Early Access to Adapted Sports: Hands-On Training Hosted by the Blind Children’s Vocational Discovery and Development Program

Authors: Shirley Franklin, Blind Children’s Program Development Consultant, Health and Human Services Commission

Staying physically active throughout the lifespan by participating in individual or group sports activities is important for all people, including children with visual impairments.  Aside from the physical benefits, other important aspects of participating in organized sports include social skills, teamwork, and confidence which are key for future employment and community engagement. Often children who are blind or visually impaired have limited opportunities to play organized sports like their sighted peers. One way to get children with visual impairments physically active is by introducing adaptive sports at an early age. The Blind Children’s Vocational Discovery and Development Program (BCVDDP) has developed hands-on adaptive sports trainings to give children with visual impairments across the state exposure to and training in adapted sports skills.

For Crystal Kowalski, BCVDDP manager, playing adaptive sports made a positive impact on her life, inspiring her to share adapted sports with the children and families served by the BCVDDP. Growing up blind, Mrs. Kowalski shared that playing adaptive sports helped her gain spatial awareness, navigate her environment, and engage with others who were blind or visually impaired. She attended Sports Extravaganza from the ages of 10-16 years old and was drawn to goalball as well as track and field events. In 2014, Mrs. Kowalski joined the Austin Blackhawks beep baseball team to play in a competitive adult league. Beep baseball helps her stay active, and she enjoys the social aspect of engaging with blind adults who are independent. Mrs. Kowalski shared that, “playing adaptive sports has opened a lot of doors [for me] socially, which has allowed [me] to make connections with people all over the country”. Mrs. Kowalski was a key member of a workgroup that developed the BCVDDP Adaptive Sports Training.

In the fall of 2023, the program piloted an adapted sports training that provided a unique opportunity for children to learn about adapted sports, life-long skills related to health and fitness, and teamwork. The goal of this weekend-long, hands-on training was to introduce children ages six to fifteen to two paralympic team sports for blind and visually impaired athletes, beep baseball and goalball. The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired provided the athletic facilities for the two-day event, and the Austin-based beep baseball team, the Blackhawks, partnered with BCVDDP program staff to teach the children the skills needed to play beep baseball. The children learned how to listen for the beeping baseball and base, how to bat and field, use a defensive stance, and the pitcher’s cadence. Texas Adaptive Play Initiative (TAPI) volunteers taught the children goalball skills. The children learned passing and blocking drills where they practiced throwing, rolling, and blocking the goalball. During the first day of the weekend, the children learned the basic skills of each sport; on the second day, they scrimmaged in teams. Many of the children that participated in the skills training had never played a sport or experienced running towards a sound source, so basic skill building was the main focus of the weekend. 

The event was such a success that it has become an annual offering for children in BCVDDP services. During November 2-3, 2024, 14 children attended the second annual adaptive sports direct skills training in Austin. Several children were repeat attendees from the previous year’s training. 

Families and the children who participated in the adaptive sports direct skill trainings have shared that the training has impacted their child and family in very positive ways. Some of the participants did not use a white cane prior to this event but are now using their cane for navigating their environment safely. Other children with combined vision and hearing loss that did not wear hearing aids prior to the training are now wearing hearing aids because the experience motivated them to be able to better hear and localize sounds. One family remarked that before the training, “[they] knew nothing about adaptive sports and have learned about two accessible sports which built confidence.” Other families shared that they enjoyed the opportunity to connect with families with similar experiences and challenges. One family also shared that “taking turns is something my child struggles with; this event helped him share and take turns while learning to play sports”. The positive feedback from training participants affirms that opportunities to play adapted sports are beneficial to children and families with diverse needs and goals.

BCVDDP provides regular opportunities for children and families to engage in hands-on trainings to help their child meet their individual goals, including recreation and physical activity goals. The program plans to provide this direct skills training in different locations around the state in the future so that more children can benefit and become involved in local opportunities for adaptive sports. BCVDDP is also considering expanding the types of adapted sports offered for future events. The program is excited to provide children across Texas an opportunity to learn about adaptive sports and build lifelong skills. 

To learn more about our services visit the Blind Children’s Program website. To access services or ask questions email [email protected].