{"id":29727,"date":"2015-01-20T06:17:45","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T12:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=29727"},"modified":"2015-01-20T06:17:45","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T12:17:45","slug":"swcid-provides-athletic-outlet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2015\/01\/20\/swcid-provides-athletic-outlet\/","title":{"rendered":"SWCID provides athletic outlet"},"content":{"rendered":"

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Southwestern Collegiate Institute for the Deaf provides athletic outlet<\/strong><\/p>\n

By RYAN COLLINGWOOD rcollingwood@oaoa.com<\/p>\n

December 25, 2014<\/p>\n

BIG SPRING As Daniel Sandoval crossed the midcourt line trying to split a pair of Odessa College defenders, the point guard raised his non-dribbling hand and signaled for an offensive set.<\/p>\n

His teammates, visibly outmatched by the 14th-ranked junior college squad in the country, proceeded to move accordingly, screening away from the ball in an effort to create space from a horde of long, athletic defenders.<\/p>\n

Amid the movement, not a single player donning the acronym SWCID uttered as much as a syllable trying to evade the overwhelming pressure.<\/p>\n

If not for the screeching sneakers against the cracker box gym\u2019s hardwood, their effort would have been completely inaudible to the opposition, spectators and officials.<\/p>\n

Those folks would have temporarily absorbed what members of the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball programs experience every moment of their lives \u2014 silence.<\/p>\n

Silence in a game comprised of so many distinct tones.<\/p>\n

The shrill noise of a quarter-ending buzzer. The indicative blow of a referee\u2019s whistle. Adrenaline-inciting warm-up music.<\/p>\n

Its communication may come by way of hand movement and lip reading, but the tiny West Texas school operates like any other community college trying to bring stability to a fledgling basketball program.<\/p>\n

One that is compounded by its own set of hurdles, anyway, including a shallow recruiting pool, athletic directors reluctant to schedule them and typically lopsided results.<\/p>\n

Being devoid of both a conference and a postseason doesn\u2019t help the Rattlers, either.<\/p>\n

But fielding a team and giving students an opportunity they likely wouldn\u2019t have had otherwise has been the biggest coup, per coach Roderica Johnson, who heads both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just tell (the players) that everybody is going to notice the heart they have,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThey\u2019re kind of telling their story on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n

THE OTHER COLLEGE<\/p>\n

Big Spring, a town of 29,000 residents just east of Midland along the I-20 corridor, is a town known to locals for its sizable oil refinery, Howard College and one of the bigger federal prisons in the region.<\/p>\n

Federal Correctional Institution of Big Spring has nearly 2,000 prisoners including notable inmates such as Max Butler, famously known for racking up $86 million in fraudulent charges and receiving the longest prison sentence for computer hacking in US history.<\/p>\n

The razor wire that keeps inmates from scaling a heightened fence is less than a stone\u2019s throw from SWCID, the lesser known institution that houses around 100 students on its quaint campus on the west side of town.<\/p>\n

The school, a branch of Howard College \u2014 the traditional junior college across town with basketball programs that have sent a slew of players onto the NCAA Division I level including Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder \u2014 was established in 1979. Its basketball programs have been around just five years.<\/p>\n

SWCID\u2019s athletic facility is commensurate with that of a small high school\u2019s, boasting a couple offices, a basketball court capable of seating 300 spectators, a pair of locker rooms and a small weight room.<\/p>\n

Johnson is currently the only one occupying an office, but it wasn\u2019t that way when she was hired fresh out of Southwestern University, where, only a year ago, she played guard for the NCAA Division III school in Georgetown.<\/p>\n

Initially Johnson, who turned 23 this month, was hired as an assistant under former head coach Derrick Jackson who left the program in November, Johnson said, for family reasons.<\/p>\n

But Johnson didn\u2019t just inherit the women\u2019s program. She\u2019d have to lead the men \u2014 a team featuring players ages 18-30 \u2014 as part of a packaged deal.<\/p>\n

All of this responsibility on top of a sign language barrier that\u2019s thinned out as the season has progressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m learning (sign language) on the job. I can have a casual conversation,\u201d said Johnson, who doesn\u2019t have an assistant coach. \u201cI\u2019m able to get my point across. The kids help me out every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson wanted to get her feet wet in the ever-competitive realm of collegiate coaching but has essentially found herself in a de facto athletic director role.<\/p>\n

Managing the personalities of 22 men and women players along with student managers \u2014 with the help of resident interpreters \u2014 with administrative work, to boot, has been a trial-by-fire experience she\u2019s embracing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoing something I love while working with students are who deaf, I never thought I\u2019d be in this position,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cBut I\u2019m loving it.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO EXCUSES<\/p>\n

