United States Association of Blind Athletes

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United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA)
Website https://www.usaba.org

The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is an organization founded in 1976 to increase the number and quality of world-class athletic opportunities for Americans who are blind or visually impaired. USABA has reached over 100,000 blind individuals, and have over 3,000 current members who compete in thirteen sports, most prominently goalball.

Contents

Overview

USABA is a Colorado-based organization whose mission is to empower U.S Americans who are blind or visually impaired and promote a healthy lifestyle by providing opportunities in sports, recreation, and other physical activities. [1] Alongside this, USABA is focused on deconstructing misconceptions about the abilities of people who are blind or visually impaired by educating and inspiring the public through media outreach. USABA is open to any aspiring or current athletes who are blind or visually impaired, coaches, volunteers, or supporters who wish to involve themselves in this community.

History

USABA was founded by Dr. Charles Buell in 1976. That year, the first Olympiad for the Disabled was hosted in Toronto, Canada, with 27 men and women representing the United States. After this event, a group of national leaders, coaches, and educators began to discuss the importance of an organization specifically focused on promoting and sponsoring competitions for people who are blind or visually impaired. This led to the creation of USABA. [2]

Other original founding members include Arthur Copeland, Judy Whyte, and Lou Moneymaker. [3]

Sports

USABA works with 13 different sports, which include: Beep Baseball, [4] Bowling, Cycling, [5] Soccer 5-a-side, [6] Goalball, [7] Hockey, [8] Judo, [9] Powerlifting, [10] Rowing, [11] Skiing, [12] Swimming, [13] Track & Field, [14] and Military sports. [15] The most well-known sport is Goalball.

Past events

USABA has hosted and/or been a part of a variety of events that range from local development camps, national championships, to the Paralympics. USABA has also either hosted or been part of the Can-Am Pacific Games (1987), Youth Championships (1992), The International Games for the Disabled (1984), USABA Summer Games, USABA Regionals, the Olympiad (1976), World Championship Games, Blind Nationals, and USABA National Championships.

USABA's events are all focused on providing tips, strategies, and opportunities to engage in the sports that they offer, or encourage any recreational or competitive fitness. Recently, USABA has partnered with the Anthem Foundation to introduce the National Fitness Challenge. [16] Alongside this, USABA is also promoting National Blind Sports Day, an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the abilities, opportunities, and awareness of sports for the blind or visually impaired. [17]

Awards and recognition

USABA was awarded the National Federation of the Blind's Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in 2019, which recognizes individuals or organizations that are a positive force in the blind community. [18]

USABA is also recognized as a High Performance Management Organization with the Paralympics.

Sponsors & Partnered Associations

USABA has partnered with a multitude of organizations throughout the years, including the [[Paralympic Games|Paralymp Team USA, the Anthem Foundation, Anthem, The Gibney Family Foundation, Vanda Pharmaceutical, Hanson McClain Advisors, Delta Gamma Foundation, Department of Veterans Affairs, and National Industries for the Blind. [19]

Alongside the organizations listed above, USABA has worked with other organizations on specific events with the Veterans Administration, Ski for Light, National Beep-Baseball Association, and International Blind Sports Federation.

Scholarship program

USABA annually gives out scholarships to students, which include:  

Related Research Articles

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1984 Summer Paralympics

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The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) is a non-profit organisation founded 1981 in Paris, France. It was formerly known as the International Blind Sports Association.

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Paralympic sports

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Summer Paralympic Games

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British Blind Sport (BBS) is a British charity that makes sport and recreational activities accessible to people who are visually impaired. The charity enables blind and partially sighted people to experience the same sporting opportunities as sighted people. Since its establishment in 1976, BBS has become a voice for visually impaired people in the world of sport and leisure, both in the United Kingdom and on an international level. It also leads in the UK with sight classification for elite and paralympic athletes. Its headquarters are in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

A sighted guide is a person who guides a person with blindness or vision impairment.

B1 (classification)

B1 is a medical-based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Athletes in this classification are totally or almost totally blind. It is used by a number of blind sports including blind tennis, para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some other sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class.

B2 (classification)

B2 is a medical based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Competitors in this classification have vision that falls between the B1 and B3 classes. The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) defines this classification as "visual acuity ranging from LogMAR 1.50 to 2.60 (inclusive) and/or visual field constricted to a diameter of less than 10 degrees." It is used by a number of blind sports including para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class.

B3 (classification)

B3 is a medical based Paralympic classification for blind sport. Competitors in this classification have partial sight, with visual acuity from 2/60 to 6/60. It is used by a number of blind sports including para-alpine skiing, para-Nordic skiing, blind cricket, blind golf, five-a-side football, goalball and judo. Some other sports, including adaptive rowing, athletics and swimming, have equivalents to this class.

The Turkish Blind Sports Federation is the governing body to encourage and develop the sport for the blind and vision-impaired in Turkey. It is a member of the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

B4 is a blind sport classification used in a variety of sports including sailing, bowls, swimming, and cycling. Unlike other blind sport classes, it only uses visual acuity for the purpose of being classed into it.

Japan womens national goalball team Japanese national team, for the Paralympic sport of goalball

Japan women's national goalball team is the women's national team of Japan. Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. Its women's team has internationally completed including at the IBSA World Goalball Championships and the Paralympic Games.

Algeria at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Sporting event delegation

Algeria competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016.

The IBSA World Games or World Blind Games are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA). The events enable blind and partially sighted athletes to compete in a number of sports. The first event took place at Madrid, Spain in 1998.

John Kusku is an American goalball player. His visual impairment is caused by retinitis pigmentosa. Kusku represented the United States at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and won a silver medal.

Matthew Simpson is an American goalball player. Simpson represented the United States at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and won a silver medal.

References

  1. ↑ "Mission & Vision - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  2. ↑ "Our Story - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  3. ↑ "USABA Founding Members - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  4. ↑ "Beep Baseball - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  5. ↑ "Cycling - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  6. ↑ "Soccer 5-a-side - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  7. ↑ "Goalball - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  8. ↑ "Hockey - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  9. ↑ "Judo - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  10. ↑ "Powerlifting - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  11. ↑ "Rowing - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  12. ↑ "Skiing - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  13. ↑ "Swimming - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  14. ↑ "Track & Field and Distance Running - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  15. ↑ "Military Sports - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  16. ↑ "NFC Participants Travel Equivalent of 11 Times Around Earth - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  17. ↑ "National Blind Sports Day presented by Healthy Vision Association - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  18. ↑ "2019 Winners | National Federation of the Blind". www.nfb.org. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  19. ↑ "Sponsors & Partners - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  20. ↑ "USABA Scholarship Program - United States Association of Blind Athletes" . Retrieved 3 October 2019.
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