For Bartlett High School and current Harper College women's soccer star Katie Romano, nerves certainly entered into the equation when she took the field in January some 9,700 miles from home - literally on the other side of the world.

Romano was part of the U.S. women's national deaf soccer team that participated in the 2005 Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia. The Deaflympics features competition for deaf athletes in 16 different sports ranging from soccer, to beach volleyball, to bowling. Women's soccer was making its debut at the Deaflympics this year.

"I was very nervous," said Romano in a recent e-mail interview. "It was the first official game that I played with the USA team. I was the newest player on the team and didn't know the girls very well."

Any tinge of nervousness certainly didn't last long for Romano. She scored a goal in her first match (the first goal in women's soccer Deaflympics history no less) and went on to burn the back of the net a total of 6 times in 7 matches to help Team USA go a perfect 7-0 and capture the gold medal Team USA downed Russia in the gold medal match 3-0. U.S. teams won a total of 32 medals in Australia (8 gold).

Romano helped Team USA dispatch the likes of Denmark, Norway, Russia, Australia and Great Britain by a combined tally of 40-5 in the 7 matches. Romano scored 5 of her 6 goals in the first three matches against Denmark (2 goals), Norway (2 goals) and Russia (1 goal). She also opened the floodgates in a 7-2 victory in the semifinals against Denmark when she scored at the 10-minute mark.

Romano finished sixth in goals scored during the competition, which ran from Jan. 5-16. Her teammates Erin Coppedge (10 goals, second place) and Virginia Keeler (7 goals, tied for third place) also ranked in the top 5 in scoring.

"Scoring the first USA goal in the first game felt so amazing," said Romano "It was an awesome experience that I still can't believe I got to do. Being in sports, you always dream of playing at the highest level. I'm so happy I got a chance to represent the USA playing soccer."

Romano paints the team's second game against Norway as her favorite."I scored two goals and I felt like I played my best," said Romano. "I felt very happy that I was helping the team to win the game. After I scored, all the team came and hugged me and congratulated me."

Hooking up with the USA program was made possible through a friend of Romano's. "A friend, Jim Andreson (an individual active in Bartlett travel soccer), sent a video of me to the USA soccer coach (John Sisterson)," said Romano. "He called and invited me to a training camp in California. He liked me and I made the team. Thanks, Jim."

While winning the gold medal was a distinct thrill for Romano, there were other things that made the trip equally special.

"Of course winning the gold medal was my favorite part, but also being with my team and building a lot of new friendships," said Romano. "One of the best parts was just living soccer for three weeks - eat, sleep and play soccer. We didn't have to worry about anything else but our job - playing soccer."

An added bonus was getting to take in the ambiance of Australia."It was beautiful. I would like to move there," said Romano. "My

favorite thing in Australia was the park next to our hotel. It was a mix of tropical and rain forest. It was very green and always full of friendly, nice people."

The plane ride(s), while long, didn't catch up with Romano until she returned home. "It was 20 hours all together. Four hours to Los Angeles, 12 hours to New Zealand and 4 hours to Melbourne," said Romano, who was born deaf. "Going there I was fine. I was excited and we went right into training and playing. But on the way home, I was very tired and sad to go home. I have had a

Romano's mother, Barb, was equally thrilled for her daughter."I'm proud of her to have been able to play in this and have this

great, once in a lifetime experience," said Barb Romano. "She has every right to be happy and excited."

On the field in Melbourne, playing with a team full of deaf players also had its advantages, according to Romano."It was easier to play with deaf players because I could communicate with them," said Romano, who also played on a deaf women's basketball team and a flag football team in her spare time. "I felt I had more confidence on the field."

Romano, an Upstate Eight Conference all-academic selection her junior and senior years (honorable mention all-conference as a senior as well), certainly didn't lack confidence on the field last fall for Harper either. She helped Harper to a Region IV runner-up finish and was among the JUCO national leaders in scoring. She finished the year with 25 goals and 10

assists, en route to an All-Region IV first-team selection. Her 25 goals, according to the NJCAA Division III Web site, ranked her 10th in the country in that department.

"In the beginning at Harper, I was nervous," said Romano, who had an interpreter on the sidelines at Harper and has one with her in the classroom as well at the Palatine school. "I had played for Bartlett for so long and I knew all of the girls in

Bartlett. I always worry about people accepting me and being willing to play soccer with me. It was hard to go to a new team where I knew no one and had to start over again getting people to understand me and accept me. But it didn't take long. All of the girls on the Harper team and the coach were great. I got to know everybody quickly and we played very well together."

Romano, who wore uniform No. 8 with the U.S. squad, wasn't shy when asked if she expected to have the success she had collegiately this past season."Yes. I was playing for a great team and for a great coach," said

Romano, who played club ball for the Cosmos Football Club last summer. Harper freshman midfielder-forward Megan Finkler (a Hoffman Estates High School graduate) admits she had questions at the start of the season. Finkler led the team in scoring with 31 goals and earned first-team All-Region IV honors as well."In the beginning it was real interesting," said Finkler. "All of us

were like, 'Oh my goodness. How are we going to talk to her and how are we going to play with her?' "I had never played with Katie before. I had played against her in club. I'm impressed with the way she plays out there. She seems to know everything that is happening out on the field. When's she is on top, she holds the ball and gets around people. She's real good at possession."

Harper coach Dwayne Cruz is also blown away by Romano's superior field awareness. "She reads the game so well," said Cruz. "Her awareness is great. A lot of times she automatically knows. She reads players actions."

Her offensive prowess was also not lost on Cruz. "We allow our forwards to attack as much as possible," said Cruz. "She

was able to attack the goal. She was top 10 in the country in scoring. She's been a great impact. Katie is one of the most hard-nosed players. She will run through a wall to get the ball. She's got a great work ethic." Finkler says as the season at Harper wore on, Romano's deafness quickly became a non-factor. "It's like she's not even deaf," said Finkler."I am happy to know that I am thought of as the same as every other player," said Romano.

Some Harper players either took sign language classes or will be taking them to help them communicate even better with Romano. "I'm excited about that so I can communicate better with them and am happy they want to communicate with me," said Romano, who has been playing soccer for 10 years.

Romano already has her sights set on future success."I want to play four more years for sure to the next Deaflympic Games

Romano, however, views her whole Australian experience on a grander scale. "I was very honored to play on the USA national deaf team and represent the USA," she said. "I am also proud to be a deaf athlete and happy that they have the Deaflympics to show other deaf people what you can accomplish."