Deaf Athlete Dylan Allen Plays Football for Richard Ali Middle School Rams

Before the sun comes up in Crowley, Texas, the Richard Ali Middle School Rams are already on the field. For coach Cedric Claiborne, now in his fifth year coaching, this season brought something new—his first-ever deaf athlete.

Dylan Allen, nicknamed "Truck" by his teammates, plays defense for the Rams and does it without the ability to hear or speak. What he relies on instead, he says, are his eyes. "Because I don't hear, I use my eyes a whole lot more," Dylan explained through interpreter Kathy Laurens. "That's what I depend on, is my eyes."

Laurens drives an hour each way to be on that field before daylight, learning football terminology on the fly—interceptions, blitz packages, zone coverage—so Dylan never misses a word from his coaches or teammates. Her connection to the deaf community runs deep: her mother was hard of hearing, and she fell in love with a deaf man. For her, this is personal.

Coach Claiborne doesn't adjust his message when he addresses Dylan. "I say exactly what I say to everyone else, to him, and she translates the message," he said. The approach has worked. Teammates accepted Dylan without hesitation. "They played with him and they were just like, he's ready to play, he can play," Claiborne recalled.

Off the field, Dylan is navigating a demanding academic load—math, social studies, Texas history—with Laurens alongside him in the classroom as well. The partnership extends well beyond the football field.

Dylan's goal is straightforward: he wants to play in the NFL someday, with a focus on defense. As Claiborne put it, Dylan has "deaf eyes"—a heightened visual awareness that makes him a standout on the field. Truck is just getting started.