Junior Bret Fullington shares his story of being a varsity football player who was born deaf.

Q: Tell me about your journey with football, from when you started playing until now.

A: I had always wanted to play football. Even though the second grade was the first year I could play, I did not have the correct sound processors until I was in third grade, so that’s when I started playing. I played at Mt. Si for two years before I moved to the Liberty area, and then I took a year off. I began again in sixth grade in the Liberty youth football organization and have been playing every year since. 

Q: For readers who aren’t familiar with the cochlear implant, can you explain what it is and how it works?

A: A cochlear implant is comprised of two parts: the external and internal. The external part collects and processes sounds, then transmits them through magnets to the internal part. The internal part is implanted in the skull via surgery; it has hardware and antennas that stimulate the cochlear nerve, providing the sensation of sound for someone who’s severely hard of hearing. It’s different from hearing aids, which are removable and amplifies sound for those with residual hearing.

Q: Could you talk a little bit about your hearing impairment, the severity of it, and the challenges that it presents for you as a student-athlete? How did you handle these challenges?

A: I was born profoundly deaf, which is a nice way to say I was never going to hear anything.  When I turned one, I was able to have my first cochlear implant surgery, but it was not until I was three that I was able to have my second one because of insurance.  I was very far behind developmentally as a baby, but by the time I was four, I had completely caught up. I have always had a personal frequency modulation (FM) system in class, which allows me to hear the teacher more clearly. I use a special type of sound processor for sports because it is both waterproof and crash-resistant, making it much better for football.

Q: What do you love about football?

A: The main thing that drew me to football was my love for the game. I grew up watching football nonstop with my family, and when I was finally able to play, I did. My dad grew up playing the sport, so I wanted to follow him. My favorite memory in football was when we were preparing to play at the state semifinals on the morning of Thanksgiving Day in 2018. It was cold, and we all wanted to be at home eating a warm meal with our families, but we toughed it out and had a great practice, topped with some conditioning. Although football season this year will be different, I’m incredibly thankful that we’re going to have one, especially because my goal is to continue playing beyond high school.