USADSF Mourns the Passing of Its Former President, Mr. Jack Lamberton

The USA Deaf Sports Federation mourns the passing of Mr. Jack Clark Lamberton, who departed us on May 1, 2026. Jack was born in Park City, Utah, on December 27, 1946, attended the California School for the Deaf in Riverside and graduated from Gallaudet University. A long-time supporter of the Deaf Sports movement, Jack first attended the 1985 World Games for the Deaf (which would later be known as the Deaflympics) in Los Angeles and became involved with the American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD), today known as USADSF. Lamberton would eventually serve as president of USADSF for two terms from 2009-2017, before joining the Executive Board of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) from 2017 to 2021. 

Jack Lamberton’s advocacy of Deaf athletes were prevalent throughout his time with USADSF, where he served as a Team Leader or Delegate to ten Deaflympic Games, including the 1991, 2003, 2007, and 2015 Winter Deaflympics and the 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2017 Summer Deaflympics. Jack also helped organize the 2006 World Deaf Cycling Championships in San Francisco. His leadership as President of USADSF was instrumental to the United States' success at the 2013 Summer Deaflympics in Sofia, Bulgaria, the 2015 Winter Deaflympics in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, and the 2017 Summer Deaflympics in Samsun, Turkey. 

During Lamberton’s time at the helm of USADSF, he helped navigate organizational restructuring amidst an evolving Deaf sports landscape due to widespread funding cuts, often generously volunteering his time and skills to ensure USADSF’s continued success. He was also committed to strengthening collaboration amongst members of the Pan American Deaf Sports Organization (PANAMDES), serving as a Treasurer prior to his election to the ICSD Executive Board, where he would eventually serve as the Vice President of Youth Sports. 

The Deaf Sports movement represented a labor of love for Jack. Outside of his work with Deaf Sports, Jack was an avid cyclist, hiker, jogger, and loved being outdoors around his home in California. Jack also enjoyed racquet sports, particularly racquetball, and woodworking.

USA Deaf Sports Federation requests that our community respect the privacy of Mr. Lamberton’s family during this difficult time. 

For all inquiries related to this news or general inquiries, please contact us at info@usdeafsports.org.