Many athletes experience the roar of the crowd as they take the court for sports events, listening to their fans cheer them on.
But for Penn State graduate Joey McInerney the experience is different. For as long as he can remember, McInerney has worn hearing aids due to his moderate to severe hearing loss. When he takes the floor for the U.S. Deaf Volleyball Team, he must remove them.
“I took some of the communication for granted,” McInerney said. “A lot of my teammates speak with (American Sign Language).”
From a young age, McInerney knew he wanted to play volleyball after watching his dad play for fun.