Gallaudet University, a school located in the northeast section of Washington, D.C. is a fantastic school that serves students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

They also have a football team, a team that has spent time over the years both as a club team and as a D-III program.

The Gallaudet Bison have been back at varsity status for several years, but this year something is different: Gallaudet’s team is 8-0 and, if they can win against rivals Anna Maria this weekend, they will lock up the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference crown.

If they win, it will be the first time in school history Gallaudet will be conference champs.

Gallaudet’s head coach, Chuck Goldstein, is in his third season with the team after serving as offensive coordinator. The team has steadily been improving, regularly finishing with winning records in the last few years. This is the best they’ve ever started, though, by far.

Goldstein recalls that he had to learn American Sign Language when he started working with the team.

From Yahoo:

“You have to learn a new language,” Goldstein said. “It’s hard not being able to communicate sometimes or not getting the words out sometimes that you want to communicate. My first year as coach, I had to use an interpreter for meetings and on the field I needed to relay information to my players as quickly as possible. I couldn’t sign what I needed to say fast enough, so I needed to hire an interpreter. “I’d try what I could and the guys and the staff here and the community were very patient with the learning process. And I’m still trying to improve my American Sign Language. And it takes time and everyone learns at a different pace.”

Gallaudet has a long and proud football tradition. The team is believed to be the first to use the huddle in the 1890s, because opponent’s were stealing their signs. They’ve also tried using a big drum to sound off snap counts before, but now just rely on standard signs. If the opponents’ can figure them out, more power to them.

The team has two games left in the season, and a win in either would lock up the Conference Championship. Wish them well.

(Thanks to Yahoo! for sharing.)