"The area around my house when I was growing up was filled with drugs and gangs. My dad didn't want us involved or even out in that community, but we were poor and couldn't move away. So my dad, who was into sports, put up a basketball hoop."

A fan of all sports, and a natural athlete, Jeremias Valencia can point to this decision as the point he fell in love with the game of basketball, and the competition with his brothers in that backyard as the proving ground for what would fulfill two of his dreams.

Valencia went on to play for the American Basketball Association, a dream he'd had for as long as he can remember. But, going pro was only one part of Valencia's dream. He also wanted to see kids presented with opportunities to grow in sports as he did. In particular, Valencia wanted younger kids, preschool through grade 8, to have access to better coaches. So, he founded the Deaf Sports Academy (DSA) in 2007, and began recruiting regionally and nationally certified coaches who had the skills deaf kids needed for communication. Valencia's determination caused DSA to grow, and today, the organization has over 20 teams, offering kids aged 4 to 15 access to basketball, soccer, football, and even dance. "I would like to make DSA a national resource for kids. Right now, we're regional, but kids across the country could benefit from more access to sports, particularly if those sports offer communication access to the coaches and on the team."