CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A student athlete in Sinton who happens to be a member of the deaf and hard of hearing community is gaining world wide attention after a video of her competing in a track meet went viral on social media.
The reason? The unique way she gets her cue to start the race.
Madison Avery has always worked hard to achieve her goals growing up, especially on the track.
"I do the 400 that's my main event, 200, and obviously I do the relays," she said.
She started running at an early age.
Now a senior at Sinton High School, she's following in her dad's footsteps.
"My dad ran track in college so I was the only one out of my three sisters to pick up track," she said.
Avery was born with hearing loss.
"Every day I still think it's an obstacle but it makes me who I am and makes me stronger every day," she said.
She doesn't run with her hearing aids on which makes getting the signal to start the race difficult.
"Sometimes I can't hear the starters depending on where they are, sometimes they are close or far away depending on which line I'm on," she explained.
One of her coaches came up with a plan following a track meet where there wasn't a gun signal.
"It was just a beep and she couldn't hear the beep at all so I came up to her [and said], 'what if I just stand behind you and I just tap you,'" coach Brooke Gallimore said.
Ever since, it's been a success.
"Maddie is an amazing athlete it has been awesome getting to watch her grow," head girls track coach Josephine Guzman said . "I remember watching her last year I didn't get to coach her but watching her last year in the 400, she would have a difficult time she would start her race late and then watching coach Gallimore come up with this idea, let's go ahead and try tapping her, lets see if its allowed. It has just seriously helped Maddie. Her confidence has grown a tremendous amount, helped her grow as an athlete."
The unique cue highlighted in a video shot by Ruben Serrano and posted to Instagram has been viewed more than 7 million times.
Gallimore is the coach seen doing the tapping in that video.
"I just feel she should have the same opportunity as every single other kid that gets on those blocks and that was a way we could do that together as a team," she said.
That viral video led to supportive comments like one from Olympic athlete Kellie Wells Brinkley that read, "Love this! Way to roll!"
It's a boost of confidence that has led Avery on a winning path.
"She is an amazing leader, she is a competitor, I could literally stick her in any event," Guzman said.
"Definitely not expecting to get so much attention from it," Avery said. "I absolutely love the feedback I got from it and support I've gotten from it as well."
The video also leading to a rare opportunity.
Avery has been invited to compete at the World Deaf Athletic Championship in Taiwan this July.
"I'm still kind of comprehending that oh wow they reached out to me and want me to run with them and represent the U.S. and also deaf athletes," she said.
Avery is hoping her journey can help show others like her they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to despite their challenges.
"There's always going to be something hard, there's gonna be adversity, but that is what makes us who we are and grow as a person," she said. "That was a thing growing up, I never really got to see so many role models that were like me, specifically being deaf, being an athlete there were multiple times I went up to my parents and asked, 'mom, I don't know if I can do this who am I suppose to look up to?'"
Avery credits the support of her coaches and parents for helping her along the way.
"For me, I just feel like because of her disability, her hearing disability, I just am happy it hasn't let it stop her, push through and overcome and be as successful as she needed and wanted to be," Avery's mom Nita said.
Avery has also advanced to the regional track meet in Kingsville in three different running events tomorrow.