Joshua McGriff, a Franklin High School senior who has never traveled abroad, is planning a big trip this summer. He’ll be heading to Sofia, Bulgaria, to compete in the 22nd Summer Deaflympics.
McGriff is the youngest of 12 basketball players selected to represent the United States at the 10-day event from July 26 to Aug. 4. He’ll join a contingent of 120 elite deaf and hearing-impaired U.S. athletes who will be among 4,000 athletes from around the world competing in different sports.
Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, McGriff has played center for the Warriors since his freshman year.
“I want my team to bring home the gold,” said McGriff, a resident of Franklin. “It means a lot to be the only high school player on the team. I was expecting other younger adults, but it kind of taught me I have to upgrade my level to play against guys who are like 25 and older. It’s a big honor. I’m really excited about the upcoming journey.”
McGriff has launched a fundraising drive to cover his airfare and training expenses, setting a goal of $5,000 to be collected by July 1. He has created the website www.joshuamcgriff.com to receive donations.
Like the Olympics, the Deaflympics are held every four years in different cities around the world. Organized since 1924 by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, the first Summer Deaflympics were held in Paris. The Winter Deaflympics were added in 1949. Both the Summer and Winter Deaflympics are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.
“It’s a testament to his work ethic that he’s in the position he’s in today,” said Franklin head coach Daryn Plummer of McGriff, who was selected to the Skyland Conference second team this season. “He’s a tremendous young man and a great leader. He’s definitely serving as an example for the players who are still at Franklin.”
McGriff has lived with his disability for as long as he can remember. His mother, Debbie McGriff, said he lost his hearing as an infant because of severe jaundice; hospital tests when he was 2 years old confirmed his condition.
At 14, McGriff had a cochlear implant, which opened up a whole new world for him.
“I was able to speak a lot clearer,” McGriff said. “I wasn’t mumbling as much as I used to. And I was able to hear normally. I was able to listen to music on the radio, hear the lyrics and tell the meaning behind the lyrics.”
McGriff said his two brothers, Jarred, 21, and Justin, 16, have always accepted and helped him, and want to see him go for gold in Bulgaria.
“My brothers have been very supportive,” McGriff added. “They’ve always made me feel normal and comfortable.”
In the fall, McGriff is bound for Gallaudet University, a college for deaf and hearing-impaired students, and will play on its basketball team.
Gallaudet’s head basketball coach, Brendan Stern, who also happens to be the assistant coach for the Deaflympics basketball team, submitted McGriff’s video to the event’s committee in March. By April, McGriff was notified that he was a finalist in a letter that also explained the conditioning and fundraising responsibilities that came with the honor.
“After meeting Josh and his family for the first time at Gallaudet in early February, I came away impressed with Josh’s emotional maturity,” Stern said. “I thought he’d be the perfect addition to the USA team because we’re looking for more size on the roster.”
Meanwhile, McGriff is excited about meeting his new teammates at a training camp in Maryland just before they fly to Bulgaria.
“It means a lot to be selected,” McGriff said. “I worked so hard throughout my whole high school career, and it was actually a surprise — I wasn’t expecting to go to Bulgaria. I’m looking forward to learning about the culture of Bulgaria.”