OK School the Deaf wins national coach, player of the year awards | Local News

The National Deaf Interscholastic Athletic Association has acknowledged Oklahoma School for the Deaf’s Jason Sledd as division 2 coach of the year and RyJan Reininger as player for the year for all colleges for the deaf in the nation.

Coach Sledd has earned NDIAA’s coach of the Year award twice for soccer in 2019 and 2022 and as soon as for basketball in 2020.He has coached OSD soccer, basketball and observe and been a instructor since 2018. 

Sledd coached OSD junior excessive basketball from 2012 to 2018. He was beforehand employed as an instructor’s aide from 2010 to 2012 and a deaf specialist for OSD’s gear distribution program from 2012 to 2018.

Reininger from Midwest City excels in research and athletics as a member of educational and robotic groups and high player on the soccer, basketball and observe groups. He earned the 2021 Oklahoma School for the Deaf scholar of the year award at People with Disabilities Awareness Day from the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

“RyJan is the best athlete and best leader on my team,” Sledd mentioned. “Once he plays at the game, he is really a beast. He can play multiple positions. Linebacker is the reason why he was very good at it at a high level.”

Reininger, who has damaged OSD information since 2011, averages 19.1 tackles per recreation with a complete of 153 tackles based mostly on eight video games this year.

“I’m proud of him for earning the national player of the year, which is just exactly like the Heisman Trophy for college level,” Sledd added. “He is basically the best player in the entire deaf schools in the USA.

“My strong belief is to build and encourage all my kids to do anything they can without a barrier,” he mentioned. “It will happen by football discipline and good leadership. With them, it will lead to winning, guaranteed.”

Levi Mathis, OSD athletic director posted, “Very proud of the work and results our programs put in every day,” when asserting the awards on OSD’s Facebook web page @OKSchool4theDeaf.

“I am extremely proud of Coach Sledd and RyJan Reininger for their dedication and hard work for their football team,” OSD Superintendent Dr. Heather Laine mentioned. “Coach Sledd wanted the best for his athletes in all sports, including football. We are very fortunate to have Coach Sledd to lead the team.”