Every year, fans across the world get ready to watch the Stanley Cup finals.
From radio, to television, there are many streams of media to follow the series. But this year the NHL is including sign language as part of the play-by-play team, and fans in Edmonton are excited about the initiative.
“This has become viral in our community. Everyone’s talking about it, everyone’s excited and we feel welcomed as a community,” said Peter Csizar, a teacher at the Alberta School for the Deaf.
Csizar knows firsthand how exciting sports can be. He’s been a sports fan for years and says this news coming from the NHL is groundbreaking.
On Wednesday, the NHL announced for the first time in the league’s history that the games will be called in American Sign Language (ASL), breaking the barriers for fans in the deaf community.
READ MORE: NHL to broadcast Stanley Cup Final games in American Sign Language, a 1st for a major sports league
“There’s no longer a barrier. We can be a part of it we can connect to the sport. We’re not feeling left out or separate from the event itself,” said Csizar.
Csizar also says for parents and young children learning ASL, this is an opportunity to use it outside the classroom.
Adding, it helps with not only breaking barriers in the sport, but helping families connect.
