Ortman, a young Norwegian ready to represent the United States in Argentina

Norwegian graduate Alex Ortman (4) drives to the basket for a layup against West Iron County on Jan. 25 at Norway High School. On Thursday, Ortman will suit up for Team USA at the 2024 DIBF World Deaf Basketball Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (File photo Sean Chase/IMDN)

NORWAY — After helping Norway’s varsity baseball team to its best finish in program history as a Division 4 state runner-up, Alex Ortman has a chance to add to his impressive athletic resume before heading off to college.

On Thursday, Ortman will represent the United States at the 2024 International Deaf Basketball Federation U21 World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The United States’ first game will be at the National High Performance Athletics Center against Ukraine at 1:30 p.m. Argentina Standard Time. That’s three hours ahead of Central Standard Time.

“I feel like it means everything to me” Ortman said: “Being able to play for my country means the world to me.

“I am very excited. It is an incredible honor to represent the United States, Norway and Dickinson County.”

Ortman is no stranger to the basketball court. He finished his career as Norway’s second-all-time leading scorer with 1,226 career points.

“You’re not playing for a small town, you’re playing for the whole United States.” Ortman said. “It’s a surreal feeling, I can’t believe it’s happening.”

Even though Ortman has gotten over the shock of representing the United States, he’s eager to give it his all on the court.

“I think I will play more aggressively in Argentina because I have nothing to lose” Ortman said: “When you play for your country, you have to give it your all, don’t you?

“I gave my country everything I had on the pitch, every drop of sweat.”

And to top it all off, he’s not the only Ortman who’s had the opportunity to represent his country on the basketball court. His brother, Connor, played in the tournament in 2018.

“(This opportunity) means a lot more than most people would think,” Ortman said. “It means a lot to me that we were both able to do this.”

For Alex, following Connor’s lead led him to enter the game.

“It was in the basement” Ortman said. “My dad was trying to teach my brother how to dribble between his legs, and I was a little kid and I started doing it too. Then we went to the gym the next day. And of course, me, the little guy, couldn’t throw the ball that high, so I just dribbled. That’s how it all started.”

It also adds a bit of pressure on the younger brother, especially since Connor’s team won gold six years ago when the competition was held in Washington DC.

“It motivates me to be the second brother to win gold,” Ortman said.

Due to work, Steve Ortman was unable to stay in Washington DC to watch his son Connor compete for gold.

“I missed everything” he said. “My wife, Alex and my sister all stayed there so they got to experience it. This time we’re leaving on Friday. We’re going there to watch, yeah, I couldn’t be more proud.”

And that goes for both of his sons.

“These two boys have accomplished more than we could have ever imagined they would ever be capable of.” said Steve Ortman. “When you have a child with a disability, your parenting style changes a little bit and you find yourself wanting them to accomplish more because they’re already behind everyone else.”

For Steve, seeing his sons play at this level was unimaginable when he was told they were deaf.

Like his brother, Alex was born with hearing loss.

“We mourned their hearing loss, like any other loss,” Steve said, “It took the people at Children’s Hospital to show us, ‘Hey, this isn’t the end, no matter what. Look at what you can do.'”

“The cochlear implant my sons received is the greatest invention our family will ever know or see because it allows them to live a more normal life, if ‘normal’ is the right word.”

The implant has helped Alex so much that most people wouldn’t guess he’s deaf.

“Most people probably don’t even realize how difficult it is for him to hear and communicate because they’re not around him as much as we are.” Steve said. “And it’s a credit to them that they did everything they could to get where they are. And it’s an accomplishment for him, more than it is for us. We allowed him to become the young man he is, and he did it.”

Earn your place

To put his name in the running for a spot on the team, Ortman flew to Indianapolis in July 2023 for a tryout.

“I think there were about 30 or 40 children,” Ortman said. “They came from everywhere, from all over the country. California, Texas, New York. It was packed.”

After letting everything drag on, it took a while for the final list to be published.

“I think it lasted about a month and then they sent me a big email saying I had been selected as one of many players to represent the United States,” Ortman said. “I was shaking reading the news.”

To say he was excited is an understatement.

“One of the kids on the team emailed him and said, ‘Hey, check your email. Call me back.’” said Steve Ortman. “And then I hear him screaming upstairs.”

Gameplay style

Even though gold is the goal, the style of play will be very different from what Ortman is used to, as competitors are not allowed to use hearing aids. That means Ortman will have to play without his cochlear implant, which he has had since he was four and a half years old.

However, Ortman is not worried.

“I feel like I’m going to play better” he said. “I don’t have to worry about it coming loose.”

Steve Ortman agreed.

“In these gyms he has a lot of trouble hearing anything anyway, because there are so many sounds that he can’t distinguish them.” he said. “You know, when we went to other gyms and they were hurting him by singing, it didn’t matter. It was just noise.”

And after

Once Ortman returns from Argentina, he will pack his bags and head to Washington, D.C. on August 2. He will attend Gallaudet University to play basketball and baseball.

“It’s very nerve-wracking,” Ortman said. “I have two or three days to rest and pack my bags. Then I’m leaving right away.”

This is not his first time in the Washington DC area, however.

” I’ve been there many times “ Ortman said. “We went there when I was younger. When my brother was playing for the United States in 2018… I went there in December as well. So I know the area pretty well.”

Although it’s difficult to send his youngest son out into the world, Steve is confident he’s ready.

“Ultimately, you have to make the decision to leave the nest.” Steve said. “He is now old enough to know right from wrong. And everything will be fine.”

All matches of the 2024 DIBF Deaf Basketball World Championships will be streamed online at https://www.youtube.com/@DIBFOfficial.

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