How can a team play effectively when it’s leading scorer can’t speak with any of their teammates?

The Marshall University women’s basketball team faces just that problem, another of many times, when they play NIU on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Marshall senior Ida Dotson, leads the team in scoring for the second straight year at 12.8 points-per-game. Dotson, however, was born profoundly deaf. She uses a hearing aide, but it can only detect loud sounds such as a whistle, buzz, or loud yelling.

Picking up basketball was easy for Dotson. Finding a way for her to stop has been the difficult part.

“I learned to play basketball just like everyone else,” Dotson said. “The reason I kept playing basketball is because many people think I can’t do things because of being deaf. I just want to fight and keep playing to see where I can succeed.”

In order to participate in team meetings and practices, she has to have an interpreter on hand. Otherwise Dotson reads lips and writes things down on paper.

Dotson has played at every level possible, including Olympic when she represented the United State in the Deaf Olympics, and helped take home the gold medal in Rome, Italy.

Dotson began playing basketball when she was six years old in a school for the deaf in Arizona. She played all the way through high school and continued playing at Central Arizona Community College.

At CACC she was named twice to the Kodak Junior College All-American team. She was then recruited to Marshall by head coach Royce Chadwick.

“Coach Chadwick is a very good coach,” Dotson said. “He has always done the sign for plays and he didn’t change because of me. I am sure if I went to another school, they might have to change something for me and it may take a while to get the team together.”

Fitting in with teammates would seem difficult for anyone in Dotson’s condition. But she became a part of the team and adjusted very quickly.

“With her personality, she can fit in anywhere,” Chadwick said. “Her sense of humor is her best characteristic.”

Dotson admits there have been problems with communication on the court. But with the team manually communicating the signs of what play or defense they are running, the team works together well.

Her influence with her teammates has made her more valuable to the team than just simply a deaf basketball player.

“Ida has had a positive effect on everyone,” Chadwick said. “Our players have gotten a life education having Ida out there. We’ve all grown having her on our team.”