Table of Contents
General Questions
What is USA Deaf Volleyball?
USA Deaf Volleyball (USADVB) is recognized by the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) as the sole national sport organization of volleyball and beach volleyball in the United States. The USADVB is organized to:Promote, foster and conduct local, regional and national amateur volleyball competitions among the deaf communities throughout the United States,Provide for the selection and support of USA men and women volleyball teams in international competition for the deaf,Provide for year-around development and training programs for deaf athletes in high school, college, and club classes of competition, andSolicit funds for financial support of the USA men and women volleyball teams in national and international competition, the year-around development and training programs and any other functions and duties of the organization.
What is USA Deaf Sports Federation?
The USA Deaf Sports Federation is recognized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) as the sole national association of deaf sports in the United States. USADSF is organized to foster and regulate uniform rules of competition and promote fitness among deaf and hard of hearing members of all ages; serve as a parent organization of national sports organizations; conduct athletic competitions; and assist in the participation of US Teams in international competition.
When was USA Deaf Volleyball established and what for?
The American Deaf Volleyball Association (ADVBA) was established in 1987 to serve as a National Sport Organization (NSO) under American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD). In 1997, both ADVBA and AAAD were renamed to USA Deaf Volleyball (USADVB) and USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF), respectively.
Does USA Deaf Volleyball accept donations
Yes. USADVB is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization. USADVB offers donors a tax deduction to the amount allowed by law for their gifts. For more information on how you can contribute, please visit the Donation page of our website.
How is USADVB funded?
USADVB is funded mainly by membership fees, donations and sponsorships. USADVB is not a part of USA Volleyball’s programming because USA Volleyball’s primary mission dovetails with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC)’s focus in three areas: Olympics, Paralympics, and Pan American Games.
Where is USADVB’s national office?
USADVB does not have the resources to establish and maintain a national office.
What is the organizational structure of the USADVB?
USADVB is composed of an elected five-member Board of Directors and members. The House of Delegates convenes on an annual basis during a national tournament to discuss and decide USADVB’s objectives. To learn more about USADVB, please visit the About USADVB page.
What is a National Sport Organization?
A National Sport Organization (NSO) is recognized by USADSF as the governing body of a specific sport in the United States and is granted the authority to select and recommend athletes and coaches to USADSF for international competitions. In order to become a NSO, the organization has to meet a list of requirements set forth in this Affiliation Criteria. A parallel example is the National Governing Body (NGB) in the United States Olympic Committee’s family of sports. Please visit the Sports page for a current list of NSOs.
How do I join USADVB as an athlete, coach or volunteer?
To join USADVB, please visit the Members page. USADVB welcomes everyone, both hearing and deaf.
Athlete’s Eligibility
Is there a hearing-based eligibility criterion?
Yes. To be eligible for participation in sanctioned competitions for the deaf and hard of hearing, an athlete must have a hearing loss of 55 decibels (dB) or greater in the better ear (three frequency pure tone average at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hertz [Hz]). Download Audiogram Regulations
Can I wear my hearing aids or cochlear implant during competition?
Athletes cannot wear hearing aids or cochlear implants during sanctioned competitions.
Since I am deaf or hard of hearing, am I still eligible even though I do not communicate in sign language?
Yes.
What is an Athlete Selection Criteria?
The Athlete Selection Criteria (aka “Athlete Selection Procedures”) is developed to guide the selection of athletes for specific competitions, such as the Deaflympics, World Championships and Pan American Deaf Games. The intent of the criteria is to inform a candidate of expectations and provide an avenue to exercise his/her rights to due process if he or she believes the selection process is biased. A list of selection procedures for volleyball and beach volleyball can be found on this Participation Criteria page.
Why do we have selection criteria for athletes, coaches and other positions?
The intent of the selection criteria is to ensure an open, fair and unbiased process.
Who develops and approves the selection criteria?
Each NSO develops and submits the criteria to the USADSF Executive Board for review and approval. Under unique circumstances where a sport is not represented by a NSO, the USADSF develops the criteria.
Who organizes and coordinates the US Teams to the Summer and Winter Deaflympics, World Championships, and Regional Confederation events?
Games Preparation Committee – a standing committee under USADSF.
National Relations
What is USADVB’s relationship with USA Volleyball?
Each NSO, per its affiliation criteria, is affiliated to its sport’s National Governing Body (NGB) and coordinates together to promote its sport for the deaf and hard of hearing. USADVB is an affiliate of USA Volleyball (www.usavolleyball.org).
What is USADSF’s relationship with US Olympic Committee and US Paralympic Committee?
The USADSF is a member of United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as a Community-Based Multisport Organization and is independent of the US Paralympic Committee.
International Relations
What is International Committee of Sports for the Deaf?
The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is the international governing body of sports for deaf and hard of hearing athletes and exists to serve as an umbrella organization of deaf national sports federations. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a “Sport for Athletes with a Disability”, on equal standing with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The ICSD supervises and co-ordinates the Summer and Winter Deaflympics, and Deaf World and Regional Championships. Learn more about ICSD
What is the relationship between the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf and the International Paralympic Committee?
The ICSD is not affiliated to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). However, in November 2004, both ICSD and IPC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows multi-disabled athletes to compete in their respective sanctioned competitions as long as they meet the relevant eligibility criteria and are entered through the respective national member of ICSD or IPC. Read press release
Why can’t the Paralympic movement include the deaf and hard of hearing athletes?
This is a complex question requiring complex answers.
The first international games for the deaf was founded in 1924 as a stand-alone event, making it the second oldest event organized in the Olympic Movement spirit. The original name of the competition was the “International Silent Games” and later the “World Games for the Deaf”. In 2001, the International Olympic Committee granted ICSD permission to identify its quadrennial games as Summer Deaflympics and Winter Deaflympics. The Paralympic Games, a name that was approved by the IOC in 1984, began under a different name “International Stoke Mandeville Games” in 1952.
During the Deaflympics, deaf athletes compete against and interact with each other in sign language. Sign language interpreters come into the picture when hearing people are involved.
The 1995 ICSD Congress voted unanimously to disaffiliate from the IPC, as the deaf international community felt it was in its best interests to retain autonomous control and management of the Deaflympics. The ICSD’s motto is “Equal through Sports”.
To make a long answer short, this December 1996 article written by the former ICSD President Dr. Jerald Jordan gives an excellent overview of the Deaflympics and its relationship with the Paralympics.
What is USADSF’s relationship with Pan American Deaf Sports Organization?
One of many nations spanning the North, Central and South Americas, USADSF is a member of the Pan American Deaf Sports Organization (PANAMDES). PANAMDES is one of the four regional confederations under the ICSD. The qualification regulations for the Deaflympics where the number of teams is capped may require USADSF to compete in a PANAMDES-sanctioned qualifying event prior to the Deaflympics.
There are so many acronyms. Help!
- AAAD – American Athletic Association of the Deaf
- ADVBA – American Deaf Volleyball Association
- ICSD – International Committee of Sports for the Deaf
- IOC – International Olympic Committee
- IPC – International Paralympic Committee
- NGB – National Governing Body
- NSO – National Sport Organization
- PANAMDES – Pan American Deaf Sports Organization (in Spanish)
- USADSF – USA Deaf Sports Federation
- USADVB – USA Deaf Volleyball
- USOC – United States Olympic Committee
