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SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Team learns through helping deaf player

By Maria Riegel, Special Writer
   The high school’s girls’ varsity softball team has engaged in a learning experience during the 2011 season through junior shortstop, Chelsea Lee, who happens to be deaf, according to assistant varsity coach Joanne Smith.
   ”She is teaching us more than we teach her,” Ms. Smith said. “The team gets to see that not everyone’s world is the same. The girls have learned a lot from her in a short time.”
   Ms. Lee transferred to South Brunswick High School this school year from MSSD, a school for the deaf in Washington D.C. where she also played softball. This is her first year on varsity team for South Brunswick.
   ”She is a very aggressive player,” Ms. Smith said. “She isn’t afraid to dive for a ground ball. Overall, she has a great attitude.”
   According to Ms. Smith and the three senior team captains, Rachel Vogel, Megan Grocholske and Jillian Blaine, the team uses different strategies to always ensure that Ms. Lee is aware and kept abreast of what is going on around her in the game.
   The girls use hand signals, gestures and strong eye contact to help incorporate Ms. Lee in the game as easily as possible according to Ms. Smith. Miss Lee is also good at reading lips and has taught her teammates some sign language, and has her interpreter to aid her according to the team captains and Ms. Smith.
   During a scrimmage earlier in the season Ms. Lee was injured and was out for about one week, according to Ms. Smith. She was able to work through her fears with her inner strength and with the help of her teammates who assured her they would help her any way they could Ms. Smith said.
   ”The team and the coach are always interested in helping me, and they always want me to know what it is going on,” Ms. Lee said through her interpreter.
   Despite Ms. Lee’s hearing impairment, she is so natural at the game that she does not need a lot of help Ms. Smith said.
   ”She just has a passion for softball and she does not let her hearing affect her,” Ms. Blaine, who plays either the pitcher or first base position, said.
   Ms. Lee said that the only thing that she does have trouble deciphering during a game are ‘fly balls.’ She said that it is often ambiguous if she must catch it or if another teammate has it covered.
   ”She has made me a lot more aware of my communication skills,” Ms. Vogel, who also palys either the pitcher or first base position, said.
   The team captains and Ms. Smith agree that Ms. Lee is a tremendous asset to the team.
   She plays well offensively and defensively and really works hard. Since the team graduated a lot of experienced players last year, Ms. Lee fills the shortstop position well according to Ms. Vogel. Ms. Smith said that Ms. Lee has good fielding abilities and rarely makes any errors in the games.
   ”The whole team is a really good group of girls and Chelsea adds to the mix,” Ms. Smith said. “She helps us do better.”
   After high school softball, Ms. Lee would like to play softball while attending college. She feels that even with her hearing impairment this is a realistic goal because her hearing has never hindered her before in the sport.
   ”I really enjoy being with the team and everyone is really motivated in learning,” Ms. Lee said through her interpreter.