USABA Mission
The United States Association of Blind Athletes enhances the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity.

USABA Values
Respect: We respect and honor the inherent value and the unique contributions of blind and visually impaired people.

Integrity: We conduct our business transparently, honestly and ethically.

Acceptance: We create an environment of acceptance and seek ways to broaden acceptance of blind and visually impaired people.

Enrichment: We are deeply dedicated to the achievement of each and every athlete's potential regardless of ability.

USABA Programs
Since its founding in 1976, the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), a Community Based Organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached more than 100,000 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. Although an athlete may be blind, he or she has the ability to compete alongside his or her sighted peers. In fact, USABA athletes have served as U.S. Olympic Team members and won medals against sighted competitors. As more blind athletes receive the same opportunities as their sighted peers, the day has come when a blind athlete has competed in a sighted competition - Marla Runyan qualified for the 2000 Olympic Team in the 1,500 meter race event and made the finals. She has also finished as the top American in the Boston and New York Marathons.

While athletes such as Marla have had great success, each year more than 30,000 blind and visually impaired youth are left on the sidelines of their school's physical education classes. And only a small fraction of blind and visually impaired youth have the opportunity to participate on either school or club sports teams. Through programs such as our National Sports Education Camp Project, the goal of USABA is to provide more than 3,000 youth with the skills needed to participate in not only their PE classes, but on sports teams alongside sighted youth. While not every blind child has the ability or desire to be a Paralympian, the skills learned through sports will be beneficial in all aspects of their daily lives.

While many blind and visually impaired individuals have heard about their limitations, USABA gives them the tools to experience the reality of success in sports. We value the life-enhancing aspects of sports and the opportunity to demonstrate the abilities of people who are blind and visually impaired. We envision a world in which all individuals who are blind or visually impaired have the same opportunities to discover their athletic potential and pursue their athletic dreams as all Americans.

Sports Leadership
USABA members include more than 3,000 athletes who compete in nine sports. In 2003, USABA conducted sports and recreation programs with more than 125 national organizations. USABA athletes have achieved national rankings in three sports, including judo players Scott Moore and Kevin Szott who were the first blind athletes ever to achieve a national ranking against sighted competitors in judo.

Education
Beginning in 1994, USABA began a nationwide public service campaign utilizing elite blind athletes as peer leaders with schools and community organizations. As a result, USABA's "ABILITY" message carried by the athletes has been heard by more than 140,000 school children throughout America. Subsequently, USABA rolled out a print and TV public service campaign with school visits to change the negative perceptions about individuals with disabilities. The campaign features USABA elite athletes.

Collaboration
USABA has developed partnerships with national organizations in the areas of fund-raising, general operations and volunteer recruitment to eliminate duplication and increase productivity in pursuit of common goals and objectives.

Results include:
• Sharing general operating costs (i.e. copier) with the Children's Literacy Center, reducing administrative overhead for each organization by more than $1,000 annually.

• Created multi-disability cycling and track teams involving four disability groups which now share coaching staffs, funding and resources allowing the team to increase the number of races attended each year and has increased direct athlete funding by $45,000.

• Created golf events in Colorado Springs, Denver, Chicago, and Washington D.C., and initiated partnerships with organizations such as Anchor Center for Blind Children, The Native American Sports Council and The Rehab Institute of Chicago.

USABA Bylaws

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.