CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The sounds of the game aren’t as audible for Cleveland senior guard Britny Latham as they are for others, but the vigor with which she plays more than compensates.
Latham, who is partially deaf, has been a two-year starter on the wing for the 17-7 Lady Raiders. She uses a hearing aid, which has caused coach Rachel Moore to adjust her coaching style.
“When Britny was a freshman, we made it a point that during timeouts, halftime — any time we had a team meeting — she would sit in front of me,” Moore said. “For four years, she has had the same seat in the meeting area — front row, right in the middle — but she’s always accepted having to do extra. And never, in four years, has she used it as an excuse.
“We’ve played lots of games where there have been large crowds, yet there have been so few times where she’s told me, ‘I didn’t hear you.’ I just always felt like she’s consciously tried to overcome that.”
Latham has become an expert lip-reader.