ThORNTON, Colo. — Being a good teammate can mean showing up for practice on time, celebrating each others goals, or carrying equipment onto the field. But for one youth team in Colorado, they are practicing skills beyond soccer, learning sign language to communicate better with each other.
Earlier this month, Denver7’s Maggy Wolanske shared Cora Roberts story on Pitchside. Roberts has severe hearing loss in each ear and has gone through multiple surgeries but ‘none of them have worked.’
"My eardrums ruptured when I was six years old, and we didn't really think anything of it. Then my kindergarten teacher kept yelling at me because I couldn't hear her. So my parents were like, 'okay, maybe we'll get you to have a hearing test,' so we learned that I had severe hearing loss in both ears," Roberts said.
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As a junior at Niwot High School, her soccer team plays in the spring season. However, Roberts takes no time off playing with the Colorado Rush during the fall with practice multiple days a week along with games on the weekend. Coach Jeff Carroll explained practice can range from ball work to scrimmaging.
When Roberts first made the team, she said she was quiet and did not share much of her story. However, a friendship would soon be in the works with the outgoing Delaney Daniels curious to learn more about Roberts.
"I just met Cora this season and literally friends instantly. She was a little bit like quiet at first, and I feel like I was one of the people that brought her out of her shell, because I'm a little bit talkative, so she's a lot more talkative now and I have a lot of fun with her," Daniels said.
It did not take long for Daniels to ask Roberts to learn sign language, where a new word would be taught before practice. It turned into multiple girls on the team joining in and their vocabulary growing each day.
"It was so cool because I think at my old club I had amazing teammates, but they definitely didn't like know a lot about deaf people, hearing aids or any of that," explained Roberts. "So when I came into this environment, like one of the first things they asked was like, 'Oh, What do we need to do for you to like, help you?'"
Roberts wears hearing aids but explained when it is rainy or windy it can cause problems for her hearing. She was moved that her new club team wanted to learn sign language and even has nicknames for players to help during corner kicks.
"I gave my teammates like nicknames, so like I could sign like their nickname and I could like, say who I'm going to play the ball to on corner kick off," said Roberts.
There is no doubt this team’s dynamics are special and filled with immense heart. For Coach Caroll, he sees the life skills and friendships this team has already developed.
"We talk a lot about environment and and being a part of something bigger than just yourself. Them learning that means that they are taking her in, as a sister, as a friend, as somebody that's part of the part of the environment and as a team, they're doing that," Caroll said.
While goals win games, this team shows us that heart wins everything else.
August 2026
September 2026
October 2026
November 2026
** game played at DICK's Sporting Goods Park
other home matches scheduled to be played at Centennial Stadium