Pathways
Pathways provide entry level and opportunities to learn skills and grow confidence. You can find many pathways in each sports. With Deaf Sports Australia, athletes will receive guidance and support in furthering their sporting progress.
Below are two types of pathways that we can assist all athletes with.
Deaf sports pathways
By playing for any deaf sports team, club or country, opportunities are available through Deaf Sports Australia and its affiliates and partners. There are five pathways that can be explored, depending on the eligibility status of each athlete:
National Deaf Sports organisations that are committees under Deaf Sports Australia hosts these events. The time it occurs is decided by the sport organisation. Some event examples are National Deaf Lawn Bowls Championship, National Deaf Netball Clubs Championship and National Deaf Touch Football Championship. By joining one of Deaf Sports Australia’s national deaf sport organisations (committees) where the sporting interests lies, an athlete will gain health, social and physical benefits and experiences through participation.
The Australian Deaf Games (ADG) occur every four years. Sport athletes, officials and visitors from all over Australia attends this event. The Australian Deaf Games are organised by the Games Organising Committee, supported by Deaf Sports Australia, the Australian Government and Sport Australia. There are other partners such as Destination NSW and City Councils, supporters and other affiliates involved that makes this event happen.
The Asia Pacific Deaf Games (APDG) is the largest sporting event held for deaf athletes in the Asia Pacific Region. It is held once every four years and sanctioned by the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation. It should be noted that the APDG are not part of the Asian Para Games.
World Deaf Championships is conducted by regulations under the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). Some examples are World Deaf Karate Championship, World Deaf Football Championships, World Deaf Golf Championships and many more. The national deaf sports committees and Deaf Sports Australia work together when invited to international events.
The Deaflympics is a global event, where elite and eligible deaf and hard of hearing athletes from many countries gather to compete in their sports. Deaflympics take place every four years. The Summer Deaflympics and the Winter Deaflympics shall be held, in turn, each second year. Deaflympics were removed from the Paralympics and held independently because deaf athletes are recognized as not having mobility issues or any form of physical disability.
Updates
Mainstream sports pathways
Deaf Sports Australia provide an Active Deaf High-Performance program, and by having good links with national and state sport organisations, they strive to ensure that the needs of the talented deaf and hard of hearing elite sports people are met.
You can contact Deaf Sports Australia for more information regarding this program.