Deaf Paintball Players

[Demobilized]

Originally posted by shartley

I said "effictively" I am aware of other ways to communicate but i would think it would be much harder to have to turn around to see if your back player is trying to sign u something. Thats just my opinion though so its all good.

[shartley]

Originally posted by Demobilized
I said "effictively" I am aware of other ways to communicate but i would think it would be much harder to have to turn around to see if your back player is trying to sign u something. Thats just my opinion though so its all good.

[Demobilized]

Opps, yea I missed that one in my first post, my bad. And I would like to agree with you on the subject of giving respect where it is due regardless. But back on the subject the team I saw play was good regardless.

[Dragoon]

Originally posted by hitmanng
I have a significant hearing loss and wear hearing aides. I often play without them and to be honest I think it is helpfull. You focus more on the slight movement that signifies another player moving. I can still hear well enough to hear my teamates though so cannot speak to the communication factor.
Hitmanng

That was my first thought on the matter. The noise is distracting and can be used for intimidation (pelting a bunker to keep the guy behind it not looking). So being deaf may help your game in the beginning. I would think you would tend to look at the feild more and be less prone to hiding. The more you know what's going on the better you are able to react to changes.

However, as players get better and more confident this advantage would decrease.

But then again I'm hearing (although farily fluent in sign) and I may be way off base.

Douglas

[hostage]

On saturday we had a group of 25 NTID students come in. They brought one interpiter. It was a very cool game and very quite. People would move up past the 50 and get into the other side of a bunker that an enemy was in. They wouldn't know it until someone made a lot of movement. Then they would both hold there gun over the bunker and blind shoot. The thing that suprised me was how well I could communicate with them even though they were deaf. They could read body language and expressions very well also they were very cordinated.
-Doron

[nippinout]

Can someone answer my curiosity?

When I read, there is a voice saying the words in my head. Do deaf people visualize the signing of the words as hearing people would hear the sounds of the words?

[crazypaintball54]

deaf paintball players

Well, I figured I would just address this. I have 2 deaf brothers and the one who is 16 is ALWAYS getting compliments on how good he is. I don't know if people are just saying that because he's deaf or what, but I myself have noticed how good he is for how long he has been playing(he's been playing for around 2 or 3 months and owns a Spyder Xtra.) He's a member of this forum, and so is his friend who also plays paintball (they both go to Alabama School for the Deaf in Talladega.)

Anyway, to the point: has anyone else seen any deaf paintballers, and if so, did you think they were good considering they were deaf?

HI,
I am deaf. I play in paintball for 5 yrs. It surely is hell of fun, lot better than softball or bowling. We have mixed deraf and hearing players. Very intertesting, I notice that deaf players seems are better than hearing players. WHY ? In my opinoins, Deaf players have more patiance than hearing players. They have better planning ideas. the group of deaf almost win most battles than hearing.. I do not mean to be bragging. It is so much challenge to compare.
I love to be a sniper. I am telling you, I am using the Tippermann, SL-68 with long barrel, THE JUST PUMP GUN. I do not need a fancy gun. JUST be smart.
I will love to see all deaf players from all different states to play together. I know it will be hell FUN :)
Dave, crazypaintball

[Lenny]

BIG QFT. I'm surprised more people haven't quoted this. A good 'baller is a good 'baller. Even though he's a bit different, he still has everything he needs to be able to play. So, we all may be in awe because he's deaf, but then, is it really that wierd or just uncommon?

[nickee finn]

I have, this oe deaf gu was show me his gun and i was shooting in it, and poped a ball in it, i felt bad.

[FallNAngel]

Wow... necromancy at it's finest.

No, I haven't played (or seen) any deaf paintball players.

[Maggot6]

Sweet Jebus, a 2002 thread.

I am almost with Shartley in this thread, but everyone (as always) has valid points.

[Jaan]

Recently I played a game where sound was both an advantage and a disadvantage. I went to an all pump game, and for the first game of the day not too many people showed up at the field, so pump players mixed with semis. The semi players started opening up right away and giving away their positions. At least one semi player on my team thought he knew where all the other players were ... he went to make a move and blam, one shot one kill from a pumper who was just waiting it out. The most satisfying thing was that on the way off the field when he was asked who shot him, he said "one of those f'ing pump guys!" He was relying too much on sound to detect opponents.

However, later on that day I was hiding away behind a wood pile by the flag and I was the only guy left on my team. I used my hearing exclusively to mark the remaining two players on the other team, especially when one of them ran up the hill. People make a lot of noise running up a hill. In this case it was all about what I could hear, since I didn't use my sight at all until the last second.

I think it would be very interesting to go out with ear plugs and see if I could improve on my visual acuity ... or just take my iPod and crank up some Napalm Death Seriously though, it might be a good way to practice for some teams, much like playing pump can improve your accuracy.

[fuzzbutt]

Deaf Players

Ok, nice thread here adn I'll end it by saying my piece. Firstly, I am a college sign language teacher, an interpreter for the Deaf and formerly worked at the California School for the Deaf- Fremont (the largest al deaf school in the world).

Secondly, I've played paintball since its inception in 1985. Our teams took 2nd in the World Cahmpionship, 2nd in the nationals, etc., etc.

Thirdly, my best friend of 23 years is profoundly Deaf and went to said CSD-F school, etc. he has been my teammate since that first game in 1985. He has also been 2nd World Championships, etc. To this date he remains the ONLY totally deaf player to compete at that level. He was featured in Action Pursuit magazine, Paintball Sports magazine, newspapers, etc.

So, basically I know what I'm talking about. And you all have very good points.

Here's the scoop: Even deaf players with sign language have a problem playing paintball because the action is usually to fast to take your attention away from your target. It becomes a necessary evil to look down field and watch your opponents. During a "firefight" it is almost impossible to communicate due to the nature of being shot at and shooting.

Sign language is great for anything prior to ro after a firefight but a deaf player is totaly isolated during the action. Basically, he/she must rely on their own skills and talents during this time and only after it's done can they hook up and start communicating again with anyone who can sign.

It is frustrating to play with a deaf player (but reqrding if he's really, really good!). And naturally, deaf players have acute vision, more trained at visual perception than any hearing person because that's what they've been conditioned to all of their lives.

My buddy and I never play in the same area despite our communication ties due to the fact that he only l ikes to be in open areas with lots of clear visual targets while I, being hearing, like to crawl into tghick bushes and use my hearing to "see" the opponents.

Best friends, skilled players but total opposites on the field. Weird, huh?

Also, I had one of the first Automags developed by Mr. kay when Automag was being invented. The first prototype had some snags and was removed from the market to be debugged.

[foefumm]

Just to chime in, in an early 90's walkon game, I ran into a team of guys called "Population Control". They were all deaf except for their captain. And they played just as well, if not better than the rest of us on their side(was a big woods game of 30 vs 30 or more).

[AirAssault]

nothing like dragging out a 5 year old thread to lay down some knowledge. The discussion is pointless. No need to discuss the ability or lack there of in the deaf community's ability to play PB. The only thing deaf people can't do as well as the hearing is hear. Go out and learn some sign, it is one of the easier languages to grasp the basics, and getting to know folks in the deaf community will make your life more interesting.