Her size alone is an obstacle.
At 5'2" and 125 pounds, Katie Romano is the smallest player on the Chicago Force, perhaps the whole Independent Women's Football League ( IWFL ) .
But that's hardly an issue to this 24-year-old who graduated from Bartlett High School in 2004 and still lives in the western suburb. She is, you see, in her first season with the Force, although a few years ago she had a stint with the DC Divas in our nation's capital, when the Divas won the league championship.
That was when and where she attended Gallaudet University, the school she graduated from in 2009. Gallaudet is one of the top schools in liberal education and career development for deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate students.
Yes, Romano is deaf.
"I love football; it's my passion. I love challenges and physical sports. Since I don't have a job [ right now ] , I'm considering football as my job," said Romano, who played four years of soccer in high school and four more years in college. "I joined [ the ] Divas football team in 2006, but stopped because I was in college. So, after I graduated and came back home, I just missed football a lot. I love the feeling of wearing [ a ] helmet and pads. I love hitting too.
"I'm proud to represent the Chicago Force; this team is very addicted."
Romano, who sees action on offense, defense and special teams, admits she was nervous when she joined the Force this season—mostly because she did not have an interpreter.
"But I was fine after [ a ] few practices because my team made me feel like part of family right away," she said.
Now, she has an interpreter who stands right alongside the Force coaches.
"Each [ preseason ] practice, one by one, players came to me and introduced themselves until we had [ a ] scrimmage game and then a post-scrimmage party; that's when I felt more part of the team because hanging out with the team off the field helps to get to know the players on the team," said Romano, who was born deaf. "I get along with everyone on the team pretty easily. Cassie [ Cattouse ] and I are closer because we hang out often and we carpool all the time." [ Cattouse is hearing, but learning sign language—and Romano is her teacher. ]
Romano, a lesbian who said she is now dating, said she always is nervous on game day. However, it's an excited nervousness.
The team has created football signs for the plays to aide Romano.
"It's tough when the ball is up in the air behind my back and everyone is yelling, 'Pass, pass, pass,'" she said. "I can't hear, so I have to read the wide receiver's eyes and body if the ball is coming or not, and I have to react fast when I see the ball."
Clearly, Romano is a role-model for the deaf community—and beyond. What may seem impossible, isn't—as she can attest.
So it's no wonder she dreams big on the football field.
"I really want to be like Devon Hester [ of the Chicago Bears ] —to catch the kickoff and return it for a touchdown," she said.
A little more Katie Romano…
—Favorite pro sport: Football
—Favorite pro team: Chicago Bears
—Favorite pro athlete: Devon Hester
—Favorite movie: Avatar
—Favorite TV show: "I don't watch TV anymore."
—It's a fact: A member on USA Deaf National Women soccer team since 2004, and she attended the Deaflympic in Melbourne, Australia, ( 2005 ) and Taipei, Taiwan ( 2009 ) . "We won gold medals both years and I'm planning to go for third gold in Athens, Greece, in 2013."
—On the 2010 Chicago Force: "We have really good team and everyone is young and fun."
—Quote: "It doesn't matter being deaf or not, don't let anyone or anything stop your dream or passion of doing something."
—Goals: "My goal for the team is to keep driving all the way to the championship together as one. Personally, I want to serve in Peace Corps, so right now I'm in [ the ] process with the nomination for position as special education [ teacher ] in Africa. I have accomplished so many things, but I'm never satisfied because there are countless things out there I can do, so I'm living up my life as much I can everyday and seek for more challenges."
The Force's final regular-season game is June 5 at the Kansas City Tribe.
