Faster than the speed of sound

Kris Norton's adaptive coaching style has the Raiders competing for a region title, but that isn't why Alan Verdugo and Martin Kosmata joined the team.

The pair of runners instead were drawn to another adaptation Norton and his coaches made - learning sign language. Verdugo and Kosmata are two of many deaf and hard of hearing athletes that compete for Cibola. This is the fifth straight year that Norton has coached a deaf athlete on the Raiders' cross country team.

"It’s great for me and the coaching staff because we, again, are forced to be aware of their needs," Norton said. "I think it actually helps us become aware of other needs as well, which may be overlooked."

Cibola is part of a statewide program of co-op schools which brings all the deaf and hard of hearing students from the Yuma-area to the high school. There they join the general student population in classes and in extracurricular activities.

"(The co-op) gives them the opportunity to have (American Sign Language) interpreters for all of their activities, classes and after school activities they might do," Cibola ASL teacher Brittany Schultz said. "Being at Cibola allows them access to those sports."

The Raiders have deaf and hard of hearing athletes currently competing in cross country, volleyball and baseball. In the past they have competed in football, track and have acted in the school's plays.

At first only a few deaf and hard of hearing students competed, but Schultz and Verdugo said that they've seen an increasing number of students joining.

"Before I was the only deaf athlete on the team and I liked it just fine, I meshed with the hearing athletes as well," Verdugo said through an interpreter. "I joined because I really liked running. I even love the practicing and the whole process of it and how you can improve."

This isn't the first sport Verdugo, a sophomore, has competed in for Cibola. As a freshman, he ran for the track team as a distance runner and began cross country this season with Norton and the assistant coaches' tutelage.

"I think next year in the two years, I’m going to do cross country again," Verdugo said. "The coaches help us to enjoy the whole process and make it fun."

Kosmata echoed Verdugo's sentiments.

"The coaches have really been an advisor for me," Kosmata said through an interpreter. "You don’t have to be the fastest, just progress at your own pace. If it’s 2 or 3 miles they just encourage me and tell me to do my best. No matter how you’re doing, good or bad, you just pace yourself."

Though the program has been successful for the students and teachers, Norton admitted that coaching Verdugo and Kosmata has presented some challenges. He said that the team has focused on bringing attention to the needs of others, but has also learned that great athletes can come from anywhere. It's also been a new learning opportunity for the athletes in other ways.

"We’ve taught the kids a little sign, that’s been exciting to see," Norton said. "They’ve been quickly accepted into the team which is why they like it, I think."

Winning hasn't hurt either in that instance. The Raiders finished in fifth place out of 19 teams competing at the Southern California Invitational in Oceanside, Calif. on Oct. 17 and are poised to finish at the top of the Gila Valley Region. Verdugo admitted that Cibola's competitiveness has increased his desire to run.

"I know we’re closer to the state competition, it makes us want to run harder and make more places for Cibola," Verdugo said. "There may be only one winner, but we’re all Raiders."