A Blackburn futsal player who was diagnosed with hearing loss as a child has won the Deaf Sports Personality of the Year award.
Zara Musker, 26, currently plays for Manchester Futsal having previously played for Bolton Futsal and in the Centre of Excellence at Blackburn Rovers.
The prestigious award recognises the influence deaf athletes have on inspiring the next generation.
Zara, who was born with hearing but diagnosed with sensorineural progressive hearing loss at 18-months-old, is part of the England Deaf Womens’ Futsal team.
She was part of the European Championships-winning squad, also being the top goal-scorer and named in the team of the tournament.
This year, she was also in the team that won the Deaf Champions League in Sweden, and she and her England teammates are preparing to go to the World Championships in Brazil in November.
Zara said: “My category was the last one of the evening, and the previous winner of the award was Jodie Ounsley, who is a pivotal ambassador and role model within the deaf community, so I knew how prestigious it was.
“Prior to my category, we (England) had won the Team of the Year award and Marios Costi (our coach) had won Coach of the Year, so to win the Personality of the Year was just the icing on the cake really.
“I never expected to win the award but I always look at the bigger picture. I’m proud of everything I have overcome, the barriers I face on a daily basis.
“To continue to strive to be successful in what I call a ‘challenging world’ just gives me more motivation to be loud and proud.
“I cannot change the fact I have a hearing loss, but I can change what I do about it and the way I live my life. I want to inspire others to think anything is possible.”
Zara played in mainstream sports for Rovers and Everton before getting a scholarship to play in the USA.
In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, she lost all hearing in her right ear and had to wait six months for a cochlear implant.
She said: “My implant has changed and saved my life.
"I now embrace my dead identity and I want to be the role model I never had growing up for young deaf children.
“I had a very supportive family behind me who ensured I developed a strong attitude about my life and ultimately gave me the best opportunity.”
The awards were held on Saturday, July 1, at Twickenham Stadium in London.
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