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Everyone has handicaps, only some are visible
01/24/2012...Edmonton, Alberta - Interviewing Jonathan Kassian (left) over the telephone, his voice is clear and articulate. He listens patiently to each question.
After a few moments of conversation with The Kings University College Eagles men’s volleyball player, it is evident that he is proud that he will be representing Canada at a World Competition in the sport he loves.
But one question remains. This reporter finally asks: “Jon…how is it that you are able to hear me? Do you have some sort of amplifier or computer that translates my words into dictation?”
Why the unusual question? For you see, Kassian, 22, is legally deaf and he will be part of Team Canada in beach volleyball at the 2012 World Deaf Beach Volleyball Championships to be held in the Ukraine.
Kassian, a 6-foot-4 middle in his third year of Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play lost his hearing at a young age.
“I lost my hearing at three years of age and the doctors said it was a medically unexplainable case,” said Kassian, who is enrolled in Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education. “I literally lost it in one day. I am hearing impaired. I can only hear certain frequencies. I have lost 85 to 90 cent in in right ear and loss 70 per cent in left ear.”
But with the usage of hearing aids and plenty of language development, “I probably did four to five hours a day with a speech pathologist,” Kassian has blended in with the main stream of volleyball.
“Honestly I’ve grown up with it and like any other person; I do consider myself to have a hearing loss. Even the fact that I am talking to you on the phone is amazing."
Situated behind his ears, the hearing aids allow Kassian “to hear 100 per cent like anyone else,” although he remembers when technology was not as good. “My first pair of hearing aids was probably like hearing things through a tin can.”
He does not wear the hearing aids when he sleeps or has showers or goes for a swim.
Playing in the World Deaf Beach Volleyball Championships, he will not be allowed to wear them also.
“It is very different as you have to be aware what you are doing on the court at all times,” said Kassian of the silence on the court. “I found myself (at tryouts) even calling the ball out on my defence position and then I remembered and realized that my partner does not hear what I am saying.
“But through sign language…like a lot of people I know the basic sign language alphabet…I can communicate and I am a fast learner but you have to pick up on the (signed) terms quickly.
“Another difference is on the (sand) courts they use flags instead of whistles.”
At first Kassian was a bit wary about participating as he had never been part of or introduced to the world of deaf sports or people in the deaf community.
“At first my coaches were flabbergasted that I could speak so well and then I explained my situation,” said Kassian. “To be completely honest, I was a little bit skeptical at first because I think there is a negative aspect when one thinks of things like Paralympics or deaf sports. They think they, the athletes, are not as good as other athletes because they may have a handicap. But then you learn that they are probably better as they have perfected their style of game despite any difficulties…so I look at this now as a great opportunity.”
Kassian is not the only sport enthusiast in the household as his father Brent is a chaplain for the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL and his brother Matt was called up recently from the Houston Aeros to play for the NHL Minnesota Wild.
Kassian’s current teammate in beach volleyball is Cole Sanderson from White Rock, B.C. who has competed in past international competitions and the Deaflympics as they are now known.
Kassian has appeared in 41 ACAC games so far this season, with an impressive 61 kills and 23 blocks.
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