USA Deaf Sports Federation’s Executive Director, Jameson “Jim” Crane III, has announced that he is stepping down from his position with immediate effect to focus on other pursuits.
In his announcement to the USADSF Board in January, Crane shared, “The past five years have been a rich experience for me, especially working with the USADSF Board, Office, and all of our stakeholders.” Throughout his five-year tenure, which began after a nationwide search in 2017, Crane—who is a three-time Deaflympian—brought a keen understanding of the experiences of Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes, a deep passion for the Deaf sports community, and a vision of equality for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes. During his time at the helm, Crane led two United States delegations to the Deaflympics, oversaw United States’ participation in over a dozen Deaf World Championships, and grew USADSF’s revenue streams. Crane’s leadership also ensured that USADSF continued to remain an active member with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Affiliate Organizations Council. During the 2019 Winter Deaflympics, Crane spearheaded a robust media strategy that featured The Daily Moth’s award-winning coverage of the United States Deaflympic Team. Additionally, in 2020, Crane worked with the USADSF Board to elect USADSF’s first Hall of Fame class since 2012 and oversaw USADSF’s 75th Anniversary initiatives.
Crane also navigated USADSF throughout global uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2022 and not only stabilized USADSF, but also maintained community and athlete engagement through a series of virtual events. Crane also oversaw the establishment of the Dr. Glenn Anderson Diversity and Equity Fund to benefit Black, Indigenous, and People of Color athletes, a program featuring a virtual 5k, which helped fund 26 Deaflympians at the 24th Summer Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
Prior to joining USADSF as its Executive Director, Crane captained the United States Deaflympic Hockey team in 2007, winning gold in Salt Lake City, and again in 2015, winning Bronze in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Crane also participated in the Tennis competition at the 2005 Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia. USADSF
President Jeffrey Mansfield reflected, “USADSF is grateful for Jim’s dynamic leadership and his ability to connect with our athletes, families, fans, and officials. While we will miss Jim’s impactful contributions, his work has put USADSF in a stronger position to continue to advocate for Deaflympic equality. It has been my privilege to work closely with Jim in raising the bar for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes.” Crane added, “USADSF is in a much better position than where it was five years ago and I am confident the Board will continue to carry on all the fine work the office has done. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to work for USADSF. My contribution towards Deaf Sports is far from done and I will continue to contribute from outside. My heart will always be with USA Deaf Sports.”
The USADSF Board of Directors congratulates Jim on his achievements and wishes Jim success in his future pursuits. While USADSF has yet to release details on future management plans, USADSF remains optimistic about the future of the US Deaflympic Team. As USADSF enters the next phase of our strategic plan in the coming months, USADSF will introduce new programs, host special events, and revamp policies and procedures to better serve the Deaf sports community. For all inquiries related to this news or general inquiries, please contact us at info@usdeafsports.org.
USADSF Mission: Empower USA Deaflympic and Deaf National Teams to continuously reach their highest competitive potential and promote accessible and inclusive sports environments and experiences for Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes.
USADSF Vision: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans shall thrive in all aspects of sport and society with the full provision of equal access and barrier-free participation. The United States Deaflympics and National Teams shall serve as an exemplary model of equity, inclusion, and excellence.
The USADSF does not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender, age, orientation, handicap, or veteran status.