What Do You Mean, She Can't Play Soccer

What Do You Mean, She Can't Play Soccer

Jessica Rasmussen

What Do You Mean, She

Can't Play Soccer?

by Carla McQuillan

From the Editor: The following story first

appeared in Volume 10, Number 1, of Skipping Stones, a children's multicultural magazine.

Carla McQuillan is the President of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, and

Jessica and her family are members of the affiliate. Here is the story:

Jessica's family has always been involved in

sports, particularly soccer. When Jessica was in the second grade and wanted to play

soccer, her family was delighted. The coach and her team were glad to have her, but before

she could play, she and her family had to determine how she would get around the field.

Jessica has been totally blind since birth. She

uses a white cane to walk everywhere—but that could be a hazard for the other players

on the soccer field. She tried playing without assistance but didn't know which way to go

and missed a lot of the game.

A teammate volunteered to hold Jessica's hand,

giving verbal directions and a play-by-play description of the game. This worked

beautifully. The coach was happy—the entire team was more attentive to the game. The

parents of the other children were happy—their children learned new skills for

working as a team. And Jessica was happy because she was able to play soccer with her

friends.

When Jessica entered the third grade, she signed

up for soccer again. Many teammates were the same kids Jessica had played with the year

before, but the coach was different. The new coach refused to allow a blind child to play

on his team.

The policy of the soccer organization is that

everyone is permitted to play. There are no tryouts at this age. But the new coach felt

justified in saying, "Everybody plays, except you."

Jessica's mother contacted the National

Federation of the Blind for help. It is an organization that works hard for all blind

people to be treated just like everybody else. They asked the coach why Jessica couldn't

play and were told, "Because she's blind."

"But she played last year, and everyone had

fun. Why can't she play this year?"

The coach said, "Because she might get

hurt."

"But lots of children play soccer, and many

do get hurt. Will you prevent a clumsy, sighted child from playing, just because he or she

might get hurt?"

The coach said, "No."

"So why can't Jessica play?"

"Because the team will blame her when they

lose," said the coach.

"At this age the most important thing is

learning how to work and play as a team. Surely you aren't saying any one child should be

held responsible for the team's winning or losing. Will you exclude sighted children who

don't play well?"

"Of course not," said the coach.

"Then why can't Jessica play?"

The coach became angry and said, "You're

acting as if it is normal for a blind child to play sports!"

It should be normal for a blind child to play

sports and for every child to be permitted to be a child, regardless of the physical

challenges he or she experiences. All children should be permitted to play, to get hurt,

to fail, and to succeed, without an adult asking them not to try.

Childhood is for exploring and falling down and

getting back up again. This is true whether the child is blind or sighted, deaf or not,

and whether he or she gets around on legs or wheels.

Jessica is in the third grade now—and she is

playing soccer. And maybe the coach has learned a little more about teamwork in the

process. Jessica and her mother spoke about their experience at the recent state

convention. When she was asked how she plays soccer, she said. "I was left-forward,

and left-forward has to be out in front, scoring goals."

Jessica and her family know that in the future

there will be tryouts for positions on the team. They know at that time she might not be

able to play. They also know there will be other things she will never be able to

do—like driving a car. But they also know most things she wants to do in her life

will be possible with a little creative adaptation.