Sign of excitement over deaf games

Andrew Mathieson
THEY gather in a group and start to gesture with their hands.
Little conversations break out without a word being mouthed.
But all stand silently watching as deaf elder Stan Batson begins to talk.
Sign language ensures Geelong Deaf Club members have their own voice.
They form a small community of their own but will expand to hundreds when Geelong hosts the next Australian Deaf Games in 2012.
The barriers deaf competitors face every day are forgotten when they get together on a level playing field.
Deaf Sports Australia manager Craig Dodson said communication during the heat of sports battle could be restricted to visual contact rather than signing with hands.
“You find that a deaf athlete playing in a mainstream competition has to be very visually aware,” he said.
Lights or flags replaced starter’s guns or sirens, while referees carried flags to drop or wave to grab competitors’ attention during play.
Even tapping competitors on the shoulder to get their attention was not taboo, Mr Dodson revealed.
Ricky Diamond is one of the few in the Geelong club who can partially hear but still signs for deaf wife Wendy.
Mr Diamond said the Geelong deaf community would be lining up to volunteer in three years.
“They’re over the moon about the games,” he said.
“It’ll bring all deaf people together and we’d like to be involved with them.”