Rugby thrills for hearing impaired
Winnie Cheung Wing-yin's passion for rugby is clear when she gets the ball under her arm and sprints towards the end of the field for a try. Not even the referee's frantic blowing on his whistle is enough to stop her.
It is only when Winnie sees hand signals from the sidelines does she realise that play has stopped and it is only then that spectators know she is hearing impaired.
It is that passion that has earned her a place with the Lion rugby team after developing an interest in the sport at Chun Tok School (Secondary Section), a special-needs facility for the hearing impaired.
Winnie was in Form One when the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union offered the school a rugby training programme. She signed up and has been playing for three years.
Virginia Cheung Wai-fong, principal of the school, said: 'Our native English teacher helped set up a five-week rugby training programme with the union. It is not only a sporting event for the school, we teach students English related to the game and allow them to organise a rugby tournament on their own.'
This year, the school hosted the Chun Tok Rugby Sevens at King's Park on March 16 and invited Lutheran School for the Deaf to a friendly tournament.
Craig Wilson, a rugby development officer from the union who also coaches at both schools, said: 'All my teaching has to be visual them to understand. The programme is now in its third year and they have improved a lot.'
Rugby is a game for all and there have been some hearing-impaired players in local rugby leagues.
Robbie McRobbie, head of community and development from the union, said: 'I hope to have more hearing impaired players in local leagues and one day represent Hong Kong.'
