Hiram College football team scores with sign-language civility toward Gallaudet University players
Saturday, October 04, 2008 Michael K. McIntyrePlain Dealer Columnist
The Hiram College Terriers football team had lost its last 26 games heading into its season opener against Gallaudet University last month. That's almost three full years of losses.
So during practice, Coach Bob Wolfe took time out from blocking and tackling drills to teach his players some new moves. Specifically, how to say "Nice game" and "Good job" using American Sign Language.
Gallaudet is a school for the deaf and hearing-impaired.
Gallaudet coach Ed Hottle, who is not hearing-impaired and learned sign language after he was hired in 2005, was blown away by the sight of Hiram's players using sign language during the post-game handshake, writing a letter of praise that Hiram President Tom Chema distributed campuswide.
"For the last four seasons I have been the head coach at Gallaudet, we have played some 40-plus games and Hiram College was the first school that has made any effort to communicate with our players following the game," wrote Hottle. "Coach Wolfe and his staff are to be applauded for taking time out of the precious few hours we have to coach the game and teaching these young men some true life skills."
Fittingly, Hiram won that day, 20-14, in overtime. And they took their next game against Kenyon. The winning streak ended last week with a loss to Carnegie Mellon, but after the Gallaudet game, the Terriers will always be winners.
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