Adaptive Sports to Keep You Active During Spring and Summer

The arrival of warm weather means putting those winter clothes in the shed and getting outside for some sunshine and physical activity. In a previous post, we shared adaptive sports for the winter. Changing seasons present opportunities to participate in warm-weather sports.

Tandem cycling, swimming, golf, and beep baseball are popular activities for the blind. Outlook’s Enrichment Recreational Programs understand that participation in physical activities or adaptive sports requires adaptation to equipment or instruction.

Since we are experiencing a pandemic, Outlook encourages people with visual impairments to consider these activities for the blind once they are safe and possible to participate.

Tandem cycling

Tandem cycling is social and enjoyable while providing good outdoor exercise. In addition to that great workout, tandem cycling requires teamwork, strengthening friendships, and understanding between riders.

For successful tandem cycling, find a good-quality tandem bike and a sighted captain who shares your goals and objectives. Effective communication is critical to enjoying tandem cycling.

Talking to your captain ensures that both of you understand speed, endurance, coasting, and riding style. For tips and advice, join the Outlook Tandem Bike Club or talk to others who cycle.

Golfing

Nice, sunny days are perfect for a round of golf. Sighted coaches assist blind golfers. The coach gives the golfer a course description and correct yardages and helps with club selection and proper alignment. The golfers compete with other golfers within their sight classification. The sight classifications include B-1 (no vision), B-2 (little usable vision), and B-3, (better usable vision).

Outlook Enrichment’s Annual Tee It Up Fore Sight fundraiser in June benefits Outlook Enrichment Programs. To ensure the safety of everyone involved and follow social distancing guidelines, each golfer will schedule a tee time during registration.

Swimming

Swimming is also an excellent physical activity. Swimming can be done alone or in a group setting. A swimmer can do swim exercises, water aerobics, or lap swimming as a workout. For lap swimming, you can count the number of strokes to cover one lap, slowing down as you get close to the end of your lane.

Use a lane rope for orientation, and stay in your lane as you swim. Lap swimming can be adapted using lane markers, which can be brightly colored flotation devices or ropes with flotation markers. 

Place a brightly colored marker or an audio device at the end of the lane to help with turns and orientation. If you enjoy swimming in open water like the sea, lake, or river, swimming with a sighted companion for safety is critical. Swim in the direction of the waves and listen for sounds that direct you to land.

Beep baseball

One of America’s favorite pastimes is baseball. With some simple modifications, visually impaired players enjoy this beloved activity. Created in the mid-sixties, beep baseball is played with an oversized beeping softball and two buzzing bases, first and third.

All six team players wear blindfolds to equalize their vision. The sighted pitcher is on the same team as the batter. The batter hits the ball and runs to the base, which buzzes and tags it. He scores a run if he gets there before a fielder picks up the ball. 

If not, he is out. Three outs, six innings, and the game is over. This physical yet fun game requires combining strength, skill, and auditory senses to focus on the beeping ball and buzzing bases.

Playing adaptive sports makes staying physically fit enjoyable. Adding some simple modifications allows full participation and engagement in sports. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a novice, the goal is to get physical exercise and stay energized during these warm spring and summer months.

Five Benefits of Volunteering in Your Community

Volunteering allows people to donate their time and talents to people and organizations throughout their communities. Many not-for-profit and charitable organizations lack sufficient funding to pay their staff members a salary.

These organizations could not meet the needs of those they serve without the generosity and support of their volunteers. The week of April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week, and to celebrate it, there are five benefits of volunteering, though this article only scratches the surface.

It builds connections.

If you’re new to an area, volunteering helps you connect with people with similar interests. Together, you and your new friends can participate in fun and worthwhile activities for important community-wide causes.

It boosts your confidence.

Volunteering boosts confidence, raises self-esteem, and helps you develop social skills. If you feel comfortable around others and like participating in community-wide events, you may find donating your time and skills an essential part of your life. 

However, being around large numbers of people may make you uncomfortable if you’re an introvert. Participating in activities with the same group of people consistently allows you to practice and develop your social skills. Volunteering also allows you to meet new people and grow your social network.

It teaches the importance of giving back.

Family volunteering teaches children the importance of giving back while adding value to their lives and the lives of those they serve. It also connects parents with organizations providing child-friendly community activities.

It helps meet the needs of people in your community.

If you are a visually impaired volunteer, you can benefit from volunteering your time and skills to help meet the needs of people and organizations in your community. Even during this time of social distancing, you can still help your community from the comfort of your home.

With today’s technological enhancements, many visually impaired people volunteer over the phone or online. For example, some organizations may need content for emails, blogs, websites, and other materials. Other organizations need people to make or answer phone calls from a remote location.

Make sure your organization has a staff person available to answer any questions. Even though you’re volunteering at home, you can still connect through social media and other online platforms.

It helps your career.

Volunteering provides opportunities to advance your career or start a new one. You can learn new skills and enhance those you already have, connect with organizations that offer internships, and meet potential employers.

In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 19-25, 2020), Outlook Enrichment would like to thank all our volunteers for their service to our community. Although no events are happening now, preparations are underway for future events. Sign up for one of our volunteer opportunities here.

