In the second week of November, Janice Smith-Warshaw is competing in the National Deaf Pickleball Tournament in Austin, Texas. Smith-Warshaw, who is also a Fresno State Professor in Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies, continues to serve as an inspiration to many people in the Central Valley. She is involved in the local and national pickleball community and currently serves as the President of the Deaf Pickleball Association. Most of the time, she plays people who are not deaf. Instead of being intimidated, Warshaw is known for grabbing the bull by the horns on the road to success.
“I am dedicated to pickleball. I play 4 to 5 times a week,” said Smith-Warshaw. “I’m in it.”
On the court, Warshaw rocks a pickleball watch band and a red paddle charm.
“It is a good conversation starter,” said Smith-Warshaw. “It is nice. It is bringing hearing people to me, they ask about the necklace and then we can start a conversation and talk about other things.”
For Smith-Warshaw, pickleball is not just a hobby but a passion.
“It is all about the pickleball. I also have a license plate on my car,” said Warshaw. “I am all about the pickleball swag.”
Back a few years ago, Smith-Warshaw heard about the craze from a colleague and decided to give it a shot. She researched places to play and headed over to Orchid Park with a note typed out.
“I had already typed out some comments introducing myself. My name was Janice Smith-Warshaw, and I was deaf and that I had played sports before, including Olympic volleyball. And so, I was a good athlete,” said Smith-Warshaw. There she met the host, Deborah Petersen.
“She came on to the court and I gave her a really bad time,” said Petersen. “I called her Casper because she was white as a ghost. And we laughed. And then we started, you know, I started teaching her how to play.”
Through her skill of reading lips and because of her childhood athletic background, Smith-Warshaw caught on quickly. It was not long until she was playing with advanced players, and eventually with Petersen right by her side in a tournament.
“She is a great partner. She is not afraid of the ball. She could just take any ball and kill it,” said Petersen.
Communication is key in pickleball and a hurdle Smith-Warshaw and her partners face.
“Usually, I can hear my partner because they will tell me, but she doesn’t talk,” said Petersen. “So, I have to be more aware of where she is on the court so that I can do the shot that’s going to set her up.”
Especially since Petersen is a leftie, which means the middle of the court is up for grabs.
“They call the ball out,” said Petersen. “So, they yell, they will sometimes turn to me and say, ‘Didn’t you hear me yell?’ And, I have to say, ‘Well, no, I didn’t.’ So, we have to try and use our best judgment,” said Smith-Warshaw.
But with hand signals, court awareness, willingness to learn, and a little patience along the way, Warshaw is breaking down the barriers and leaving a lasting impact.
“I just admire her so much and I really respect her for having come out here and done this because it’s got to be tough. I mean, it’s tough for a regular person, you know, because we all have insecurities. But I just really, I love her and I really respect her,” said Petersen.
When asked what she would say to a younger version of herself, Smith-Warshaw replied: “I would say to my younger self and all deaf children, be brave. You are just like everybody else. The only thing that makes you different is your hearing level. So, you can still communicate through body language. You can learn how to hit and prove to them that you can do it. Have faith in yourself.”
Smith-Warshaw has competed in over 30 tournaments, taking home around two dozen medals. She is also the President of the National Deaf Pickleball Association and on Nov. 8 to Nov. 10, she will be competing alongside around 450 individuals in Austin, Texas.
Source: https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/fresno-state-professor-competes-in-national-deaf-pickleball-association-tournament/