LOUISVILLE, Ky.- The Racing Louisville and Louisville City training grounds at Champion Park are in the spotlight this week as the U.S. Deaf Men’s National Soccer Team hosts a training camp Wednesday through Sunday on the grounds. 

What You Need To Know

  • The US Deaf Men’s National Soccer Team narrows down roster at training camp

  • The 24th Deaflympics will be May 2022 in Brazil

  • The national team made history in Temuco, Chile in 2019 by winning their first ever international tournament.

  • The U.S. Deaf Men's National Team begins training at Lou City/Racing Lou complex

 

The eleven players depend on just one communication tool to have success on the pitch. For the U.S. Deaf Men’s National Team, sign language is a vital part of their game. 

“We feel a bond, like a brotherhood and we love each other. Our cultural history, personal experience, we help each other,” Jullian Mitchell, member of the U.S. Deaf Men’s National Team said.

This is the first training camp the national team has hosted since 2019. USDMNT will be narrowing their roster selection ahead of the 24th Deaflympics next May in Brazil.

“We really only get together once or twice a year due to the size of our country, guys are from everywhere. So it's really important that we build chemistry during the time we have,” Will Frentz, member of the U.S. Deaf Men’s National Team said.

The training camp at the Lou City and Racing Lou training grounds will feature players from around the country competing for a spot on the team. 

“For our players to be able to be in a pro environment, a professional environment is something that they dream of and getting the opportunity to see that is amazing for them and as a coach I love the opportunity to integrate and get our players to experience that,” said head coach Dave Kunitz.

The national team made history in Temuco, Chile in 2019 by winning their first ever international tournament. The team became Pan American Champions and earned an automatic qualification for the 2023 Deaf World Cup in South Korea. The team is hopeful for even more success come 2022.

“I'm excited to go to the deaflympics next year in Brazil and want to show the world that we are a dangerous team and we want to win the gold and represent the United States and bring home the gold,” Mitchell said.

The U.S. Deaf Men’s National Team will attend Lou City’s home game Saturday as they host Atlanta United 2.