February 3, 2007

The air was full of anticipation as people filed into the Jon M. Huntsman Center for the Opening Ceremony, a two-hour affair that included the parade of countries, a torch run, the lighting of the cauldron, and an assortment of entertainment. Altogether, a crowd of well over 5,000 had amassed in the center, armed with cameras and camcorders to capture the magic of the momentous occasion.

Festivities began first with France, represented by two delegates, carrying their flag on stage, proceeding alphabetically, beginning with Australia and ending with the United States. The floor quickly filled up with athletes and officials from each of the other countries. The president of USADSF, Lawrence Fleischer, welcomed the athletes, coaches, officials and fans with a few remarks and emphasized that athletes participate in the Deaflympic Games primarily for three reasons: to win medals, to take part in elite competition, and to make friends. He encouraged the teams to mingle, rekindle old friendships and to make new ones.

Next, Dr. Donalda Ammons, president of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, took the floor and mentioned how quickly time flew by; she remembered when the 16th Winter Deaflympics was still four years away, and now the day has come. Ammons also expressed her gratitude to the people who worked so hard to make this a success. After welcome remarks by Fleischer and Ammons, it was time to declare the 16th Winter Deaflympics officially open.

The governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman had a short speech prepared that people read in the program book. It was a good thing that the program book contained his speech, since technical difficulties prevented Huntsman from saying more than just a few words. The first microphone was dead, and the second one was much too loud. Taking it in stride, Huntsman simply stood on stage and spread his arms wide open while the crowd went wild with applause and waving hands. The Games were officially declared open.

It was time for the Deaflympics flag to be passed on from the Swedish Deaf Sports Federation to the USA Deaf Sports Federation. The exchange began with the president of the Swedish Federation, Arne Lundquist, passing it on to Dwight Benedict, chair of the Host Committee, in front of thousands of flashbulbs.

By then, all eyes were on the quiet cauldron. Dr. Simon Carmel put the wheels into motion as he began his torch run around the floor, stopping on stage to pass on the torch to Tamara Marcinuk. “My legs were literally shaking as I climbed the steps, because the crowd was so huge,” said Marcinuk, a six-time Deaflympian and winner of nine medals.

Once the cauldron was lit with the symbolic, “Fire of the Games”, 2003 Deaflympian and dual alpine medal winner, signed the oath onstage on behalf of all athletes. Kenneth Litherland, the chief of the Alpine Ski and Snowboard Races and a six-time Deaflympian, led the oath for the officials. Once everyone was “sworn in,” the Multi-Branch Color Guard, representing all armed forces of the USA, marched onstage accompanied by 11 kids who sang the National Anthem of the United States of America.

This was when the evening’s host, Mel Carter took the stage. Carter, a retired Deaf Studies professor from California State University at Northridge, told the athletes that he believed they were all nervous. Nonetheless, he said, they were all winners. Speaking of winners, he introduced the next act performed by a championship team.

The Bingham High School drumline team took the stage and amazed the crowd with their synchronized drumming. Seats were vibrating and echoing with the sound of the drums, played by a team that had only just won the 2006 Utah Winter Drumline Association Championship.

Judy C. Stout, president of the Intertribal Deaf Council, introduced the traditional beliefs of Native Americans in Father Sky and Mother Earth, and explained that a blessing was a way to give thanks for events. A Native American blessing also asks for prayers from the Creator, which was performed in both voice and sign by James Woodenlegs, of the Cheyenne tribe and also one of the nation’s only Deaf medicine men. He was also accompanied by Mark Azure of the Chippewa tribe. The crowd, already awed at this point, was inspired even further as a group of 16 Native American dancers and five singers took the stage and began a very vibrant pow wow. The Native American costumes were candy to the eyes, with many different vibrant colors intended to lift the spirits and to connect all the people into one “common world.”