VIDBE-Q Volume 65 Issue 1
help them develop their argument for why they should be included in sports
and physical activity in their school and community. In their camper
journals, an overwhelming number of campers reported feeling like their
vision is a barrier to them participating in physical activity. These negative
behaviors and tendencies towards obesity follow individuals with visual
impairments into adulthood and lead to a cycle of ill health, which becomes
difficult to escape.
These problems, however, can be ameliorated through specific
instruction and the use of adaptive equipment. Throughout each summer
session of Camp Spark, campers receive individualized instruction in a
variety of sports, including goalball, 5-a-side soccer, judo, swimming, track
and field, tandem biking, beep baseball, and much more from highly
qualified instructors. Our winter session activities include downhill skiing
and snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, broomball, and
team building games. This individualized instruction and use of adaptive
equipment gives campers the opportunity to identify what works best for
them. They are then able to take these skills and knowledge to their
communities and schools to continue engaging in sports and physical
activity.
