The 2016 Deaf World Cup begins on June 20 in Salerno, Italy. The United States Deaf Soccer Women’s National Team (USDWNT) is the reigning Deaf World Cup champions and three-time Deaflympic gold medalists (2005, 2009, 2013). The team has not lost an international match and stands at 21-0-0, with 122 goals for and 8 against. The U.S. takes on Turkey on June 22. The full schedule is here.
Ahead of the tournament, midfielder Allie Galoob shares her story and thoughts on her team.
I was merely nineteen years old when I first joined the team. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into; there was so much mystery about the USDWNT. I really thought it was ‘just another soccer team’ because I had never heard of it nor had I thought it really existed. The day I began my nine-year journey with this team is the day I realized how little I knew about myself and how much I could grow as a person and as a soccer player.
It is not “just another soccer team” nor is it “just another tournament,” it is the only team in the world where I can just be myself and not have to worry about trying to understand my teammates on and off the field. My teammates know exactly what it feels like to be left out and to be told, “I’ll tell you later” or “Never mind.” There is no such thing as saying “what” too many times. We are truly a group of humble women who are genuine people trying to be their best selves. These are the people I’ve aspired to be more like, to do my best to exemplify their amazing qualities as people and as hardworking athletes. These women are my heroes because of what they did for me. I grew into someone who understands sacrifice, who understands the magnitude of being the best possible person I can be, and to truly love something bigger than myself.
I’ve given up a lot of things — a lot of sweets, other projects, and potential full-time jobs — for this team. It is not simply a choice to keep playing soccer, it is a lifestyle that I gladly choose on a daily basis. I’ve put myself through such hardships that most people would’ve walked away a long time ago. And why do I do this? For my teammates. For the future generations of deaf soccer girls. For the opportunity to feel the butterflies in my stomach every time I put on my uniform. To feel my heart pounding as I lace up my cleats. I come alive and there’s nothing better.
It’s a funny conundrum, this being a member of the USDWNT, because every time I meet up with the team for a training camp, it is almost as if I morph into some kind of metahuman. I feel this way because it is like my teammates and I become a unified force and are able to face anything together. I always have so much fun with these women because we all have so many different personalities and perspectives, much like a mosaic, each of us helps make up the big picture. And like a lightening bolt, the camp is over and we all go back to our “regular” lives in which we are just like everyone, students, teachers, coaches, and so on. Almost like a superhero blending into society. It almost feels like we put on a mask and take it off when we meet up once again.
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith the Deaf World Cup coming up quickly, I am more than excited; it is impossible to fathom what I am going to do with myself until I see my teammates on the 17th. I am so excited to hug them, to go on another journey, and to see how I grow during our time together. It is a time of the highest highs and lowest lows and it is comforting to know that I have my teammates and coaches to lean on. There’s no one I would rather play soccer with and for, than for the USDWNT. Bring it on world, we are ready for you.
Editor’s note — You can help support the squad by purchasing items from the team’s Etsy shop or donating to the team’s GoFundMe campaign.