THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409220176
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
When basketball player Joseph Neely hits a 3-pointer, makes a great pass or a steal, the crowd doesn't roar for him. The sound of the ball bouncing and rubber-soled shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor, cheers and boos, trash-talking by opponents - none of it affects his intense style of play.
Joseph Neely lives in a world of silence. He was born deaf 13 years ago.
The Independence Middle School eighth-grader played for Cal Woolard in the Teen Summer Basketball League. The Greenbrier Christian Academy coach rhapsodized about the young guard.
``He shoots well, has a great touch,'' said Woolard. ``He's very good, very talented. Someone has worked with him. He knows what he's doing.''
Cal's Crowd finished second to Bright's Bad Boys in the championship game of the city's summer league program. Behind 51-44 with 25 seconds to play, Cal's Crowd in-bounded the ball to Neely. He dribbled to half-court and fired. The shot swished. A teammate's 3-pointer seconds later still left Cal's Crowd one point short. Bright's Bad Boys won, 51-50.
Neely's mother, Joan, said that her son's persistence and practice have paid off.
``Joseph attended Paul Webb's basketball camps the past two summers,'' said Neely. ``At the camp this summer, Joseph won the free-throw contest. Ten for 10.''
Joan Neely said that Joseph's father has worked with him some, but she gave most of the credit to Junior, instead of Senior.
``He's a natural athlete. He goes to the park and plays with the kids there,'' she said, ``including several who are older.''
His talent extends beyond the fields of play. Joseph earned all A's except for one ``C'' in the seventh grade. He began learning sign language at 20 months. Both parents are educators. They too sign.
``We keep up with signing. There is always something new to learn,'' Neely said.
Joseph Sr. assisted Cal Woolard with the team in the summer league, signaling defensive changes and other coaching instructions to his son. Joseph reads lips well, too.
Joseph started playing soccer at 5, moved onto basketball at 8 and added baseball to his resume at 11. He is trying out for the city-championship Independence baseball team.
``He was really a surprise for us,'' Woolard said. ``He did real well for a kid who was one of the younger players (the league was composed of players 12 to 15) and who isn't very big.'' Joseph is 5-foot-4 and weighs 103, according to his mother.
Bobbie Bullock-Smith teaches in the Virginia Beach School System. She specializes in education of deaf students.
Bullock-Smith met Joseph when he was 3 years old.
``I feel like I've known Joseph forever. I've acted as his interpreter, teacher, friend, baby-sitter, you name it,'' she said. ``I had him from kindergarten through the sixth grade. He's an exceptional kid, so motivated, so bright.
``At first, he thought I couldn't hear either. Then, when he found out I could, he said, `I want to be able to hear, too.' I explained to Joseph that although he couldn't hear, he could do anything else he wanted to.
``He certainly seems to believe that now.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Joseph Neely, an eighth-grader at Independence Middle School, excels
on the court and in school, despite being deaf.
by CNB