For many people, sailing sounds like a leisurely pastime, but Rowan O’Dougherty knows it is much more than adjusting a sail and steering.
While sailing, O’Dougherty constantly evaluates many variables - the direction of the wind, the conditions of the water, the sail positions relative to the wind, the position of his competitors and so much more.
The ability to analyze these conditions and adapt quickly earned O’Dougherty fifth place in the third World Deaf Sailing Championships in Nida, Lithuania this summer.
O’Dougherty is Deaf, and teaches American Sign Language and Deaf Culture courses at Grand Rapids Community College.
O’Dougherty has been exposed to sailing since birth, and began racing around the age of eight. For a long time, he felt he was the only Deaf athlete who raced sailboats. Now he has discovered an international Deaf sailing community through the World Deaf Sailing Championships.
One of six United States athletes competing, O’Dougherty was the only U.S. teammate with consistent racing experience. He raced three different classes of boats against athletes from twelve other countries. The competition spanned ten days and O’Dougherty placed fifth.
O’Dougherty also connected with those he competed against, using sign language to communicate easily across borders.
“There is no universal sign language, but that didn’t stop us from communicating with each other and having a blast! I have made good friends with the French, British and German teams,” O’Dougherty said. “We each had our own sign languages, but the communication went smoothly since we used International Sign Language.”
This is exactly what O’Dougherty teaches his students. That studying sign language and Deaf culture can open doors to understanding the world better. He mentions that finding Deaf people with the appropriate credentials to teach at the college level is challenging.
However, a shift is occurring as more people become educated about ASL and Deaf culture. O’Dougherty mentions he gets a thrill watching his students become interpreters, teachers and professionals in the industry.
Deaf culture has a lot to teach the hearing world. Beyond a communication method, sign language can truly enrich your life and help you become a global citizen. O’Dougherty mentions what he enjoys most is sharing his language and culture with his students and seeing it open their minds to new possibilities.
Learn more about American Sign Language at GRCC.
This story was reported by Kailee Potgeter.