The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory By Thomas Fuller

The Boys of Riverside is the incredible story of an all-deaf high school football team’s journey from underdog to undefeated champions. Written by New York Times reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief, Thomas Fuller, the book offers a fascinating portrait of deafness in America, the inspirational brotherhood formed by the team, and the indefatigable head coach, Keith Adams, who spearheaded their success.

In November 2021, an obscure email from the California Department of Education caught Fuller’s attention. The football team at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, a state-run school with only 168 high school students, was having an undefeated season. After years of covering tragedies like wildfires, war, and the pandemic, Fuller was drawn to this uplifting story about a deaf football team defying the odds. It was a sports story unlike any other, built on the chemistry between a group of underestimated boys and their superhero advocate coach, Keith Adams—a deaf former athlete himself. Fuller drove seven hours to the Riverside campus just in time to witness the team’s playoff victory.

The Boys of Riverside revisits the historic 2021 and 2022 seasons, chronicling the personal journeys of Coach Adams, a player who spent the season sleeping in his father’s car, another who played through a broken leg, and other players with similarly heart-wrenching and uplifting stories. Through their experiences, Fuller provides a unique look at high school athletics and the broader experience of deafness in America, showcasing how dreams can be achieved even when they seem impossible.