Sanders wants to do well in practice and knows that if he tries hard, he'll grow stronger and more agile on the football field. He only has eyes for Sandoval. While the roar of the crowd and loudly playing marching bands push some players to the limits, Sanders plays strictly for the love of the game. He can't hear any of the noise, anyway. He's been deaf since birth.
Many students have disabilities of some kind, whether they are physical, mental or learning.
Like most of those students, Sanders gets along fine. He's just like any other eighth-grade boy whose interests are sports, girls and friends. He relies on Sandoval, a sign-language interpreter, to help him when only words can get across the information he needs. Watching the two interact on the field, anyone can see Sandoval is only an extension of Sanders, filling the place where sound should be. I can't hear the whistle, but Erlindo helps me.