Deaflympics Journey with Beckie Perkins

Member Beckie Perkins grew up deaf in a hearing family and never let her lack of hearing hold her back. She's been an athlete all her life, including having completed a triathlon and studying Taekwondo. When she moved to Arizona, her and her husband became members of Superstition Golf & Country Club and Mrs. Perkins started playing golfing in earnest. 

She found the sport to be challenging and interesting and began playing in various tournaments. She was eventually recognized by the international Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and untimely, earned her spot in the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil. While Mrs. Perkins didn’t medal during the games, we are all so proud of her accomplishments. Recently Mrs. Perkins shared some insights into her experience at the Deaflympics and what it meant to her to be a part of the games.    

What was the most surprising thing about your experience at the Deaflympics?
Deaflympics Brazil was a great experience. I was honored to be part of it and to witness gifted athletes from all over the world. The most surprising thing about my experience in Brazil was the lack of resources that they have compared to the United States. For example, there was no pro shop at the golf course. I am definitely spoiled.

How did it feel to participate in this major event?
Like I said, it was such an honor to be part of a major event like the Deaflympics. It was pretty neat to watch, and play with, great golfers from around the world. I learned so much in two weeks and am motivated to improve my game.

What did you learn from this experience?
I learned that it isn’t easy to compete at a higher level. This has made me appreciate the LPGA players we have at Superstition Mountain even more. I also realized it pays to spend more time on the range than on the course.

What was the biggest challenge you faced competing at the Deaflympics?
The biggest challenge I experienced at the Deaflympics was staying focused under pressure.

What advice would you give others about being an athlete or following their dreams?
My advice for athletes who have dreams is to fully commit to what they want to achieve. That might mean giving up certain things to realize their dreams.

Anything else you want to share?
I am grateful to have experienced the Deaflympics firsthand in Brazil. It not only gave me the chance to do this, but allowed me to see how I might help improve the sport of golf for deaf golfers in the future. To the best of my knowledge, the United States Deaf Golf Association (USDGA) is working hard to improve the Deaflympics golf program and is working with various golf organizations in doing so.

We look forward to cheering Mrs. Perkins on as she prepares to take on even more challenges and tournaments in the future.