Please pass on my sincere thanks to the people of Bayside Soccer Club who came to give support to my US Men's Deaf Soccer Team at our recent Soccer Camp here in Pensacola. Bayside has been the only soccer club to show the slightest interest in this US team. I have been conducting camps in Pensacola for the past 3 years but this is the first time anyone has taken the time to support us.These incredible young men have had to overcome major obstacles to play for this team. The US squad is the only team in Deaf sports who do not receive a dime to help them take on the rest of the world. All other countries get hundreds of thousands of dollars for their coaches and players.
I tell one story of our trip to Greece last summer for the first official Deaf World Cup. We had to go to a welcome party for the coaching staff of all countries taking part in the tournament I was talking to the coaching staff of the England Deaf team who were one of the favorites to win the gold medal. I turned up with my staff of four, my Assistant coach, my team manager and my interpreter who didn't receive a cent for their time over there. The England staff included Head coach, two assistant coaches, a team doctor, fitness and first aid coach and interpreter, who were all on full time pay. They even had a 'Kit-man' as part of their staff who's sole job was to look after team uniforms and gear. He told me his personal budget was $40,000 to make sure the England players had nice clean and tidy uniforms for their games. My wife Terri (team manager) and Jackie (interpreter) had to wash our 2 year old uniforms in our hotel bathroom, then hang them over the balcony to dry because we didn't even have money to take it to the local launderette.
The US Men's team went further in the tournament than the England team with all their money. Our US team went to the semi-finals only to lose on a penalty-shootout after extra time to Turkey.
Can you imagine what we could achieve with this team if we had the financial support other countries get?
Thanks again to everyone at Bayside.
Ken McDonald, Head Coach to US Men's and Women's Deaf Soccer Teams
