United States Association of Blind Athletes to host 2008 National Sports Festival

( Colorado Springs , Colo. ) — The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is pleased to announce the 2008 National Sports Festival and Championships to be held in Colorado Springs , Colo. in conjunction with the State Games of the West.

The Sports Festival, held at Colorado College July 22-25, will culminate with blind and visually impaired athletes integrating and competing in the Inaugural 2008 State Games of the West, hosted by the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, July 25-27 and the 2008 Pike's Peak Swim League Last Chance Meet hosted by USABA and the Pike's Peak Swim League on July 26. The State Games of the West will include more than 8,000 sighted athletes competing in 31 sports. USABA athletes will compete in these Games alongside these sighted athletes. We are also pleased to announce we're finalizing details on a swimming event to be conducted at the conclusion of the sports festival.

“The USABA Sports Festival provides blind and visually impaired athletes from all over the United States a unique opportunity to train and compete alongside their peers,” said USABA Executive Director Mark Lucas. “USABA coaching staff and Paralympic athletes provide participants the opportunity to hone their own athletic skills, empowering them to take the game to a higher level in their local community-based programs."

USABA athletes ages 12 and older will have the opportunity to learn and refine their abilities in various sports clinics instructed by USABA national coaches at the Sports Festival. Participants will experience a variety of sports adapted for athletes who are blind or visually impaired including judo, powerlifting, swimming, track & field, wrestling, a 5K run/walk and goalball (a team sport designed for those who are blind and visually impaired).

We are also proud to announce the opportunity for US Military and US honorably dischagarged military veterans who incurred a service-connected vision loss are also eligible to compete in these events. If you are eligible, please refer to the military/veterans application below.

Applications for the Sports Festival, the State Games of the West, and the Pike's Peak Swim League Last Chance Meet must be completed and returned to USABA by June 15, 2008. We are still waiting for final details and the entry form for the swim meet; please refer to this page of our website for updates.

2008 National Sports Festival Informational Flyer

2008 National Sports Festival Application (USABA Athletes)

2008 National Sports Festival Application (Military/Veterans)

2008 State Games of the West Application (Coming Soon)

Four Very Important Notes Concerning the State Games of the West:

1. USABA National Sports Festival Participants MUST register for the State Games of the West through USABA.

2. Athletes are limited to entering in one State Games of the West event each day with the exception of Swmming and Track/Field athletes who may particpate in multiple events in the same venue during a single competition day provided those events don't overlap. The event organizer will not refund entry fees in the case of ovelaping events.

3. A separate entry form is required to be completed for each event.

4. Please note each event has separate entry fees that must accompany the application forwarded to USABA.

Two Very Important Notes Concerning the Pike's Peak Swim League Last Chance Meet:

1. Registration for this meet is incorporated with the 2008 National Sports Festival Application. There is not a separate registration form for the meet.

2. There is no fee for this event. Please contact USABA if you have any questions.

About USABA: Since its founding in 1976, USABA, a community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached thousands of blind individuals. The organization has emerged as more than just a world-class trainer of blind athletes, it has become a champion of the abilities of Americans who are legally blind.

USABA's Mission: to enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity. 

For more information about USABA, please visit our Web site: www.usaba.org

The United States Association of Blind Athletes, a member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, which continually draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes.