Game changer

By Brett Blake

A Deaf woman in Windsor is not letting language barriers stop her from being a team player.

Diane Vassallo was a child when she found an interest in roller skating when she went to Wheels Roller Rink. She also watched roller derby matches on TV and became interested in the sport. She is Windsor’s first and only Deaf roller derby player.

“I used to go to Wheels Roller Rink until I was a teenager. I would go to the roller discos and watch roller derby matches on TV,” Vassallo said.

Roller derby is a contact sport with club teams world wide. It is a female dominated sport with growing male and unisex teams according to the Detroit Roller Derby League pamphlet and was under consideration to be in the 2020 Summer Olympics according to NBC Sports.

“As I got older, I did not do it as much but then I saw something on the news and found out we had a league here and I just happened to go to a pub one night that there was a fundraiser being held,” Vassallo said. “When I realized it was for the Border City Brawlers roller derby team, I was excited and wanted to join right away and now I have been involved since 2011,” Like all team sports, communication and strategizing is an important key to winning a roller derby match.

“When I joined, I was lagging far behind. I did not know all the rules of the game, and most of the players had no way to communicate with me. Fortunately, I had one teammate that knew a bit of American Sign Language and was very patient with me.” Vasallo said

The Deaf community is no stranger to oppression.

“I did not really get coach support,” Vassallo said. “There was just a lot of lack of communication and I felt ignored, but my teammates really helped me progress.”

Carey Finn-Purcella, Vassallo’s current teammate for the Devil’s Night Dames in the Detroit Roller Derby league saw past the language barrier.

“When she started playing for Detroit, I thought she would be a great addition to our league but I did not have any specific thoughts regarding her being Deaf. I still think she is a great addition to our league,” Finn-Purcella said. “Deafness does not hinder her. I believe that she just has to adjust certain aspects of how she plays.”

Roller derby includes a lot of noise including crowds cheering, referees blowing whistles and teammates shouting plays, and being able to hear can often be taken for granted.

“I think she is a wonderful person and has been incredibly helpful in teaching us how to communicate with her. She has posted videos so that we can learn American Sign Language and always takes the time to help us understand the language,” said Finn-Purcella

You can see Vassallo play on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. at the Masonic Temple located in Detroit.