MERIDIAN, Idaho — Rocky Mountain High School starts their season on Friday against Middleton and the player kicking the field goals might be the most accomplished athlete on the team.
Dawson Anderson is on the U.S. Deaf Men's National Team and played in Brazil at the Deaflympics in May. Soccer is the biggest sport in Brazil and seeing the way it is celebrated is one of Anderson's best memories from the trip.
“Here in America, you just see football," Anderson said. "Then in Brazil it’s all soccer in the streets. They’re playing soccer in their sandals or barefoot. It was just so cool.”
Traveling internationally is a lot for a high school student, but Anderson didn't have to do it alone. His older brother, Braden, also plays for the national team. At the time Braden joined the team, he was the youngest to ever do so. Now he travels the world with his younger brother.
Dawson learned a lot from Braden, and enjoys playing with him.
“He just taught me to play my game, stay on my footsteps," Dawson said. "Don’t follow anyone else’s footsteps and don’t play anyone else’s game but mine. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Next summer, Anderson will travel to South Korea and play for the team in the Deaf World Cup. Before he does that though, he has his whole senior year ahead of him. That includes playing both soccer and football. Two sports that share the fall season.
“I go to school every day," Anderson said. "And then I’ll have football right after school. And then I’ll have a 30 minute to an hour break before soccer practice. Then I’ll have soccer practice then I’ll go home and do my homework.”
Dawson's first football game and first soccer game is this weekend. Football Friday night, and soccer Saturday morning. Dawson has only been playing football for a couple of years, but he has gotten better at kicking and his goals for this season are big.
“I think I’ve made a lot of progress coming from last year to this year," Dawson said. "I think I’ve done a lot better so I’m looking forward to our football season. I’m hoping to accomplish we win state title this year and my biggest goal is to just have fun with this team."
