Ashley Griffith’s passion is track and field. In addition to competing in the sport in high school at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, Calif., she captured the bronze medal in the high jump at the 2005 Deaf Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

But last year as a California State University, Northridge freshman, she was having a tough time trying to improve her jump. Deaf since birth, Griffith needed help communicating with her coaches and fellow athletes.

“I have always loved track and field,” says Griffith, “but it was hard at the start of the year. I was able to text the coaches and I was able to read lips, but there was no one available to help interpret during practice.”

Enter Kristy Burkey, a distance runner on the Matador track and field team. Burkey, who grew up in Temecula, Calif., where she competed
in cross country and track at Linfield Christian High School, is a deaf studies major at Cal State Northridge who aspires to become an interpreter for deaf people. Although only a sophomore at the time, Burkey had become rather fluent in sign language.

Last year, the CSUN coaching staff and team members suggested Burkey meet Griffith to see if she could help Griffith during team meetings, at daily practices and during the track and field season that lasts several months starting in January.

“With Kristy’s knowledge of sign language, she has really helped in the day-to-day operations of the track and field program,” said Don Strametz, CSUN’s recently retired director of track and field, “At team meetings and at meets, Kristy has been able to help interpret for Ashley. It’s been a great situation for both of them and they have learned from each other. They are great friends.”

Strametz first noticed the athletic talents of Griffith during a California high school state meet several years ago. Griffith decided on attending Cal State Northridge because of the deaf studies program.

“Ashley is a person who is driven to achieve high goals,” said Strametz. “It’s been a challenge because she hasn’t always had an interpreter to help her, especially with the type of technical language that coaches use in the sport [the high jump]. But it’s a testimony to her because she continues to make good progress in order to fulfill her dreams. She’s been a great addition to the team.”

Griffith’s story is strikingly similar to that of CSUN basketball player Michael Lizarraga, who like Griffith, was born deaf, grew up in the Sacramento area, and attended the California School for the Deaf. Both continued their education and athletic careers at Cal State Northridge. Lizarraga fulfilled his dream to play college basketball (2007–11) at CSUN. Griffith, a sophomore, is now realizing her dream competing as a high jumper for the six-time defending Big West Conference championship women’s track and field team. Griffith and Lizarraga each have sisters who are deaf.

“Michael is an inspiration,” said Griffith, who has attended several Matador basketball games. “When people told him he couldn’t do it, he proved them wrong. He never gave up. Michael’s participation in basketball proved to everybody that you can do it. He is an inspiration to help me continue my dream as a track and field athlete.”

Griffith’s passion for track and field started in the sixth grade, and her dedication to the sport has not been diminished by her inability to hear. In high school, she competed in the hurdles, the long jump and the sprints (200 and 400 meters). As part of the Cal State Northridge team, she has competed in the sprint running events and the sprint relays in addition to the high jump and the long jump. Although deaf, she is able to hear a faint “pop” sound from the starter’s gun at the beginning of the race.

“People have never really said, ‘no, you can’t compete,’ but they often ask me, ‘how can you compete if you can’t hear?’” said Griffith. “I tell them I can compete. I am not going to give up.”

Griffith, a kinesiology major, has two more years of collegiate eligibility after this season and she intends to improve each year. “The high jump is really challenging,” admits Griffith, who also keeps busy as a member of the deaf sorority Alpha Sigma Theta and as a member of the Deaf CSUNians. “The techniques are really hard. But you just need to keep working hard to get higher and higher over the bar.”

“Give credit to Ashley,” said Burkey, who in addition to her skills as a distance runner and a student is also a mentor and tutor for both Griffith and Lizarraga. “Ashley has really helped me develop my sign language skills. In team meetings, if I need help, Ashley will offer her advice. Plus, Ashley is another friend I have on the track and field team. Whenever Ashley and I get together, I introduce her to other people in hopes they can develop their sign language skills.”

—Bob Vazquez

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