On a volleyball court, David Smith is a combination of will and grace.

"I look at him," UC Irvine coach John Speraw said, "and I see a good volleyball player."

Anteater setter Brian Thornton added: "He's an unbelievable competitor."

It is Smith's unlimited potential, not his limited hearing in both ears, that makes the starting middle blocker unique.

"Honestly, I hardly even notice" Smith's hearing impairments, Thornton said. "Playing alongside him is like playing alongside anyone who's competitive. You notice the competitiveness, not the other things."

In Wednesday's three-game sweep of Hawai'i, Smith blasted eight kills in 13 swings, made three digs, sizzled an ace and assisted on three blocks.

The rematch is tonight in the Stan Sheriff Center.

"You hear about people with impairments, but I don't even consider David impaired in any way," Speraw said. "I almost forget it's a story. People talk about it, and I say, 'Oh, yeah, that's true.' But it's not slowing him down in any way."

Smith said he was born with a defect in which damaged nerve fibers left him with about 20-percent hearing in both ears. He was diagnosed with the impairments when he was 3.

"Technically, it's like being legally deaf," Smith said.

But the condition has not kept him from succeeding in school and athletics. He played volleyball, soccer and basketball in high school.

At UC Irvine, Smith, an engineering major, relies on plastic hearing aids and lip reading to follow lectures.

"A lot of the professors have really thick accents, so I have to work hard," Smith said. "I don't have an interpreter. They do have those services available, but for me, it's not necessary. It's been this way since the first day of kindergarten. It's not something that was once OK and now it's harder. It's something I've gone through my entire lie. It doesn't bother me."

He also wears the hearing aids when he plays volleyball.

"Sometimes when I'm playing, I'll sweat (into the ears), and my hearing aid doesn't react well to sweat," he said. "Any time I get moisture in it, it'll go out on me. That happens pretty much every practice, especially when the hearing aids get older."

Because of that, Speraw said, "it's more of a challenge as the match goes on. But he's really self-sufficient on the court, and we've never had to adapt or change the way we play."

During timeouts, Speraw said he is mindful of facing Smith, enabling him to also lip read.

Speraw also has implemented the "David Smith Rule."

"If the ball is coming over, if he wants to take it, he can take it," Speraw said. "He might not be able to hear anyone calling for the volleyball. It works for us because he's a really good ball-handler. Usually, a big middle blocker doesn't like to do that, but he's got good enough ball control."

Libero Brent Asuka said: "It's been fun working with him. He can set and hit. He does everything well."

"I just love playing the game," Smith said.

PRINCE AT SPEED CLINIC

Victoria Prince, a former All-America volleyball player for the Rainbow Wahine, will be the featured instructor at this weekend's Hawai'i Speed and Quickness Clinic at the UH complex.

"It's so much fun," Prince said. "The kids have so much fun. We teach them the proper running form and how to become faster and stronger. We talk about a lot of things, like staying in school and staying away from drugs. I have a good time, too. It's awesome when you can go up to a parent and say, 'Your kid did a great job.' "

Sessions are 8:30 a.m. to 10 for ages 7-12, and 10:30 a.m. to noon for those 13 and older.

Each session is $10. The fee includes a coupon for a free juice.

For details, call 739-5444 or log on to: www.hawaiispeedandquickness.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.