Adaptive Sports
Adaptive sports were originally created to encompass athletes with physical disabilities, initially only including athletes who used wheelchairs and gradually becoming more inclusive to ambulatory athletes with a disability, athletes with a visual impairment and so on.
Sports and Recreation for the Blind is providing opportunities to experience blind sports.
Goalball
Developed as a rehabilitation activity for injured soldiers returning from World War II, goalball has since spread around the world and is now played in more than 100 countries.
The game is played by two teams of three people on a court 18m long and 9m wide. Teams have up to six players, but only three are on court at a time. The aim is to score by rolling the ball at speed into the opposition's goal, while the other team attempts to block the ball with their bodies.
If you are interested in goalball contact us!
Blind Hockey
Blind Hockey is the same exciting, fast-paced sport as Ice Hockey with a couple changes. Players' levels of vision range from legally blind - approximately 10% vision or less - to totally blind. Typically, totally blind athletes play goal or defense, lower sighted athletes play defense, and higher sighted athletes play forward. The most significant modification is that the sport features an adapted puck that makes noise and is both bigger and slower than a traditional puck. Blind Hockey is an excellent spectator sport as it is easily recognizable to the average hockey fan, with minimal rule adaptations to help with gameplay and player safety.
Custom 3-foot high nets are used rather than the traditional 4-foot nets to keep the puck low and near the ice so it can make noise and be tracked aurally.
All players must wear full protective gear including face mask.
Blind Hockey has been played in Canada since the early 1970’s. The sport was first played in the U.S. on October 18, 2014.
If you’re interested in learning blind hockey, please contact us!
Beep Baseball
Beep baseball is the equivalent of America’s favorite ball game. For the blind or visually impaired, they made a few changes:
There are only two bases; first and third. The bases, which emit a beeping sound, are about four feet tall. Players run toward the beeping base after the ball is hit.
The catcher and pitcher are in the batter’s team; they are both sighted.
There are six fielders in a team, and all of them are blind or visually impaired. Everyone wears sleep shades or blindfolds so as to not give any advantage to players with some remaining vision.
The defensive team is allowed two spotters, or sighted volunteers. They call out the zone numbers to assist the team.
Each game consists of six innings and four strikes. Games typically last about 90 minutes.
If you’re interested in learning beep baseball please contact us!
Blind Judo
Judo is a popular full contact sport for athletes who are blind and visually impaired. The sport of Judo holds incredible potential for improving the physical, mental and psychological well-being of a blind athlete. Blind Judo is a sport that requires a high level of practice and skill, however it is a very enjoyable sport at the same time that doesn't only keep you fit but also keeps you having fun and meeting new people. People often learn basic self-defense in the judo classes.
The only difference between able-bodied and visually impaired judo is in visually impaired judo, you must maintain contact with your opponent. Once you break contact, the match is stopped, athletes are brought back together and the match resumes.
Also the referee will audibly let competitors know when they are reaching the edge of the playing area as they are not able to locate it with their sight.
If you’re interested in learning judo, please contact us!