Holly Hunter’s Unheard Journey: From NAU to the U.S. Deaf National Team and Beyond

When Holly Hunter steps onto the pitch for Desert Dreams FC, there’s no mistaking her impact. The forward from Temecula, California, plays with traits that have carried her from youth club soccer in Southern California to the international stage with the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team.

But for Hunter, being hearing impaired is part of her story, but not the defining one.

“I think I’ve always just been passionate for soccer,” Hunter said. “Even from a young age, I’ve just had a competitive factor. I’ve always loved soccer, and I think I just always wanted to be the best in whatever I did, whether that’s soccer, school, or just being involved in my community.”

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Desert Dreams is the new
Women’s Premier Soccer League club
, which plays its home games at Peoria Sports Complex baseball stadium. Hunter plays forward and is helping the team in its inaugural season. Desert Dreams has several regular-season games remaining this summer as part of the WPSL West schedule, with their next match vs. Sol on June 28.

Recruited by Pac-12 powerhouses, Hunter chose University of Colorado for its mountains, campus and community feel.

“I toured all those different schools and I just felt that CU was the place to be,” she said. “It had a beautiful campus, it had great academics, it had the Rocky Mountains in the background, and I was just like, ‘This seems like a home for me.’”

But after two seasons at Colorado, she transferred to Northern Arizona University.

“NAU was a place that reminded me a lot of Boulder,” she said. “I had a great experience there. It brought me a lot of opportunities. I ended up playing for the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team in Malaysia in 2023 during the season. My coaches were very supportive of me doing that. It was a great experience.”

Through it all, Hunter’s mindset was shaped by a family that refused to let her hearing loss define her limits.

“My mom was a huge advocate for making sure that I really pushed myself to the best of my ability in soccer. She really just was an advocate. She told me that my disability does not define me. It’s a part of me, but it doesn’t define who I am, or it doesn’t define my limits,” Hunter said. “My dad also just took me to all these trainings and really supported me in every aspect of soccer that I wanted to pursue.”

Born completely deaf — “I can’t even hear a jet take off, which is crazy to think about” — Hunter’s parents discovered her condition at her one-year checkup. But with cochlear implants to assist her hearing and speech therapy, they made sure she felt no different from her peers.

“Growing up, I don’t think it was much different than a hearing child. I would say I lived a pretty normal life, and I’m just super excited for the opportunities that being deaf has provided.”

Her cochlear implant helps her communicate on the field, but Hunter also relies on visual cues and constant awareness.

“I just go with that, and that’s what’s gonna happen. I’m gonna put my 100% effort and see where that takes me.”

At NAU, Hunter thrived under head coach Alan Berrios, who now leads Desert Dreams FC.

“She was the silent leader because she doesn’t really talk a ton, but she set the standards at NAU, she set the bar high,” Berrios said. “She was always first on the runs and just aggressive in nature. A lot of the girls really looked up to her because she was just a no-nonsense player.”

Hunter describes her playing style as technical.

“I like to keep the ball on the ground,” she said. “I played on teams that were ranked number one in the country, and we just had that expectation to win. I think I’ve carried that out through my entire college experience.”

That drive shone when she netted two crucial goals to send NAU to the Big Sky semifinals.

“She’s just a go-getter,” Berrios said. “She wants to fight, she wants to win, she hates to lose. Anytime you get a player that has a hate-to-lose mentality, you’re going to get exactly what you need to be successful.”

Hunter’s time with the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team, including helping the squad win gold at the Deaf World Cup in Malaysia, was special.

“There’s just no words to describe it,” Hunter said. “We are just so supportive of each other. We just have that same goal, that same mindset, where we’re just going to be the best, and we want to be the best in the world.”

Her impact resonates far beyond the field.

“A lot of people that approach me in the soccer world and they find out that I’m deaf, they look at me as like sort of an inspiration,” Hunter said. “And I honestly want them to look at me like that. I want them to see that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.”

Berrios saw how her journey inspired teammates, too. During one training session at NAU, he had players go silent for two minutes of possession.

“The girls were like, wow. That was a huge message that was sent to the team. They couldn’t believe that’s what Holly had to deal with,” he said.

Returning to coach Hunter at Desert Dreams has been a gift for Berrios.

“It’s awesome. It’s one of those players that, you know, you dread graduation. You’re like, ‘Man, I’m never going to work with Holly again,’” he said. “I was excited to know that she was going to be on this team, and I get another season out of her because she’s just a pleasure to work with.”

Off the field, Hunter’s advocacy is just as meaningful. She works with organizations such as the Nicholas Foundation, helping kids with autism through soccer, and Michelle’s Place, which supports families impacted by breast cancer.

“I felt like I actually really made a difference,” she said.

Her message to young deaf athletes is simple:

“Don’t put limits on yourself. You can do anything you set yourself. Don’t let your disability define you. It’s just a part of you. It’s a meaningful part of you, but it shouldn’t define who you are. It shouldn’t define your limits.”

With Desert Dreams, Hunter is ready for another chapter — one where her game does the talking.

“I want to score in every game,” she said. “I want to just contribute the most I can to the team and the team’s success.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic:
Holly Hunter’s soccer path included NAU, U.S. deaf national team, Desert Dreams