Signature recently reached out to the 2023 Deaf Sport’s Personality of the Year, Zara Musker. Zara expands on her personal and unique journey into futsal and opens up about her experiences of embracing her deafness in the realm of sport. Additionally, Zara expands on her experience in the 2024 England Football kit reveal which was a historic moment with para individuals involved.
Carry on reading to find out more about Zara and her personal journey:
- Hi Zara, first, could you introduce yourself to our weekly readers.
Hi, I’m Zara Musker and I am currently the captain for the England Deaf Women’s futsal team. Additionally, I am a Trainee Clinical Scientist in Audiology. I am also the recipient of one cochlear implant which I received in 2020. I am the only one in my family with a hearing loss, in which was identified when I was 18 months old.
- Could you tell us about your early experiences in football and how you began playing football?
Within my family, football was the game in which everyone played and watched so I had no choice! I also have 2 brothers who played. Additionally, where I grew up, there was lots of boys and very few girls. I always played outside my house with my brother and the boys and then when I was old enough, I joined local teams such as Accrington Stanley and Burnley. Every summer holidays I would spend the weeks at the summer soccer schools (especially Blackburn Rovers one) and that was where I was spotted to play for Blackburn. I was there from 10-17.
- What were some of the biggest challenges you faced growing up as the only deaf person in your family?
Growing up I used hearing aids to help me from a hearing perspective and they really did help me. My left ear has always been profoundly deaf so a main challenge would be anyone talking to me on that side. I also used to struggle with listening on the phone and as I grew up and technology evolved, using mobile phones became an essential. I would say the biggest challenge was having a potential difficulty due to my hearing loss and having no-one around to ask how they navigated that problem. For example, when playing football, my hearing aids could not withstand the Northern winter rain which meant I would often not be able to hear. It wasn’t until I got older, and I found out there are some protective covers and headbands that I could wear to prevent my hearing aids from turning off!
- How did you first get involved with the England Deaf Women’s Futsal team, and what was that experience like for you?
My journey into the England Deaf Women’s Futsal team is quite a unique one I think. The current manager of the team at that time also worked for the FA going into clubs to review and monitor their progress. It happened that she came to Blackburn whilst I was playing and spotted me. I was around 13 at the time and I had never met another deaf person. All the girls who I played with at Blackburn shared an aspiration to be involved in the England Women’s team. I didn’t even know a deaf team existed. It took me a while to get involved in the team due to being reluctant to go into that ‘world’. As a naïve and young 13 year-old, I didn’t want to be different from the rest of the girls in the team. It was a difficult few years initially but going to Bulgaria in 2014 and winning a Bronze medal changed my life and perspectives on deaf futsal.
- Can you share a memorable moment or achievement in your football career that has had a significant impact on you?
I think so far, winning the European Championships in 2022 has to be up there! For many reason, not just winning the Gold medal but the journey to winning as a team, and personally. Having my mum and brother in Italy to witness it was extremely significant for me. Indeed, it will be something I cherish forever.
- How has playing for the England Deaf Women’s Futsal team helped you embrace your deaf identity?
I don’t think I have enough space for this answer! I have always struggled with my deaf identity, and I have previously discussed that in different interviews. Playing for this team has allowed me to be the real me. Being around people who understand me, and I can relate to has helped shape me to be the person I am today. I have met some of my best friends throughout the years who have shown me that being deaf isn’t a weakness. I think if I saw 13 year old me, I would be completely unrecognisable. I am proud of the journey that I have been through. I know that everything happens for a reason and its led me to some of the best days of my life with the England squad. Playing for England and representing not just your country but also deaf people, has brought me great pleasure over the years and has had an impact on not just me but so many girls and boys at home who now have a pathway to playing for England. It’s important to recognise the impact of The FA and their push to make the world see the ability in disability football/futsal. The FA now has put together para teams where we have weekends in which we can interact and share stories with not just deaf players but players from different disabilities such as partially sighted and cerebral palsy. Understanding other people’s disabilities and the challenges that they face really helps you put into perspective a lot of things and gives you the confidence to be proud about being deaf.
- In what ways do you hope to inspire the next generation of deaf athletes through your work and achievements?
It’s all about empowering others to be themselves and embrace their deafness. The moment it clicked for me was when I thought I cannot control my hearing loss, but I can control what I do with it and how I embrace it. I just focus on putting 100% into my work and sporting career and with that continue to build a legacy for deaf women’s futsal. I want girls and boys to play deaf futsal and achieve more than what we have. We are laying the foundations to achieve great success in the future. I take every opportunity to talk about my work and futsal achievements as I never know who will read or watch my work. One day, they could take my shirt and continue to forge the path we are on.
- How do you think the football community can become more inclusive and supportive of deaf players.
I think with the power of social media, lots of information gets posted and lots of video interviews are now conducted. It’s important to makes sure that clubs and football communities add captions to any information they post. I still see clubs who post interviews or videos and there’s no captions. Ultimately, this means deaf people miss out on that information. Within the increase in BSL, clubs are really thinking of ways to include deaf supporters such as Arsenal, Newcastle, and Chelsea. I hope that this encourages other clubs do so too. I hope that in the future, deaf awareness training is part of grassroots coaching badges as this is where the players are created and nurtured.
- You recently featured in the 2024 England’s kit reveal, what was this experience like for you?
This is the first time that para squads have been involved in a kit launch, so it was amazing to be a part of creating history. I am always forever grateful; to be involved in anything to do with England and being able to highlight the new kit was something I will certainly cherish forever. There is a bigger picture behind the kit launch for me personally, it tells people that England is inclusive and enables the younger generation of deaf boys and girls to see that there is a pathway for them if they want to take it. It is something that I never saw and maybe if I had seen that at 14, it would have been different for me when embracing my deaf identity.
- Finally, what advice would you give to young people with hearing loss or who are deaf and aspire to play football at a professional level?
I always love a quote. I am going to answer this question with a quote in which is fitting the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics.
“What I learned was that these athletes were not disabled, they were superabled. The Olympics is where heroes are made. The Paralympics is where heroes come”– Joey Reiman.
Here at Signature, we would like to thank Zara for opening up about her experience into Deaf futsal. Zara highlights memorable moments from her sporting career and also gives invaluable advice to the younger generation of sportspersons. We wish her the best of luck in all future sporting and personal endeavours.
