This October, the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes is excited to host our annual month-long virtual celebration of blind sports. USABA National Blind Sports Month will include webinars with USABA athletes, workouts from USABA Sport Ambassadors and social media takeovers from community members nationwide! The month culminates in USABA’s annual Breakfast with Champions event from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Friday, October 27.
The goal of National Blind Sports Month is to provide Americans who are blind and visually impaired with opportunities to participate in a variety of sports and physical activities and to raise awareness of blind sports. USABA will be updating the National Blind Sports Month page on our website frequently with participating events from across the country. Please complete the participation survey to be featured and to receive toolkits to assist in planning.
We are inviting all community partners to join in on the momentum and excitement of the month!
Ways to get involved:
1. Join in on social media, raising awareness by sharing your own Blind Sports Month content or sharing content from the USABA social accounts.
2. Host your own Blind Sports Month event, clinic, or celebration.
3. Join us in person or virtually for Breakfast with Champions or host your own viewing party! All that is needed to virtually stream the program is somewhere to watch the YouTube broadcast, light refreshments, and a group of friends to celebrate with!
We look forward to celebrating National Blind Sports Month with our community! Let us know how we can help you to get involved and check out our ever-growing calendar of National Blind Sports Month events below.
Arizona Disabled Sports
Goalball Fall Program
Aug. 30-Nov. 3
Mesa, Ariz.
Contact: Tucker Garcia (tucker@arizonadisabledsports.com or 480-835-6273)
2023 Cal North TOPSoccer Festival
Oct. 28 (10 am – 2 pm)
Ken Mercer Sports Park
Pleasanton, Calif.
Contact: Dane Denkers (ddenkers@calnorth.org)
PlayLA Visually Impaired and Blind Soccer Clinics
Oct. 7, 14, 21 & 28
Los Angeles, Calif.
Blind Sports Day Event
Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 am-4 pm
Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department
CMAA Therapeutic Recreation Complex
2728 Lake Worth Road
Lake Worth, Fla.
Contact: Diana Holm (dholm@pbcgov.org or 561-966-7020)
Event Description (open to public ages 6 and up)
The purpose of Palm Beach County’s Blind Sports Day is to create county-wide awareness around adapted sports and build interest in Therapeutic Recreation programs. During this inaugural Blind Sports Day for the public, individuals who are blind, visually impaired, their family, friends and other community members can experience what it is like to play the adapted sports of beep baseball, beep kickball, goalball and boccia. Each participant will receive a personal, reusable eyeshade to use during the day. Sports eyeshades are used when playing sports designed for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to help ensure everyone participating has the same level of vision during the game.
Volunteers needed
Celebrating Blind Sports Event
Blind sports stations for students K-12
October 25
Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired
Baton Rouge, La.
Contact: Jennifer Gaudet (jgaudet@lsdvi.org)
Baltimore Blast (Pro Soccer team) learning to play blind soccer from the MSB blind soccer team
October 12, 10am-12pm
Maryland School for the Blind
Baltimore, Md.
Contact: Timothy Taylor (timothyt@mdschblind.org) or (410) 444-5000 ext. 1312
Disability Adaptive Sports, Health and Wellness Day
Friday, Oct. 13
1-7 pm
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, N.J.
Contact: Kevin Orcel (korcel509@gmail.com)
New York Institute for Special Education
Bronx, N.Y.
Contact: Bryant Miller (bmiller@nyise.org or 718-519-7000 ext. 8372)
Introduction to Blind Sports
All month in October
Governor Morehead School for the Blind
Raleigh, N.C.
Contact: Shawn Whitney (shawn.whitney@esdb.dpi.nc.gov or 984-292-3150)
Event Description
During physical education classes the Governor Morehead School for the Blind will combine with the Wake Youth Women’s Leadership Academy to give an introduction to blind sports. GMS and WYWLA will work collaboratively and participate in small games.
UCO Endeavor Games
Edmond, Okla.
Contact: Cassidhe Walker (cwalker68@uco.edu)
SHAPE Conference
October 14
Portland, Ore.
Showcasing goalball to adaptive PE teachers
Contact: Asya Miller (blindtrack_star@hotmail.com)
Striver Day
When: October 14, 2023
Time: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Where: TN School for the Blind, 115 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Nashville, TN 37214
Learn More and register at: https://strive4you.org/events/striver-day/.
Blind Soccer Clinic presented by Texas Adaptive Play Initiative (TAPI)
When: October 29, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Where: Bldg 2, 16501 Bratton Ln Suite B, Austin, TX
The North Texas Blind Soccer Team and Metro Blaze Blind Soccer Team will be on hand to teach the sport of blind soccer.
Contact: Hector Lara (hectorelara@gmail.com)
Sportable Goalball Clinic
Richmond, Va.
Contact: Bailey Windell (baileywindell@gmail.com)