ESDAA History

At present, there are five athletic associations serving Schools for the Deaf in the United States: Central, Eastern, Great Plains, Mason Dixon, and Western.

The Eastern Schools were the first to organize. In 1927, Fred A. Moore, a teacher at the Old New Jersey School for the Deaf, hosted the first basketball tournament among Eastern Schools. Ten schools participated: Kendall, New York (Fanwood), Pennsylvania, American, New Jersey, St. Joseph’s, Lexington, Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. The New Jersey School for the Deaf (NJSD) was crowned the first tournament champion.

Six additional tournaments followed; however, these events were not sponsored by a formal governing body. George “Billy” Harlow, Athletic Director at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, later proposed the formation of an organization to oversee and sponsor these tournaments. This led to the creation of the Eastern Schools for the Deaf Athletic Association (ESDAA). The first ESDAA-sponsored tournament was held in 1934 at St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf.

In 1961, ESDAA Boys’ Basketball was divided into two divisions. In 1994, the structure was expanded to three divisions based on student population. In 2009, the association returned to a two-division format.

Cheerleading was first introduced to the Boys’ Basketball Tournament in 1966 by Charles M. Jochem of the Maryland School for the Deaf (MKSD). Cheerleaders participated informally until 1980, when the Cheerleading Tournament began to take formal shape at Saint Mary’s School for the Deaf in Buffalo and became a popular event in both Division I and Division II. Currently, cheerleading competition is offered in Division I only.

The Girls’ Basketball Tournament was established in 1977 by Paul Barr at the Maryland School for the Deaf. The tournament has since grown significantly, resulting in the formation of two competitive divisions.

Girls’ Volleyball has also expanded since its first tournament, hosted by Lexington in 1981, and now competes in two divisions.

In addition to these sports, the ESDAA sponsors tournaments in Soccer and Wrestling.

The true spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie upon which the ESDAA was founded is most clearly demonstrated at the Track and Field Championships. Established for boys in 1964 in Maryland and for girls in 1978 at Gallaudet University, this championship brings together all ESDAA member schools to compete at one time and place for a single ESDAA Track and Field crown.