Sandoval, a Midland native, was assertive during his club\u2019s 115-31 loss to Odessa College in a Dec. 8 game in Big Spring.<\/p>\n

His frustration was apparent but he wasn\u2019t deterred by the fact that the Wranglers scored at will while giving up very little on the defensive end, all while rotating reserves throughout the duration of the blowout.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot sophomore fired a 25-footer from the top of the key while absorbing contact, but the referee, who, when a whistle is blown, will signal to the SWCID interpreter who then signs the call to the players, didn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n

An irked Sandoval made a subtle grunt and voiced his annoyance with the no-call through gesticulation. His coach, interpreter Annie O\u2019Connell and his teammates understood him but, fortunately for Sandoval, the officials didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Johnson immediately called a timeout to cool off the team\u2019s best ball handler while trying to halt the momentum of Odessa College\u2019s 26-2 run.<\/p>\n

In the huddle Johnson spoke sternly to the group of young men her age and older. O\u2019Connell, Johnson\u2019s shadow during games, quickly processed everything the coach said before conveying the messages back and forth through sign.<\/p>\n

The men\u2019s team is made up of 10 players who are completely deaf. The women\u2019s team, however, has some players who are hard of hearing but legally deaf.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve never used their deficiency as a crutch, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because you\u2019re deaf doesn\u2019t mean the other team will have sympathy for you or anything like that,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cYou have to play and give it your all. It\u2019s all I can ask for. The score may say something different, but it\u2019s all I can ask for.\u201d<\/p>\n

BEYOND BASKETBALL<\/p>\n

SWCID\u2019s men, who don\u2019t feature a player over 6-foot-2, has yet to win a game (0-8) this season, having been matched up with the likes of NJCAA Division I Odessa College, Frank Phillips College and Western Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

The Rattler women (1-9) opened up their season with a win at Ecclesia College before dropping their next nine games.<\/p>\n

As far as the varying talent on each goes there\u2019s a substantial chasm.<\/p>\n

Prior to their tenure at SWCID, some players were major contributors on their high school basketball teams while others played recreationally. Some had never picked up a basketball.<\/p>\n

Brittany Breedlove, a 5-foot-6 guard on the women\u2019s team, transferred from Arlington Baptist where she redshirted last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically whoever shows up, that\u2019s who we have,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe try to do as much recruiting as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s typical for a junior college roster to be dotted with local, in-state products, but SWCID boasts players from all over the country.<\/p>\n

From Arizona, Kansas, Tennessee, Massachusetts to Wisconsin, SWCID has been able to attract deaf students who want to take the junior college route and earn an associate\u2019s degree before transferring to a university, all while getting the chance to continue their playing careers.<\/p>\n

What makes SWCID attractive, Johnson said, is that it\u2019s the country\u2019s lone junior college for deaf students. As far as four-year deaf schools go there are only two \u2014 Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, N.Y.<\/p>\n

Not that the players are limited to one of the two aforementioned schools when they\u2019ve exhausted their general studies courses.<\/p>\n

Sandoval, who prepped at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin before graduating in 2013, is a mechanics major who hopes to extend his college career beyond SWCID.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to be able to continue playing the game,\u201d Sandoval said through an interpreter. \u201cI\u2019d like to go to school out of state when I transfer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike most of his teammates, Sandoval wasn\u2019t born deaf. As a 5-year-old he suffered from an ear infection that deteriorated his hearing entirely.<\/p>\n

He attended elementary and middle school in Midland before getting his high school education at the state\u2019s foremost high school for deaf students in the state\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s back in the Permian Basin where all of his friends and family have to do is make the 45-minute jaunt east.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like that my family can watch me play,\u201d Sandoval said. \u201cWe play against good players and good teams. It\u2019s tough but it makes us better.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the women\u2019s team, sophomore guard Judy Lopez is the lone local and one of the top two gunners for the Rattlers.<\/p>\n

Lopez, who wants to be a dentist, saw substantial playing time at Seminole High School during her junior and senior seasons and was an all-district softball player.<\/p>\n

Being the lone deaf athlete growing up wasn\u2019t easy. At SWCID, though, there\u2019s no communication barrier with teammates, which has helped her flourish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely helped,\u201d Lopez said through an interpreter. \u201cIt\u2019s made things easier as far as how we can talk on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER<\/p>\n

It had been a decade since Anthony Luckey played an organized sport, let alone opened a textbook.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot guard had a brief stint playing football as a defensive back at Tyler Junior College in 2003 before dropping out.<\/p>\n

The Dallas native and W.W. Samuell High grad recently began chewing on the idea of a career in education and coaching but knew he\u2019d have to attain a college degree first.<\/p>\n

