For most students at Saint Louis University, attending classes is a rather standard affair. Students go to class, listen to their professor, and sometimes take notes. They ask and answer questions and engage in discussions.

However, sophomore Allison Galoob’s college life is a bit different than most students’.

Galoob is deaf. Through means of a cochlea implant and a hearing aid, Galoob is able to hear; yet, her difficulty in hearing has greatly affected her life.

“It’s different when you’re born deaf, but I look at it as more of a blessing,” Galoob said. “If I don’t want to hear something, I don’t have to because I can turn off my hearing aid. Most of all, it’s forced me to look at the positives of life.”

Galoob was born deaf to two deaf parents. Within six weeks of being born, Galoob was being fitted for hearing aids, and at eight weeks she was participating in speech therapy. Galoob has two younger siblings, a sister and a brother, who are also deaf. Even though Galoob’s whole family is deaf, she says her family life has been one she wouldn’t trade for any other.

“It’s a lot of fun in my family; it’s really nice. We can all understand what we’re going through. We’re all able to get through our deafness together,” Galoob said.

Fast forward to high school. Galoob had coped well with her deafness and, for the most part, was just a normal student. She excelled in academics and did well in school; however, Galoob’s passion was sports.

“I connected with people through sports. It was easy to make friends,” Galoob said.

Galoob played basketball and soccer in high school and had opportunities to play soccer in college. After careful consideration, Galoob decided that she would concentrate on academics in college and play soccer purely because she enjoyed it.

“My whole life I’d experienced the competitive aspect of soccer. I wanted to experience intramural soccer and play just for fun,” Galoob said.

Galoob’s competitive playing days were not over though. After only a few months in college, Galoob received a phone call from the captain of the United States Deaf Olympic soccer team.

The captain informed Galoob that the team had received her name as a potential player several times and invited Galoob to come to a training camp.

Therefore, in December of her freshman year, Galoob traveled to Santa Barbara, Calif. and trained with the team.

“It was difficult because it was the same time as finals, but it was a great experience,” Galoob said.

The camp was a different experience for Galoob too.

“I’d never played with deaf people. We’re not allowed to wear hearing aids or cochlea implants, and that was new too,” Galoob said.

The competition at the camp was also tough.

“We have a lot of really good players. Many of the girls play for colleges across the country. It’s not as strong as the regular United States national teams since there aren’t that many deaf people, but the competition is still fierce.”

The team’s coaches liked what they saw in Galoob, and she was invited back to two other training camps. Her third camp, which she attended in January, was the last camp before the final team for the 21st Summer Deaflympics would be announced.

However, Galoob continued to impress and was named to the squad that will compete in the Deaflympics later this year.

“It’s such an honor. People sacrifice everything to be on this team. There are no words to describe the feeling, but it’s amazing to be selected,” Galoob said. “I’ve joined a team that I can say I’ve played against the best competition in the world. I’m thankful for God, first and foremost, and also for my family and friends.”

Despite the prestigious honor of being selected, Galoob is not the first in her family to compete in the Deaflympics. Galoob’s father competed in the 1979 Winter Deaflympics in France in the Downhill, Slalom, and Giant Slalom events. Galoob also hopes she is not the last in her family to compete in the Deaflympics-she hopes her sister will be able to play for the United States deaf soccer team in the next Deaflympics.

Galoob will attend final training camps this summer in preparation for the Deaflympics, which will be held September 5-15 in Taiwan. This is only the second time women’s soccer will be featured at the Deaflympics as it debuted in the 2005 games. However, the United States women’s team will enter the competition as the defending champions.

“The competition is going to be very tough. It’s going to be very intense-competition has elevated to a whole new level since 2005,” Galoob said. “I’m looking forward to competing. It won’t be easy, but if it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth competing for.”

Nevertheless, the United States has a good chance at defending their title, and Galoob knows how special it would be to win gold in Taiwan.

“Not to sound too cheesy, but it would mean the world to me. It would mean I’ve accomplished something not just for me and my family but for my country as well,” Galoob said. “It’s awesome to be able to wear the red, white and blue, and it’s great to know you’re one of the best in the world.”