Bowie Senior Kaleb Phifer Gets 10 Scholarship Offers

Kaleb Phifer, a senior safety on the Bowie High School football team, has received ten college scholarship offers to continue playing after he graduates in the spring. Phifer is deaf. He said he plans to play college football while earning a business degree.

Phifer started playing football in eighth grade and told Arlington ISD he entered the program determined to prove himself. He said he focused on work instead of limits. "By showing up every day to workouts, showing them that I wanted to play football and really wanted to be in the program," he said, "I could show people who I really am."

On game days, sign language interpreter Tori Talora stands on the sideline and gives Phifer hand signals for the play calls. Talora has worked with Phifer for many years. Phifer later began wearing a cochlear implant linked to a microphone worn by coaches, which lets him receive instruction during games. "If I miss a play call, I just look on the sideline," Phifer said. "I tell one of my teammates the play call is back, and then we go."

Bowie head football coach and co-athletic coordinator Joseph Sam said Phifer sits on the team's leadership group. "He's one of our better players on the team, but he's also a team leader," Sam said. "He's on our leadership team, and seeing him succeed on and off the field has been a great inspiration for our football team."

Talora said the program gave both her and Phifer a chance to be part of the team. "They gave me a chance, and they gave Kaleb a chance. They respect him, and he's such a key part of this team," Talora said. "I think a lot of kids struggle with believing in themselves. Seeing him make that first big hit and seeing that smile on his face was special."

Phifer said he does not let his hearing shape what others expect from him. "Don't let anybody tell you what to do just because you're deaf or because of a disability that you have," Phifer said.