Specific Sports and Activities

This section offers information on some of the sports in which athletes who are blind or visually impaired most often participate, including practical strategies and techniques, inspirational articles, and resources.

Aerobics and Fitness

An Aerobic Exercise Class for College Students with Visual Impairments
Linda Powell and Susan Ponchillia discuss the adaptations they used in an aerobic exercise class.

Fitness for Individuals who are Visually Impaired, Blind, and Deafblind; NCPAD (The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability)
Lauren Lieberman outlines techniques to promote fitness at home and in the community,  with recommendations and resources.

What Exercises Can I Safely Do with Low Vision? VisionAWARE
VisionAWARE offers general advice, as well as specific tips about exercise equipment.

Audio Darts

Audio Darts -- PE Perspective; SportsVision
The "Adaptability" section of this newsletter discusses audio darts as an inclusive activity for all students in physical education.  Adaptations and suggestions on how to play are included.

Basketball

Adapted Basketball for the Blind; ICEVI (International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment)
The author, an Iranian physical education teacher, details the adaptations used to make basketball accessible to students who are blind and visually impaired.

Biking

Blind People in Tandem Racing; Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
This page explains the basics of tandem bike racing and includes related links.

Cycling; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
Techniques for tandem cycling are described, and sources of tandem bikes and clubs are included.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

Tandem Club of America
This site offers information about tandem cycling, including an electronic newsletter and resources.

Bowling

Bowling; United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA)
USABA describes adapted bowling techniques, including sighted guidance and using the guide rail.

Bowling by the Blind in America – Tomorrow the World! The Braille Forum, American Council of the Blind
Oral O. Miller describes the history of bowling by the blind and discusses the use of a guide rail.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

American Blind Bowling Association (ABBA)
ABBA seeks to "promote interest in bowling activities among legally blind men and women in North America;" their newsletter is published three times per year and is available here in electronic format.

Goalball

Competitive Sports: Goal BallNCPAD (The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability)
This introduction to goalball describes the history, rules, and equipment of the game.

Focus: GOALBALL; RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind)
Jessica Luke, aged 12, explains how to play goalball.

Goalball; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
Rules, strategy, and equipment for goalball are explained here.

Goalball--The Great Equalizer; Future Reflections, National Federation of the Blind
Vasantha Ayilavarapu describes how she used goalball as a way to promote inclusion in physical education classes.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

USA Goalball
Basic information about the sport, news, resources, an email newsletter, and discussion list are available on this site.

Golf

Adaptive Techniques for the Visually Impaired Golfer; The Center for the Partially Sighted
Optometrist Tina R. MacDonald presents modifications to rules, optical and non-optical adaptive aids, a case study, and additional resources.

Basic Blind Golf Techniques; United States Blind Golfer's Association
Bob Andrews offers suggestions, ideas, and techniques.

Golf; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
This page describes modifications and suggestions for training and competition.

Swinging without Seeing; United States Blind Golfer's Association
Bob Andrews shares tips on improving one's golf swing without sight.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

International Blind Golf Association
IBGA provides introductory information to the sport, as well as a list of member countries and a calendar of events.

United States Blind Golfer's Association
Video clips provide an introduction to the sport, including the history, the role of the coach, and rules.  There are many additional links to articles and related resources.

Horseback Riding

Encouraging Independence: Tips for Teaching Blind Riders; North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA)
William Fennessee tells instructors how to foster maximum independence in riders who are blind. He identifies and offers remedies to negative messages and policies that may impose unnecessary limitations.

Fun and Fitness on the Trail; Jewish Institute for the Blind
This brief article highlights some of the benefits of horseback riding for individuals who are blind, including motor skills and self-confidence.

Horse Play: A Coaching Manual for Therapeutic Horseback Riding; Michigan State University
In this 63-page manual, Marissa B. Siebel seeks "to provide entry-level coaches information regarding therapeutic horseback [riding] for athletes with physical disabilities."

