Barriers to recreational sports

This continues to be a thorn in our sides and this is so because we need to keep depending on the sighted world for help.  We are not fully able to participate in many of the recreational sports on our own.

 

As an ice skater, I need help at the rink for someone to skate around with me because I am unable to ice skate on my own.  I do not have enough vision to skate on my own.  As a skier, the challenge is the same; I need someone to be my guide on the trail.  As a swimmer, I need sighted assistance when I swim in the pool with sighted persons. 

 

I am not sure if these barriers could be overcome but they can definitely be made easier to deal with.  How so?  We need to enlist the assistance of the sighted world.  We need to make our requests and ask for help.  We need to convince the sighted world that there is a definite benefit to making recreational sports available to the blind and sight impaired.  A few months ago, I attended a Ski for Light event in Utah and what an experience it was.  I invite you now to visit this website and see for yourself.  www.skiforlight.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and spread the word.