Sounds of Silence Amplified on the Pickleball Court
For the Deaf community , pickleball can be both a recreational activity and a competitive one .
By Drew Wathey
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The sounds of the game echo throughout ballfields , arenas and courts across the globe and easily captivate players and fans alike . While the clicking of pickleball paddles when striking a ball makes a distinctive sound , it can also enable the athletes to determine strength of shot and , in some cases , placement .
But , for those pickleball players where sound is absent — those in the Deaf Community — can pickleball be a recreational activity and a competitive one as well ? Michael Dubowe , born profoundly deaf , has answered that . Not only does
Michael Dubowe he compete regularly in the sport but has participated in several Deaf tournaments over the past year .
“ Deaf pickleball tournaments are becoming more popular in different parts of our country ,” says Dubowe , who currently lives in Bloomington , Illinois . “ I strongly believe pickleball is a fantastic sport for the Deaf community as the game is very visual .”
Recently , The Villages in Florida hosted the National Deaf Pickleball Tournament , which attracted well over 200 players . The event will be held in Arizona next November .
Dubowe and his wife , Rebecca , began playing the sport just over a year ago and approach the game differently when playing with a deaf partner versus a hearing one . “ When playing with a hearing partner , I ’ m able to read lips . Fortunately , in pickleball games , we use simple terms such as In , Out , Kitchen , On the Line , Fault , Short , You , I got it , etc . With a hearing partner , we use either American Sign Language ( ASL ) or universal ( general ) signs ,” says Dubowe . “ When playing with a deaf partner , we use ASL to each other , which can be an advantage against a hearing team — just as long as they do not know any ASL .”
Extraneous sounds that are commonplace on the court and easily heard by players often prompt necessary adjustments to shots and foot placement . “ I was told that hearing players can hear the ball hitting off the paddle , which can affect their judgment call and to move their own player ’ s position ,” says Dubowe . “ For example , if a player hears the ball coming off the paddle very hard , then the receiving player would move back . Or , if a ball hits the fingers on the handle or side of the paddle , a hearing player can hear these sounds , not deaf players .”
In their Bloomington pickleball community , Dubowe and other local Deaf players taught their hearing partners ASL for keeping score and some overall basic terms . Now , most of his compatriots know ASL numbers from zero to 11 , making the game run more smoothly . However , he adds , “ In pickleball , regardless of being deaf or hearing , we use universal signs — such as ‘ In ’ or ‘ Out ’ by pointing our fingers or hand inward or pointing to the sky , or using our thumbs like the baseball sign of ‘ Out .’”
As in all sports , communication is of paramount importance , and when action is devoid of sound , complications can arise . “ Communication behind my back during the rally can always present some problems during a match . My partner would call out ‘ Mine ’ or ‘ Yours ,’ which sometimes Deaf players do not hear or would miss ,” explains Dubowe . “ I would have to look in my partner ’ s face for any communication ( verbal or sign ), then turn my face toward the net , which can cost me split-second distraction and potentially lose the point .”
Dubowe and the Deaf community look toward the future , as do all the worldwide pickleball communities , with optimism for continued growth and accelerated acceptance within the sports world . •