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Deafness doesn't keep Cowboy cornerback from making big plays ::
Deafness doesn't keep Cowboy cornerback from making big plays
By Michael Harris Daily O'Collegian
October 6, 2006
Stillwater, OK (CSTV U-WIRE) -- On any given Saturday between early September and late November, football stadiums across the nation erupt as teams tear onto their fields, fight songs blaring, to the thunderous approval of their fans.
Cheers and applause rain down from the stands, creating a din that is as much a part of the game as the ball itself, but for Oklahoma State cornerback Martel Van Zant, there is only silence.
Van Zant, who was born deaf after his mother contracted chicken pox during pregnancy, couldn't even hear the roar of the crowd after he caught the first interception off his career earlier this season, but he still feeds of its energy.
"Because of the noise and everything, I can feel the vibrations in my body," Van Zant said. "I can't hear the people, but I can see the people when they clap. I can see that, and it makes me get more motivated and play better."
Van Zant, a junior from Tyler, Texas, uses sign language to communicate to his interpreter, Allie Lee, who then relays his messages to teammates and coaches.
"I'm signing it and my interpreter is saying it, but they're my words," Van Zant said. "He's my mode of communication. If I didn't have an interpreter, I wouldn't have a clue as to what's going on."
Lee said he heard of Van Zant when he was being recruited out of high school and contacted Cowboy coaches about interpreting for Van Zant on the field.
"It's been a good learning experience," Lee said. "There are interpreters all over the U.S. in sports, but to be at this level is pretty interesting."
After becoming a starter on the Poke defense this season, Van Zant has tallied 11 tackles and an interception in OSU's four games.
Generally, Van Zant said, secondary coach Joe DeForest signals calls from the sideline with a kind of sign language "slang" and Lee communicates any audibles. Playing the game, Van Zant said, just comes naturally.
"It wasn't really hard to learn football because I'm deaf," Van Zant said. "I can go out and do whatever I want.
"Just because I'm deaf doesn't mean I'm not capable."
His resolve isn't going unnoticed.
A week ago, Van Zant was nominated for the FedEx Orange Bowl FWAA Courage Award - an award created by ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski that honors athletes who have displayed exemplary grit in the face of adversity.
Still, Van Zant said the obstacles he's overcome don't make him exceptional.
"It shows that anybody can do it - not just me," Van Zant said.
It's this kind of ethic that has made Van Zant a fan favorite. When Van Zant appeared on the Boone Pickens Stadium video board and signed "M-A-R-T-E-L" during his introduction before the Cowboys' season opener, he received the loudest ovation of any player, and his triumph over adversity has made him an inspiration to many.
"All these kids that look up to me as a role model," Van Zant said. "I've received letters from all these kids, and when I went to the state fair the other night, I met some deaf kids out there who recognized me from TV. I think it's pretty cool."
Van Zant's deafness has had a positive impact on the lives of his teammates as well.
"At first I get picked on because I'm the deaf guy, of course, but that's fine," Van Zant said. "I understand - it's not anything mean. I'll take the ribbing, and I'll give it back, too. I like all my teammates and they're like my brothers now."
In fact, Van Zant said some of his teammates are trying their hands at sign language to better communicate with him.
"There's a lot of them that are taking the ASL [American Sign Language] class," Van Zant said. "A lot of them start out with the alphabet and the basics.
"I help them out with their homework and things like that."
Van Zant and the Cowboys return to action Saturday, when Oklahoma State travels to Kansas State. Kickoff is set for 2:35 p.m.
(C) 2006 Daily O'Collegian via CSTV U-WIRE
