A Soccer Player With a Cochlear Implant
Lara, an 18-year-old from Austria, is a forward on a soccer team. She received her bilateral cochlear implants when she was 9 months old. In this article, she tells us about her experience with cochlear implants, how they enrich her life when it comes to sports, and what tips she has for playing soccer with a cochlear implant.
![A Soccer Player With a Cochlear Implant](https://blog.medel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Copy-of-Blogpost-Image-4.png)
My name is Lara. I’m from Austria, and I play soccer. My bilateral cochlear implants help me when I play soccer, at school, and in my daily life, and they enable me to enjoy my life to the fullest.
The Best Chances With Cochlear Implants
I grew up in a very sporty family. When I was quite young, I decided I wanted to play soccer. My parents, however, weren’t thrilled—they had some concerns since I’m deaf in both ears. But I was persistent and managed to convince them.
When I was nine months old, my parents decided I should get bilateral cochlear implants. I can’t remember that time, so I can only say what my parents have told me about what they experienced then. My mom says that she would choose cochlear implants every day if she had to make the decision again. She believes it was the best choice and thinks of my cochlear implants as an extremely welcome gift.
My parents wanted me to have the best chances in life—that’s why they chose cochlear implants.
Support From All Sides
My hearing journey wasn’t easy, so mental resilience was important. Starting in pre-school, I regularly went to a speech therapist. That led to me being able to speak clearly, so today, I don’t have any problems learning new languages.
![cochlea user soccer player](https://blog.medel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Bild-scaled.jpeg)
I learned a lot from speech therapy, and it was very important. My speech therapist motivated me a lot, and I thought of my appointments with her as opportunities to improve my hearing. I’m very thankful for that. On top of that, my family, teachers, and classmates supported me right from the start wherever they could.
What’s Special About My SONNET 2s
- Compared to previous audio processors, I like my SONNET 2s’ great sound quality.
- The easy handling is also a plus.
- Since I’ve switched from disposable to rechargeable batteries, I’ve been able to save a lot. But just in case, I always have disposable batteries with me, especially on long trips.
- I also love being able to listen to music.
- The fact that the audio processors are water resistant is worth mentioning since it can suddenly begin to rain, and wearing a rain jacket on the soccer field isn’t an option.
- Since I just use a headband to secure my audio processor without covering the microphone or microphone cover, it doesn’t really affect my hearing.
3 Tips for Playing Soccer With a Cochlear Implant
Soccer is a team sport, so communication is key. Here are three tips for always being ready to hear when playing:
- My tip #1 is a good headband that holds well and doesn’t slip. I’ve found one that works for me that I’m really happy with. All of the headbands I had before slipped too much, so I never felt 100% secure. I would also recommend always having a backup headband with you in case it starts to rain and the first headband gets too wet.
- It’s also a good idea to change out your batteries before a game if you didn’t just do so in the last two hours. Then you won’t have to switch them out during a match if they run out. I used to always have extra batteries on the first bench, and one of the players who knew how to change them would switch them out for me during the game if the batteries ran out.
- My third tip for playing soccer with audio processors is having the coach give you the plays during the breaks so you don’t have to worry about overhearing them on the soccer field.
The Advantages of My Cochlear Implants When Doing Sports
A big advantage for playing soccer is, of course, being able to communicate with my fellow players. Communication is key in soccer, and my cochlear implants make it considerably easier.
Being able to hear every day is a blessing.
And on top of that, I also have the advantage of being able to turn off my audio processors if the hustle and bustle and noise get to be too much. I can just switch them off in the locker room for a few minutes and calm down and tune into myself. Then I can be really concentrated for the start of the match.
My Advice for Other People With Hearing Loss
You can enjoy sports with a cochlear implant. For some sports, it makes sense to use an extra fixation option for your audio processor. For others, having the correct magnet strength is enough. I, personally, have never had the problem of losing an audio processor.
The most important thing is choosing a sport and doing it regularly. And if you have a problem with your audio processor, there’s always a solution. Just get out there and enjoy it!
Thank you, Lara!.
Photo courtesy of Philipp Hicker
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© MED-EL Medical Electronics. All rights reserved. The content on this website is for general informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Contact your doctor or hearing specialist to learn what type of hearing solution suits your specific needs. Not all products, features, or indications are approved in all countries.
Dr. Syed Sajjad Ahmed
August 06, 2024
Lovely success story with Sonnet 2S Cochlear Implants. Thank you for sharing
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