A special pep rally was held at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford on Thursday, Oct. 23.

By Savannah Cote

The U.S. National Deaf Soccer Team and their German counterparts hosted a powerful and inspiring pep rally on Thursday that went beyond the sport. The athletes shared with students from the American School for the Deaf how they ended up where they are, how much they love playing the game, and how honored they are to represent their countries internationally with plans to compete in the Tokyo Deaflympics.

For many of these athletes, the chance to wear their nation’s colors is a lifelong dream. “I think it’s an honor,” said one U.S. player. “You dream about being a soccer player and playing at the highest level. To be able to score in another country and travel the world – it’s something not many people get to experience. I’m fortunate to have that opportunity.”

The captain of the German team, the oldest player on their roster, agreed that the feeling never gets old. “It feels special,” they said. “I always have chills of happiness and excitement. Just like everyone else on this team, we’re very happy to be here.”

Even though the two groups are just as enthusiastic, their training schedules are like opposites. The U.S. team trains nearly every day, creating intensity in long, focused workouts. “Before U.S. Soccer, I worked out in the neighborhood four or five days a week,” commented one player, Stamson. “At college, we trained daily. At U.S. Soccer, it’s once more at an even greater level. The intensity during the training is much greater – at least three hours a day, sometimes until nine.”

Germany’s approach is briefer but no less passionate. “We meet up twice yearly as a national team,” a player explained. “We train together for three or four days in different German cities, before big competitions such as the European Championships or the Deaf Olympics. At home, we all hold regular jobs, so we practice with our home clubs in the evenings.”

Once the discussion turned to strategy, an American compared soccer to chess. “You have to be prepared, and know the guy,” exclaimed Kevin, Washington, D.C.-born and suiting up for Team USA. “That’s how you prepare for their moves. When we are together, we raise ourselves. We’re all brothers and sisters – supporting one another and getting better.”

Germany’s side also agreed that awareness and communication are basic. “You are always observing a player’s body language,” one of them explained. “We watch videos on our opponents and see how they play. Do they pass a lot or kick long? From that, we come up with different plans.”

Mistakes were something else that the two sides agreed on. Chris Forbes, one of the American players who has been with the team for about two and a half years, spoke about learning to cope with frustration. “You’re going to make mistakes if you’re playing professionally or just for fun – what you do afterward is the problem,” he said. “If I mess up, I try to think in advance – how am I going to fix it, get possession of the ball back, or help my team out defensively? You must love the game and love to be obsessed with getting better.

A German player added, “If you mess up, that’s alright. You learn from it, you develop from it, and you grow more powerful. We don’t fear failure – we utilize it.”

German goalkeeper Marcel talked about his lifelong love of his role. “Since I was 2 or 3, I loved being a goalkeeper,” he said. “I picked things up by listening to the coaches. I liked the diving and defending. Sure, I made mistakes, but that’s okay – you learn from them and get better.” His advice to young players was direct: “Practice. Play outside on the field instead of playing video games.”

Both teams have traveled the world thanks to the sport they love. The U.S. team has played in countries including Italy, Brazil, Malaysia, Chile, and Japan. In 2019, the program celebrated its first gold medal for Canada. “We’ve been all over the world – Europe, Asia, South America,” one player said. The German team has competed even more widely, with about 60 matches in 60 countries. “We’ve played in the U.S., South Korea, Thailand, Brazil, Italy, France, Sweden, and even Senegal,” one player said. “We’ve gone against Team USA four times – we’ll see how the next match goes.”

When surveyed, what they’d advise young players, both sides gave the same answer: practice. “Practice, practice, practice – not TV watching, doing it,” U.S. forward Wolf Togo answered. A German player added, “We practiced again and again – shooting goals, staying focused, keeping our eyes on target.”

The pep rally was held days before the teams will meet in a friendly international match at Rentschler Field on Sunday, Oct. 26, as part of a nationally televised doubleheader with the U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Portugal.

No matter where they come from, these players share a common bond in the game they love. From Connecticut to Cologne or anywhere in between, their word was the same: soccer’s spirit knows no borders.

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