Daniel Hicks will never know the sound a crowd’s roar of approval, the gasps of a crowd on pins and needles during the most tense moments of a wrestling match.

Hicks, a senior on the Sherburne-Earlville wrestling team, was born deaf. He is a perfect example of a person learning through his own mistakes on the mat, and figuring out on his own what we – those in the hearing world – might take for granted.

“He had a tough time through pee wees because we couldn’t yell to him what to do,” said S-E assistant coach – and Daniel’s father – Brian Hicks. “At that age, it’s so important to coach the kids during matches. He had to learn the hard way, and he’s probably a better wrestler for it.”

Competing at 135 pounds this season, Daniel moved up a weight class to improve the team. He jumped head first into a weight-training program, and he doesn’t miss a day of lifting after each practice.