Thrive Year-Round With Adaptive Winter Sports and Activities

Each year, most people resolve to get physically fit and stay active. Traditional methods to achieve this include going to the local gym, attending an aerobic or yoga class, or participating in a sporting activity. These are all great ways to keep moving, but sometimes, those options are not feasible or accessible to people with visual impairments. Outlook’s Enrichment Recreational Programs are put together with the understanding that participating in physical activities for the blind or sports requires only a simple adaptation of equipment or instruction. Active visually impaired people often see an increase in self-confidence, social life, and life skills and have a sense of belonging. Skiing, goalball, and bowling are popular activities for the blind during these cold winter months.

Skiing

Skiing is a great physical activity and the ultimate winter sport. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced skier, you will find enjoyment after each run. Adaptive skiing matches the blind or visually impaired skier with a sighted, experienced ski guide. As they ski together, the guide gives directions and shares changes in surroundings and the terrain. Both guide and skier wear a vest that identifies them to prevent other skiers from skiing in between them. Many people enjoy either cross-country or downhill skiing. The major difference is that cross-country skiing occurs on smaller slopes and hills, while downhill skiing involves steeper slopes. If you are interested in skiing with others who are visually impaired, connect with organizations such as the American Blind Skiing Foundation or Ski for Light.

Goalball

Goalball is the most popular team sport for the blind and visually impaired. It originated in 1946 when Austrian Hanz Lorenzen and German Sett Reindle developed it as a way to keep blinded WWII veterans physically active. Goalball has become the premier team sport for blind athletes and is played competitively in 112 countries.

In goalball, two teams of three players face each other across a court. The game aims to roll a basketball-sized ball with bells inside over the opponent’s goal line. The opposite team listens for the oncoming ball and attempts to block it with their bodies. They become the offensive team once they stop the ball and take control. It is played on a court with tactile markings so that players can determine their location on the court and which direction they are facing. Players take turns throwing the ball at each other’s goal. 

Goalball is typically played by people with visual impairments, but all players are required to wear eye masks so the experience is equal. The ball makes noise in motion so the players can locate it audibly. This sport requires the audience to be silent while watching. 

Bowling

Bowling is a fun activity that people who are blind and visually impaired can enjoy with their sighted friends and family. There are no rule modifications and visually impaired bowlers are allowed a visual description of the ball’s path, pins knocked down, or pins remaining. There are two adaptive ways to play: sighted guide assistance or a guide rail. When using the sighted guidance method, a sighted person aligns the blind bowler on the approach before the delivery. For the more independent bowler, guide rails help with strategy and delivery. These lightweight tubular metal rails are easy to assemble, disassemble, and store easily. Some alleys or bowling centers have guide rails already in place or available for loan. Sign up for our Annual Bowling Bash to enjoy the game and have fun with your peers.

Playing adaptive sports makes staying physically fit enjoyable. Adding some basic modifications allows full participation and engagement in sports. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just a novice, the goal is to exercise physically and stay energized during these cold winter months with activities for the blind. Stay tuned for an additional post on adaptive sports for spring and summer.

The Power and Benefits of Mentorship

Mentoring relationships are celebrated in January, which is National Mentoring Month. What exactly does mentoring mean? And how is a mentor/mentee relationship beneficial? Mentoring is defined as training and advising. Most people are familiar with this concept, but not many realize the potential power of mentoring or being mentored.

“Effective mentoring takes effort, and creating successful mentoring relationships requires specific skills, sensibilities and structure from both the mentor and mentee,” Mary Abbajay said in a Forbes article, Mentoring Matters: Three Essential Elements of Success. Committing to the relationship and establishing a structure benefits both parties. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), research supports mentor/mentee relationships, showing that mentees excel in personal and professional endeavors when being mentored.

The Importance of Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring relationships can help with various skill sets besides employment or school. It’s common to make resolutions at the beginning of the year; this includes learning new skills or knowledge for many. Finding a mentor to guide you along the way has the potential to provide a teacher and a support system.

Some goals you might set for 2020:

Searching for a mentor also connects you to people with similar experiences. This can be crucial for disabled people. Finding those who have and do navigate similar circumstances positively impacts your mindset and ability to act. Exposure to other people with visual impairments, especially if they can act as mentors and help you navigate the world as a person with visual impairments, can dramatically impact your daily life and the goals you set forth.

According to Mentor: The National Mentoring Partnership, people exposed to positive role models often excel. Demographics given low expectations see an increase in personal and professional goals once paired with a mentor. Often, they are more likely to:

Getting Involved Through Mentorship Programs

Mentoring happens both formally and informally. You can find a mentor who lives next door or seek mentoring programs. Some potential formal local programs to consider for both mentors and mentees are:

Find informal mentoring opportunities by joining a local club or group that interests you or signing up for a yoga class or book club. If you seek out other people with visual impairments, finding a local chapter or state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind are great ways to connect. Online avenues to seeking mentoring opportunities include Buy Sell Trade groups on Facebook and Nextdoor. Wherever and with whomever you find mentoring partnerships, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

Like any relationship, a mentoring partnership takes time to develop. Trust must be built. If you take the time to nourish a mentoring relationship, it will bring exponential benefits. Figure out how mentoring can enhance your life in 2020.