A Language For Everyone
Mary Cheng, Hong Kong
Rugby For Good is Hong Kong's first sports-focused charity that partners with impact-driven organisations to provide innovative play-based programmes, focused on well-being and social inclusion. Since 2013, the organisation has worked with more than 250 schools and 30,000 participants.
My name is Mary Cheng. I am from Hong Kong and I am deaf. I graduated from hearing school, but I also use sign language. I joined the Rugby For Good Deaf Rugby Programme in 2018 through a friend's recommendation. I am a player for Kowloon Rugby Football Club.
I played judo and enjoyed drawing as my first hobbies, before I started playing rugby. Rugby and judo are very similar, intense sports, but judo is an individual sport and rugby is a team sport. I learned teamwork and communication skills from the Deaf rugby team.
In 2019, I tore my ACL and meniscus during a game at summer rugby camp. This was the most frustrating time for me. Fortunately, with the support of my teammates and coaches, I overcame these difficulties again (including two surgeries within a year).
I have found rugby to be a very inclusive sport and it allowed me to discover more of my possibilities. Rugby has made me meet all kinds of people, and people are happy to help me when I am stuck. With the encouragement of my coach, I started to coach rugby, and I am happy to be involved in coaching deaf and SEN (Special Educational Needs) children to play rugby.
What did you try to capture with the photos? Was there a wider meaning?
When I have time, I like to go and discover things in different places. These photos are of rugby events all over Hong Kong, including Kowloon rugby team training and matches, Kowloon RFC U16 team training, the Philippine touch rugby team training, and mini rugby club training with the Aberdeen Dolphins Rugby Club.
Some photos are from my own team. They are all great teammates. Many other photos are of my friends who I know from the wider rugby community. They are players, referees and coaches. They make me feel welcome at different rugby events that I go and watch, and I learn so much from each of them.
I am grateful how people are so involved in rugby and I enjoy capturing their love for rugby. The photos show their spirit of solidarity, persistence and not giving up, and support for each other. People from different backgrounds and cultures all play rugby together. Rugby is a language and there is no barrier to communication.
My favourite photograph is the group photo of the Kowloon Rugby Football Club women's team. I am glad I am a part of this team. When I joined them, my teammates did not discriminate against me because of my disability, they helped me a lot. They are the best teammates.
What role does rugby play in your community and Hong Kong society? Is rugby an inclusive sport that anyone can play?
Rugby has opened my eyes to different people and places. There are many people of different cultures and ages, and it is clear that rugby is an inclusive sport that embraces all kinds of people.
What are the opportunities for women and girls to play sports in your community and in Hong Kong?
Most of the people in these photos are women or girls. There are many local women's or girls' teams from different clubs, as well as women referees and women coaches. Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) has workshops and coaching courses for women. There are now more and more opportunities for women. But there are fewer deaf women playing than I thought.
What impact has the Rugby For Good program had on you and your community?
The Rugby For Good program enhanced my communication skills development and allowed me to build better relationships with people. This program provides many opportunities for people in need in the community to learn rugby and for me to coach them and develop my coaching skills. It is important that the Rugby For Good programme raises awareness of Deaf Rugby and promotes social inclusion.
What does rugby mean to you?
Rugby occupies a large part of my life, and work and life cannot be separated from each other. Rugby makes me discover my infinite possibilities. Rugby has given me many precious experiences and memories.
What ambitions do you have for the future?
I hope that in the future I can try and work in different fields of rugby, such as refereeing. There are very few deaf rugby referees in the world, so I wish that I could fill that role. In terms of coaching, I am still inexperienced. I hope I have more opportunities to coach rugby and improve my coaching skills. I want to demonstrate that a deaf person can be capable of a variety of jobs.
What do you think the future looks like for sport in your community and country?
I think the rugby community in the future will see different people, including people with disabilities and people of different races, in different roles. I hope to encourage more women and girls, including deaf people, to try to play rugby. I want to share my experiences with more people, which can break down stereotypes about women and deaf people. I hope that the status of women in sports will be improved and the attention of the public will be raised.
