Blind Surfer Rides the Waves of Life

by Sierra Romero Surfing commands precision, endurance, patience, and so much more. Every second and every movement counts. According to a 2018 study by Ponting and O’Brien, there are around 35 million surfers in at least 162 countries worldwide. As the number continues to increase every day, there is also a growing demographic of surfers who take on an additional challenge beyond commanding the waves. Joshua Loya, 39, is a blind national championship surfer from Santa Cruz, Calif. In his sophomore year of high school, Loya went blind as the result of an accident, but he didn’t let it stop…  Read More

“The community I became a part of was one I want to be a part of for life” -Tina Muir, on her USABA experience

Tina Muir is an elite, world-class runner who has posted a personal-best time of 2:36 at the 2016 California International Marathon and competed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the World Half Marathon Championships. Below, Tina shares her life-changing experience as a USABA guide runner at the 2019 USABA Marathon National Championships, held in conjunction with the California International Marathon in Sacramento. For the first 14 years of my life as a runner, it was all about winning. About being my best and taking all the necessary steps (and beyond) to get to the top. My training controlled everything…  Read More

USABA Welcomes Cat Bouwkamp as Membership and SafeSport Coordinator

USABA is pleased to announce the hiring of Cat Bouwkamp as the organization's membership and SafeSport coordinator. Bouwkamp comes to USABA from Fishers, Indiana, and is a 2012 Paralympian in wheelchair fencing. She is a recent graduate of Indiana University with degrees in recreational therapy and nonprofit management, and was the co-founder of the first adaptive sports program at IU. Bouwkamp has a passion for the Paralympic movement and for people, and she is looking forward to working with USABA members. “In our strategy to build long-term capacity for USABA, I am ecstatic to add additional staff to our growing…  Read More

How to Become a Goalball Official

by Sierra Romero Goalball has been a sport for 73 years, each year bringing more talent and excitement to the court. As goalball continues to grow, there is also the need for more goalball officials. A goalball official is the same as a referee in any other sport. Their job is to uphold the rules and maintain the flow of the game. Goalball officials are usually volunteers who have received training or certification to ensure high-quality officiating. To gain a better understanding of what this position looks like, Linda Welborn, a goalball official, provided a peek into her life and…  Read More