rfi=6<\/p>\n
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Texas School for the Deaf fields powerhouse football team By: ROSE YBARRA, The Enterprise 11\/18\/2007 When the Texas School for the Deaf football team comes to town today to face Legacy Christian, the Warriors should be ready for a fight.…<\/p>\n