National Bass Association for the Deaf has a family with many close kin who are members as well, even competitive.

But we was intrigued by the fact that many members are brothers and sisters duos, and even entire families including all of their kids! Here comes into the picture the Ketchum clan family of Little Rock, Arkansas. They are not only mostly Deaf, they do everything together. And not just in family outings, but in several sports such as softball, fishing, and even hunting.

Imagine that nobody is left out, everybody participates, and even dominate the sport; how can that be? And attend together to events like the NBAD’s Bass fishing championships year after year annually. When the Ketchum family played softball together in the same softball league in the late 70’s, their Dad Edward was the pitcher, Brett was the SS, and the oldest brother Stan was their team’s catcher. His brother Ron played 3rd base. They dominated the entire infield with stellar defense.

The Patriarch of the family, Edward Ketchum, his boys Stan, Ron, and Brett, and their children are all 4th generation Deaf except for a few members who became Deaf thru something else besides hereditary Deafness. Edward has 6 grandchildren, 3 of each are both hearing and Deaf.

Said Brett, “My parents kept us close as a family, we all sign in the same language and we are able to have fun as a family when we go camping, when we pursue hobbies like this very event.”

The subject of the interview tonight with DeafNation representing the Ketchum family is Brett Ketchum, a 39 year-old experienced Bass fisherman who hopes to turn pro as a Bass fisherman. His last hurdle is finding sponsors to help cover the gigantic fee of the entry fee into the pro event. “I have a family to support, which is why sponsorship is the only way”, says Ketchum.

Said Ketchum, “I am as good as some of the pro Bass fishermen but don’t get enough exposure or recognization for sponsorship.” He was profiled in the www.flwoutdoors.com website and the link are the angler profiles.

His whole family, especially the other 2 brothers practically grew up in the waters fishing. “We used to host fishing events where we could fish any kind of fish,” says Edward. But someone told him, “No, don’t do events with mixed fish species; focus on the Black Bass fish of several kinds instead.”

Hence their Bass fishing legacy began. The family never finished under the top 10 since they started joining the Bass tournaments.

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32nd Annual National Bass Assoc. of the Deaf Team Tournament
June 10 – 14, 2007 at Mt. Harbor Resort, Lake Ouachita
Mount Ida, Arkansas
* $7,000 * Guaranteed to the First Place Team

For Further Information Contact:
General Chairman – Brett Ketchum
1306 Southedge Drive
Little Rock, Arkansas 72227
Email: Arkbass8@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 501-221-3042 (TTY)
More information at www.NBAD.org
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