A relative put the bug in Luckey\u2019s ear about SWCID and played on the fact the school offered a basketball program, a sport he hadn\u2019t played since high school.<\/p>\n

Now the 30-year-old Luckey is one of the Rattlers\u2019 top players and is enjoying every minute of his athletic rebirth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of goals,\u201d Luckey said through an interpreter. \u201cI wanted to come out here, help the basketball team and have a good experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luckey is 12 years the senior of some of his teammates and nearly eight year older than his coach. But he doesn\u2019t look at it that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t really bother me at all,\u201d Luckey said of the age chasm. \u201cNumbers aren\u2019t important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It hasn\u2019t bothered Johnson, either, praising the man\u2019s mature and collected demeanor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very wise and keeps the team together,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cHe does what he has to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before making the move to West Texas from the Metroplex, Luckey had never heard of deaf college athletic programs.<\/p>\n

Now one is giving him the incentive to finish school while proving that the hearing impaired can hoop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s cool that we have a deaf team,\u201d Luckey said. \u201cIt shows we can play too.\u201d<\/p>\n

CONSIDERATE OPPOSITION<\/p>\n

A few squads have approached SWCID like they would a conference opponent, running up the score to the tune of a near triple-digit beatdown.<\/p>\n

Others teams, like the Odessa College men, couldn’t help but come away with an 84-point decision. They never pressed, went deep in their bench early and did everything short of handing the Rattlers the basketball each trip up the floor.<\/p>\n

In a women’s game earlier in the season Cisco College established a big enough cushion against SWCID to slow down a game it eventually won 76-22<\/p>\n

During a timeout Cisco head coach Charinee Mitchell approached Johnson asking what her team could do to lessen the blow, immediately pulling out of a press when the game was basically decided early in the second half.<\/p>\n

“There are schools that are very respectful and other teams just dog us,” Johnson said. “For (Mitchell) to do that meant a lot to me.”<\/p>\n

When Odessa College, which has three players signed with Division I schools and likely more come spring, concluded its game with SWCID, players from both teams shared laughs and took photos together.<\/p>\n

Odessa College took in the rare occurrence. What the Wranglers didn’t get in competition they got in perspective.<\/p>\n

“It was a good experience,” Odessa College assistant Jeff Mailhot said. “It brings a smile to your face.”<\/p>\n

rcollingwood@oaoa.com<\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.oaoa.com\/sports\/article_d3caadc0-8c8f-11e4-979f-774f5a3cbaed.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Southwestern Collegiate Institute for the Deaf provides athletic outlet By RYAN COLLINGWOOD rcollingwood@oaoa.com December 25, 2014 BIG SPRING As Daniel Sandoval crossed the midcourt line trying to split a pair of Odessa College defenders, the point guard raised…<\/p>\n

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It looks just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10900,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/06\/21\/swcid-reunion-2010-updated-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":29727,"position":1},"title":"SWCID Reunion 2010 Updated","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 21, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"SWCID Reunion 2010 presents Terrylene - \"I Wonder Why\" ASL Poetry Evening with Terrylene When: July 9, 2010 Where: SWCID Time: 8:00 PM Location: Big Spring, Texas Terrylene will be selling and autographing her videos made available for $20 dollars.\u00a0Please bring extra funds if you are interested in purchasing her\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37630,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2018\/05\/03\/swcid-job-opportunity-building-construction-technology-instructor\/","url_meta":{"origin":29727,"position":2},"title":"SWCID Job Opportunity: Building Construction Technology Instructor","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"May 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"POSITION NOTICE SOUTHWEST COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF SWCID SITE POSITION: Building Construction Technology Instructor #18-109 NOTE: OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AS WELL AS ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS DISCLOSING CREDENTIALS PERTAINING TO THIS POSITION WILL BE REQUIRED. WILL BE SUBJECT TO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK. EXPERIENCE AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Associates degree or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SWCID-Job-Opportunity-18-109-791x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7381,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/08\/11\/more-money-for-howard-college-swcid\/","url_meta":{"origin":29727,"position":3},"title":"More Money For Howard College, SWCID","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"August 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"More Money For Howard College, SWCID 7\/28\/09 CBS 7 News Staff July 28, 2009 Big Spring, Texas - Howard College and its sister school will soon be getting more help from the state. 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Myers, Provost Southwest Collegiate Institute for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17598,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/02\/10\/call-for-nominations-provost-at-swcid\/","url_meta":{"origin":29727,"position":5},"title":"Call for Nominations: Provost at SWCID","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"February 8, 2012 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: Provost at SWCID To the Deaf Education Community: We are seeking nominations for the Provost position at the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf in Big Spring, Texas. 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