(WSVN) - With another Inter Miami season underway, South Florida is feeling the soccer frenzy, but there is a new group of athletes pursuing a spotlight in the sport. 7’s Heather Walker has the story.
Oseas De Leon has worked at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind for 17 years.
Oseas teaches technology to his blind and visually impaired students, who may struggle to navigate a complex world.
Oseas De Leon: “So when they come here to the center, they are in shock because their life changed drastically, and I love giving them hope.”
Oseas lost his eyesight at 3 years old from a viral infection.
Oseas De Leon: “I don’t remember anything; to me, it’s as if I was born blind. I don’t remember any visuals, not even in my dreams.”
But what Oseas does remember from his childhood is his love for what the world calls “the beautiful game.”
Oseas De Leon: “My friends who were blind, they played soccer, and I learned to play soccer with them.”
Now, at age 45, Oseas is working to kick-start his childhood passion into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Oseas De Leon: “I love the competition. I love the experience.”
He is among a group of athletes from across the country who all share one goal. They’re competing for a chance to make the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team.
Oseas De Leon: “My goal right now is to make it to the team.”
If you’re wondering how Oseas and the other blind athletes are able to play soccer without seeing the ball or the goal, Oseas has answered that question a lot.
Oseas De Leon: “My students, a lot of them are newly blind, and they’re like, ‘How are you going to run? How are you going to score a goal accurately? How are you going to do it?'”
They “do it” based on what they hear.
The ball itself has rattles inside, and verbal communication between players on the field is a key to this game.
Oseas De Leon: “If I want to go around you, and you’re my opponent, you have to say the word ‘voy’, which means ‘coming’ in Spanish. If you don’t say ‘voy,’ your team gets penalized, because if you don’t say ‘voy,’ I don’t have a way to tell where you are and there’s easily a collision.”
To make sure nobody has an unfair advantage, they must wear eye shades, because some players can perceive light.
The goalkeepers are not blind, and they, along with the coaches, help with verbal commands.
Unlike traditional soccer, fans must remain quiet, expect when a goal is scored.
Molly Quinn, CEO of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, says the Blind Soccer National Team just started a year ago.
Molly Quinn: “This is a great opportunity for [Major League Soccer] teams, Inter Miami especially, to be able to look at how can they bring some resources in order to provide some more activities for folks who have maybe never had a chance to play the sport of soccer.”
2028 will mark the first time the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team competes in the Paralympic Games, and Oseas is working hard to make that team.
Oseas De Leon: “That would be amazing. That would be great.”
But no matter what happens, his passion for helping others means he’s already won.
Heather Walker, 7 News.
This year’s national team is set to be announced in the spring, and we’ll let you know if Oseas makes it.
For more information about the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, click here.
If you know of a person, place or group that you think we should highlight, email us at 7spotlight@wsvn.com.
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