High school basketball coach gives passionate speech to team in sign language
Communication is an essential part of coaching basketball.
And Sekoe White, who is the director of residential education for the Mississippi School for the Deaf, knows that as well as anyone.
In a short video clip that has since gone viral, White is seen using sign language to give a passionate pep talk to his team. A fan shared the video after the Mississippi School for the Deaf played Jackson Preparatory School earlier this month.
"Being deaf or visually impaired is no excuse not to succeed," White told Good Morning America in a recent interview. "We can do anything in this life but it requires extra hard work! Basketball is one area where success can happen. Teaching this mindset is the reason I choose to coach these boys."
The Mississippi School for the Deaf told "GMA" in a statement that White had a conversation with his players where they were asking about strategies for offense and he proceeded to explain.
Deaf model and actor Nyle DeMarco, a winner of America's Next Top Model, went on Twitter when the video went viral to help translate what White was signing to the team.
Later in the video, White asks the players, "whose house?" The players respond, "ours!" And then Coach White confirms, "Ours! Let’s Go!"
Wendy Rogers, the superintendent of Mississippi Schools for the Blind and the Deaf, said the school extremely proud of our coaches and all the dedication they give to the student-athletes.
"Coach Sekoe White is truly an example of a coach whose passion is to encourage and motivate his players, and he is a role model for each of them," Rogers said in a statement to GMA.
Contributing: Tom Schad, Paste BN Sports
The Clarion-Ledger is part of the Paste BN Network.