Therapeutic Horseback Riding for the Blind; Future Reflections, National Federation of the Blind
Wanda L. Ritter discusses some of the benefits of horseback riding for children who are blind or visually impaired.  She includes questions to ask when choosing a riding program.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

American Hippotherapy Association (AHA)
AHA promotes therapeutic riding as a "treatment strategy … for people living with disabilities. Hippotherapy has been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development as well as emotional well-being."

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA)
NARHA offers certification programs for instructors and has member programs throughout the United States and Canada.  Search by state and type of disability to locate a center near you.

Judo

Coaching Judo for Blind Athletes
Neil Ohlenkamp lists practical strategies for judo coaches working with athletes who are blind.

Judo; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
USABA offers information on transitioning from wrestling to judo, modifications and suggestions for training and competition, and coaching requirements for certification.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

Blind Judo Foundation
This site provides basic information about the sport, and includes links to numerous articles on the general topic of sports and people who are blind or visually impaired.

Judo for Blind Athletes
These pages include coaching tips, rules for the visually impaired in judo competitions, benefits of judo, and other related articles.

Running and Athletics

Athletics; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
USABA discusses modifications and suggestions for training and competition for track and field events.

A Guide for the Guides; Vision5K
Jim Vargo offers tips for guide runners, including a list of things to avoid doing, as well as basic strategies, and things to announce to the runner.

Guide Running; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
Guide runners will find advice on techniques and strategies when guiding a runner who is blind or visually impaired.

Tips for Runners with Visual Impairments; American Foundation for the Blind
AFB offers suggestions in English and Spanish for runners with visual impairments, including information on guiding techniques, choosing a guide, setting the pace, watching the time, and guidance for the guides.

Skiing

Blind Skiing…How and Why? American Blind Skiing Foundation
This is a step-by-step description of how skiers who are blind get started.  A list of some of the benefits of skiing is also included.

Look Who's Skiing - How Does He Do That? Blind Children's Resource Center
Tom Ferry describes how his son John, who is blind, learned to ski.

Skiing; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
Modifications and suggestions for training and competition for both Nordic and Alpine skiing can be found on this page.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

American Blind Skiing Foundation
Information about the organization can be found here, including the history, mission, events, membership information, and community links.

Ski for Light, Inc.
Ski for Light is "a program of cross-country skiing benefiting blind, visually-impaired, and mobility-impaired individuals and their guides."  An electronic newsletter, fact sheet, history and other documents are displayed at the site.

Swimming

AdaptTap Leveling the Playing Field for Blind Swimmers; USA Swimming
AdaptTap is a device that guides swimmers in the pool and notifies them when to turn at the end of a lap.

Aquatics Programming for Individuals with Special Needs: Visual Impairments and Blindness; Project Inspire
Carol Huettig shares strategies for swimmers who are blind or visually impaired.

Aquatics and Sensory Integration; Project Inspire
Project Inspire explores the benefits of adapted aquatics in enhancing sensory integration.

A Blind Swimmer Uses Her Hearing and Boundless Courage to Compete; Future Reflections, National Association of the Blind
Swimmer Megan Smith describes how she uses her hearing to determine when to turn around at the end of a lap; her coaches share what they have learned from working with her. Competitive opportunities for blind swimmers are discussed.

Swimming; USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes)
USABA describes techniques, training, and special adaptations.

Swimming as a Totally Blind Athlete: What You Need to Know; Future Reflections, National Federation of the Blind
Donovan Tildesley discusses some of the challenges that swimmers who are blind must face, including pool space, coaching methods, and availability of tappers.

Volleyball

Volleyball (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
This document lists volleyball adaptations for students with visual impairments and other types of disabilities.

New Sport – Volleyball for the Blind in Japan; ICEVI (International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment)
While featuring the game as played in Japan, this article details adaptations and some of the potential benefits of volleyball for players who have a visual impairment.