PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- American volleyball player David Smith is competing in his fourth Olympic Games and won a bronze medal in Rio 2016. That alone is something to be proud of, but Smith's achievement is even more impressive when you consider he is almost completely deaf.
Smith was born with severe hearing loss in both ears and relies on lip reading to know what his teammates are saying.
"It's hard work, it's frustrating sometimes, but I've realized that if I care about something, there's a way to get there, there's a way to manage it," said Smith in an interview with the official Olympics press website.
He explained that his parents allowed him to "find my own limitations," and he started playing volleyball aged 14, quickly showing his aptitude for the sport and earning a place at the University of California with John Speraw, who is now the USA coach.
Speraw explains communication and trust are vital in volleyball and says, there "needed to be some adaptations for how the team played with David on the court."
One of those is nicknamed the "David Smith rule," which means that if Smith calls for the ball, he gets it.
Smith's success has also helped other deaf people and also the parents of deaf kids.
"As a parent, it's scary and intimidating. You want the best for your child," he commented.
Smith explained that when the USA beat Argentina there were a group of deaf fans in the stands.
"They were excited to have one of them out on the court, somebody to represent who they are and their struggles and their successes too," he said, adding that his career shows that "if you have something that's in your heart, I really believe that you can achieve it."
"You're going to have to make adaptations; it's going to take hard work, but I do believe, beyond the success that you have, just what it does for your soul is very satisfying." ■
