On a typical basketball court, athletes call out plays, referees blow whistles, and coaches shout encouragement. However, in Deaf basketball, the game communicates in a different language, focusing on movement, eye contact, and hand signals. Deaf coach and former player David Hamilton is no stranger to playing in silence on the court.
Hamilton is a five-time Deaflympic gold medalist who has experience being an athlete on the court and an assistant coach on the sidelines, an achievement few others have accomplished. With his new role as head coach of the USA Deaflympic men’s basketball team, it is clear that he will lead the team in going for the sixth gold medal in the 2025 Tokyo games.
“I am very fortunate and honored to have the five gold medals. Nobody else has the five gold medals, even at the Olympics. I’m the only one,” Hamilton said.
The Deaflympics, organized by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, is held every four years showcasing the athleticism and dedication Deaf athletes from around the globe. Hamilton made his last gold medal appearance as an athlete in the 2001 games in Rome. In addition, he carried the U.S. flag during the 1997 Deaflympics in Copenhagen.
Before becoming a coach, Hamilton played an important role in his first Deaflympic appearance, both as an athlete and the youngest player on the team in the 1982 Kolan games.
“I was the only player on the team that was 17 years old and still in high school among the other athletes that were in college or adults. I was shocked,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton is a member of The United States of America Deaf Basketball (USADB), an organization that provides a place for deaf and hard of hearing individuals nationally who are passionate about playing sports.
In honor of Hamilton’s passion for the sport, he was inducted into the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) Hall of Fame in 2023. The DIBF is an international governing body advocating for the expansion and development of Deaf basketball worldwide, expressing the importance of education and well-being of Deaf athletes.
Internationally, Deaf athletes communicate using a variety of national sign languages, including Japanese Sign Language (JSL) and British Sign Language (BSL), uniting teams through culture and sport.
For Hamilton, one of the biggest challenges as a Deaf athlete is communicating on the court. However, when playing on a deaf team, that issue is resolved because both the coaches and athletes use sign language.
“When I’m playing with a hearing team, yeah, that’s challenging. Definitely communication is a challenge because the coach has to let me know how they want to communicate with me,” Hamilton said.
In college, Hamilton played as an athlete on a hearing team at Southern Illinois University on a scholarship program.
“Once I went there, the coach told me that they would learn how to use sign language … I thought, ‘Ok you know other colleges didn’t’ so that’s why I chose … As I went along, he never did learn but maybe learned a few words so communication was a problem,” Hamilton said.
After playing at Southern Illinois University, Hamilton transferred to Gallaudet University. There, he made a significant impact on the team, earning the Most Valuable Player award in both seasons he played.
Throughout his years of playing, Hamilton’s dedication to the sport has never vanished. Despite the challenges he faced on the court, he strives to be a leader for the younger players who face the same difficulties.
“I would tell them to just be perseverant and just keep going towards your goal. Know that you have the right to have an interpreter, but just make sure that they know everything. Make sure that in the meeting with the coaches, that you sit down to educate and explain things to them because you can’t depend on your interpreter,” Hamilton said.
One of Hamilton’s players, Raymond Nelson, took that advice to heart.
Nelson played for Hamilton at both the California School for the Deaf in Riverside and the USA Deaflympic men’s basketball team.
“My experience as a Deaf men’s basketball Olympian has been an incredible honor — to represent the USA, to embrace the blessing of traveling and competing alongside my teammates, and to take pride in the dedication and hard work that earned me this opportunity. Serving on the USA Men’s Basketball Olympic team under Coach Hamilton has been a privilege,” Nelson said.
Nelson highlighted the importance of ASL for hearing people, explaining how useful it could be in their lives.
“It allows people to express themselves and connect with others in meaningful ways. My dream is for all American citizens to learn ASL so that Deaf people receive greater recognition in terms of accessibility, business opportunities, and education,” he said.
David Hamilton understands what it’s like to want to see more representation and accessibility for the Deaf community.
“I’m from a Deaf family. My grandmother was Deaf. My dad is Deaf. My mother is hearing. So I’m in both worlds, the hearing and the Deaf world. But I’ve always wanted or wished that everyone knew sign language,” Hamilton said.
His passion for ASL exists beyond the court. When he’s not coaching a team or advocating with different groups, Hamilton teaches ASL at Palomar College. Here, he helps students overcome some challenges in learning ASL, like understanding tone through facial expressions and body language.
ASL holds significant importance not only as a means of communication but also as a cornerstone of identity, culture, and access for the Deaf community. Around 1.4% of college students are Deaf according to the National Deaf Center.
At Palomar, the ASL program is beneficial for students interested in learning more about the Deaf community. Hearing and deaf professors lead the classes, helping to break barriers and bring the Deaf community closer together.
Hamilton encourages people considering a career in Deaf education to immerse themselves in Deaf culture to understand the importance and nuance of sign language.
The ASL program at Palomar offers two degrees that students can choose from including an Associate of Arts degree in Deaf Studies and Associate of Science degree in ASL/English Translation and Interpretation.
One of Hamilton’s colleagues, John O’Loughlin, another ASL professor at Palomar, praised Hamilton as a valuable addition to the program.
O’Loughlin added that Hamilton’s impact at Palomar has been exceptional, noting that his passion for sign language and his outgoing personality help create a welcoming and comfortable classroom environment.
“He is an exceptional human being who offers a multitude of life experiences and skills inside and outside of the classroom. He has made an optimal impact on his students and his colleagues. We are privileged to enjoy every millisecond of his presence at Palomar College,” O’Loughlin said.
When looking into the future, David Hamilton has expressed interest in coaching the Palomar College basketball program, bringing his wisdom and passion for the game to the team.
“I would love the opportunity to help coach the men’s basketball team. I was the assistant coach at Riverside Community College one season when they had a couple of Deaf players. I think it is a great exposure for the athletic program to have the Deaf coach a hearing team,” Hamilton said.
