Aaliyah Harris appeared like any other high school basketball player Thursday night at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia. The sophomore guard performed shooting and passing drills with ease and followed instructions given from her coaches.
However, Harris has been hard of hearing for her entire life, and her love of basketball started an early age.
Harris has been selected to represent to the U.S. in the Under 21 World Deaf Basketball Championships in Poland this summer.
鈥淚t’s just amazing,鈥� Harris said about the sport. 鈥淚 like the competition, and I like to compete.鈥�
Harris, 15, does not use hearing aids on the court, saying they amplify the noise in the gym too much. She can hear most in-game instructions and relies on her team鈥檚 hand signals or reading lips for the next play on the court.
鈥淚t may be a challenge, but I still get through it every day,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚 may not be able to hear as much as other people, but I really don’t act like it. So, you really can’t tell.鈥�
Her father, John Harris Jr., said Aaliyah鈥檚 love of basketball began at an early age when she followed her two brothers around to play. John and Alice, Harris鈥� mother, were unsure how good their daughter was until school officials at D.C.鈥檚 Kendall Demonstration Elementary School told them about how much she loved the sport.
While Harris was excelling at Kendall Elementary, a school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, John said she was also playing well on her Amateur Athletic Union teams. That led the family to home school her before sending her to a school that allowed Harris to explore her athletic dreams.
John, who is also hard of hearing, said they took everything slow before sending her to a school with students who are not deaf, including practicing her vocal skills and keeping her grounded.
鈥淪he’s never used that as a reason not to be able to succeed,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he has a very resilient spirit.鈥�
Harris first went to St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown before settling in Bishop Ireton, which plays in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, one of the area鈥檚 most prestigious private high school leagues.
While she knows sign language, Harris doesn鈥檛 have any additional accommodations or an interpreter while she鈥檚 in class. She may ask someone to repeat themselves or speak louder, but ultimately, she said she tries to read people鈥檚 lips 鈥� a skill she said comes naturally 鈥� to understand them.
On game days, Harris said she鈥檚 鈥渓istening for the little things like even though I maybe can’t hear but I make sure I pay attention to details, like what play they’re running and how they’re set up.鈥�
Head Coach Kesha Walton said Harris has stepped in seamlessly as a starter for her young team with no seniors. Because she doesn鈥檛 have hearing aids, you could never tell she was hard of hearing, Walton said. Instead, opponents must deal with Harris’ “poker face” if they want to know if she is rattled.
This season, Harris is averaging 9.2 points per game for the Cardinals, along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
鈥淪he gets us in our offense,鈥� Walton said. 鈥淪he gets us going defensively. I call her 鈥榯he silent killer鈥� because you would be surprised some of the stuff that she can do on the court.鈥�
In January, Harris was selected to be one of 12 players representing the United States in the U21 World Deaf Basketball Championships. The is considered the 鈥減remier global competition for young deaf basketball players.鈥�
She said being selected was a 鈥済reat opportunity鈥� to get better and travel out of the country.
Until then, her focus is playing with Bishop Ireton, who opens play in the WCAC Basketball Playoffs against Elizabeth Seton on Saturday night. For her father John, playing for the U.S. is only the beginning.
鈥淪he keeps her eyes on the prize,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he said when she was in second grade that she wanted to go to the WNBA. So that’s still her goal.鈥�
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