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Thomas Fuller is the San Francisco bureau chief for the New York Times. His assignment is to write about California wildfires, landslides, immigration, mass shootings, and other front-page stories. But when he came across the Riverside Cubs, a football team for the California School for the Deaf, he was so inspired by their camaraderie that he felt called to write about language and communication in the deaf community.
Fuller was introduced to the Cubs in 2022 when the country was hurting and anxious because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cubs' perseverance, human spirit, sense of community, and endeavor for excellence "…felt like a salve at a time of such turmoil for the country," he writes.
The journalist took time out from his bureau position, moved to Riverside, and followed the Cubs for a year when they "wanted to prove that being deaf on the gridiron gave them an edge." They maintained that the crowd's noise did not distract them; they could readily communicate using sign language and often confused their opponents with their nonverbal cues. With the help of an American Sign Language interpreter, Fuller interviewed team members, the coach, and parents about their distinctive culture.
In Chapter One, the author establishes that this extraordinary story is not only about a championship team but also about brotherhood, belonging, and mission. He sets readers in an unfamiliar, noiseless world and demonstrates that strength comes from unity, even in disadvantageous situations. He illustrates that silence does not hinder building relationships that can yield significant achievements.
This is a positive story of people working together for a common goal. Fuller develops the backgrounds of some of the players in detail. In particular, the author mentions Phillip Castaneda, who lives in his father's car in the Target parking lot across from the Cubs' field. Phillip finds his way into practice and soon excels as a quick, agile running back. Fuller also spotlights star player Felix Gonzalez, who suffers a broken leg during the playoffs and is distraught about missing the contests. Yet the Cubs include him in the finals by competing in his honor.
"The Boys of Riverside" is not only a thrilling, true sports story about a team of underrated boys and their deaf coach, Kevin Adams. It is also a story about overcoming adversity and challenging society's definition of what it means to be deaf.
Fuller's talent for stirring storytelling brings to life the boys of Riverside, putting the reader in the stands at every game. The gifted author details the Cubs' triumphs to attest that deafness is "no impediment to sporting glory." It is a forceful story for sports enthusiasts and general readers alike. It would be a good gift for a young member of any sport.
About the author: Thomas Fuller is a Page One correspondent for the New York Times. Before moving to California, he reported from more than forty countries for the Times and International Herald Tribune, mainly in Europe and Southeast Asia.
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