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Deaf football player shows signs of promise

Andrew Cameron, Co Editor-in-chief
Published: November 4, 2009

Garin Reighley (#76) practices defensive drills before the Butte football game on Oct. 16.

More than 2,000 people were screaming and cheering as loud as they could at Ed Lloyd Field in Santa Rosa on Nov. 13, 2004. The Montgomery versus Cardinal Newman football game ending had created quite a ruckus that afternoon. Garin Reighley played in the game but heard nothing. Not even the roar of the crowd after wide receiver Marcus Ezeff made a miraculous catch. Ezeff out jumped two defenders to make the cathch then sprinted down the sideline into the end zone for the game winning touch down with seven seconds left.

Reighley could not hear the thunderous cheers because he is deaf. However, he did not need to hear anything to feel the electric atmosphere at Lloyd field. He and his teammates were ecstatic to win the game in such a thrilling fashion. It was the most memorable game I have ever played in. I always love beating our rival Newman, Reighley says.

When Reighley was 18 months old he was diagnosed with meningitis. As a result, it damaged the hair nerves in his cochlear. It could have spread to his brain and killed him. Fortunately, he only lost his hearing. Reighley has overcome the challenges of being deaf on and off the field.

Reighley started playing football as a freshman for Montgomery High School. Defensive line was not Reighley’s first choice. “I always wanted to play as an offensive linemen, but audibles were a problem. I won’t be able to hear the quarterback if he changes the play at the last minute,” Reighley says.

That was not the only speed bump Reighley encountered. He is unable to get the play calls verbally. In high school to get the play he had to use an armband that had numbers on it. Either his coach or an interpreter would relay him a number. That number corresponded to a certain play.

Upon graduating from Montgomery in 2005, he attended Gallaudet University, a school for the deaf in Washington D.C. Reighley played football there and had no problems communicating with teammates. “We could sign anything we wanted on the football field and the other team would not be able to understand us, which is great,” Reighley says.

But Gallaudet was not a good fit for Reighley, so he stayed for only a year. “Well, to be honest I was in a culture shock when I went to Gallaudet because it’s a Deaf and hard of hearing community with zero language barrier,” Reighley says. He returned to Santa Rosa and enrolled the following semester at SRJC. He hopes to get a degree in Social and Behavior Science at California State North Ridge. Reighley uses several translators for his classes.

Reighley, a defensive lineman, is in his third season with the Bear Cubs. Reighley is one of a handful of returning defensive players this year. “He is big and strong on the interior Dline,” defensive coach Lenny Wagner says. Reighley is a force to be reckoned with. “He is a big tough guy who likes to get in the mix with everyone,” says teammate Grady Sheehy.

Now, to get the play call he reads the lipsof one of the linebackers. Zen Destiny is his on-the-field interpreter. Destiny is his primary way of communicating with the coaching staff and teammates on the field. On-field communication is important in all sports. “It’s tough but we get the job done with simple signals,” Sheehy says.

In football you are taught to continue playing till you hear the whistle blow. For Reighley that’s not the case. “When the play is over by the whistle, I can not hear it. I do a late hit sometimes,” Reighley says. The referees are notified before each game to excuse the occasional late hit by Reighley. Reighley does not let his disability slow him down. Reighley has also participated in basketball, baseball, softball, wrestling, track  and field and ran cross-country.

Aided by strength and his competitiveness, he excelled as a thrower in track. Reighley dominated in the shot put and discus during high school. His distances were good enough for him to qualify for the North Coast Section meet. He made Honorable Mention for All Redwood Empire in track his senior year.

Softball is Reighley’s latest hobby. He played in a league over the summer and plans to keep playing. “It’s my new passion and I hope to be on the best deaf slow pitch softball team in the nation,” Reighley says. Off the field, Reighley communicates like any other college student does, text messaging.

On occasion he will have friends write down what they are saying. He has taught some of his hearing friends sign language. His teammates like having him around to lighten the mood. “He is just one of the guys,” Sheehy says.

Reighley enjoys cracking jokes and chatting with his buddies. “I love to tell them stories. I love making people laugh and having fun,” Reighley says.

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