Beep baseball allows blind and low vision athletes to participate in a modified version of baseball using a beeping ball and unique rules.
Goalball is a Paralympic sport for blind and visually impaired athletes, involving the use of a bell-filled ball, sensory skills, and specialized training methods.
Deep dives
Beep Baseball: A Sport for the Blind
Beep baseball is a sport designed for blind and low vision athletes, providing them with the opportunity to participate in a competitive and adapted version of baseball. Players wear blindfolds and use a beeping ball that allows them to track its location. The game is modified with unique rules, including only two bases and the necessity of hitting high pop flies to prevent easy fielding. Beep baseball teams compete in the annual World Series, promoting comradery and a sense of family within the blind sports community.
Goal Ball: A Paralympic Sport for Blind and Visually Impaired Athletes
Goal ball is a sport specifically created for blind and visually impaired athletes and is recognized as a Paralympic sport. The game involves hurling a three-pound ball containing bells into opposing team goals. The players rely on their hearing to track the ball's movement and use their bodies to block incoming shots. Goal ball has unique elements, including a silent crowd, audio description for spectators, and specialized training methods aimed at developing sensory and auditory skills among players.
Sports as Bridges: Fostering Inclusion and Connections
Sports designed for blind and visually impaired players, such as beep baseball and goal ball, serve as bridges between communities and foster a greater understanding and appreciation for the abilities of individuals with visual impairments. These sports involve the participation of sighted individuals as pitchers, catchers, spotters, coaches, referees, and fans, creating a sense of unity. In addition to promoting physical activity and competition, these sports provide opportunities for personal growth, independence, and building lifelong friendships within the blind sports community.
Playing a sport without sight might sound impossible. But it turns out, there are blind athletes all around the world doing exactly that. Instead of using their eyes, these players rely on their ears to hit a pitch, block a throw, and charge across a crowded field. Featuring beep baseball player Ethan Johnston and goalball coach Keith Young.