Sports camps offer blind and visually impaired children one of the most efficient ways to develop athletic skills, compete, and make fitness and exercise an ongoing part of their lives.
A weeklong sports camp, such as those sponsored by Camp Abilities or the US Association of Blind Athletes, can open new worlds: baseline skills can be assessed and built on; campers can experience the competitive thrill and team dynamic of sports such as goalball as well as try other physical activities, including kayaking, rollerblading, and the table game showdown.
Camps often help blind children discover and develop talents they never knew they had. As Camp Abilities, founder Lauren Lieberman has observed, "Riding bikes, kayaking, rock climbing, and roller blading-a lot of people think blind kids can't do sports at all," said Lieberman. "At our camp, they do them all day long: they run six-minute miles, dive off the high-dive, and hit pitched baseballs."
Sports Camps for Blind and Visually Impaired Youth
Camp Abilities
Brockport, New York
Camp Abilities is a one-week developmental sports camp for children ages 9-19 with visual impairment or deaf-blindness that provides one-on-one instruction using an Activity Analysis Checklist (a breakdown of essential physical skills) that Lieberman developed to empower kids to access and be successful at sports. The camp teaches archery, beep baseball, canoeing, dancing, diving, fishing, goalball, gymnastics, horseback riding, judo, kayaking, rock climbing, roller blading, showdown, soccer, swimming, tandem cycling, and track and field. Camp Abilities also features Paralympic role models who talk about nutrition, mobility, health, socialization, and advocacy.
Camp C.O.O.L
Sacramento, California
Camp Challenge Ourselves through Outdoor Leisure (C.O.O.L.) is a two-day, one night residential camp for disabled youth ages 10-25 comprised of two half-day Alpine ski lessons at Alpine Meadows and one session each of sled hockey/skating and curling. Call 916.808.6017 for information.
Courage Camp Sports Camp
Golden Valley, Minnesota
A weeklong where campers age 12-17 work with coaches and top disabled athletes to build skills in their favorite sports. Camp has an indoor gymnasium, pool, paved trails, tennis courts, and archery and rifle ranges. Call 763.520.0504 for information.
Lakeshore Foundation Sports Education Camp
Birmingham, Alabama
Camp run by goalball great Jen Armbruster (with mentoring from other elite athletes) introduces sports to blind students and trains those demonstrating potential. Sports include: air rifle and archery, cycling, goalball, judo, kayaking, rock climbing, swimming, track and field, and water skiing. The camp also offers sessions on adaptive basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. Call 205.313.7432 for information.
USABA Offers Regional Sports Education Camps
USABA Sports Education Camps are weeklong residential programs run by Paralympians and elite coaches where students age 10-12 learn or refine running, jumping, and throwing skills while those 13-18 learn and compete in bowling, cycling, goalball, gymnastics, judo, swimming, track and field, wrestling, and lifelong fitness promotion. Sites include Birmingham, Alabama; Colorado Springs; Orono, Maine; Kalamazoo, Michigan; St. Louis; and Salt Lake City, and Milwaukee. Call 719.630.0422 for information.
Western Michigan University Sports Education Camp
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Western Michigan University hosts three events: a Junior Camp (ages 10-12) series of clinics that teach basic athletic skills; a Senior Camp (ages 13-16) series of clinics that teach intermediate athletic skills; and The Michigan State Games where students can compete as individuals and on teams in sports such as goalball, judo, ERG Rowing, spinning, swimming, tandem cycling, track and field, weight training, and wrestling. Call 231.715.173 for information.
Sports camps afford blind children access to recreation and interaction that can profoundly affect their physical and emotional health, self-image, and sense of what's possible.
Andrew Leibs - Andrew Leibs is Suite101’s Feature Writer for Accessible Recreation. He is a longtime chronicler of the disability movement with ...
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