Written November 2019 by Kim Owens & Hilda Dunford (@OurBlindSide)
Many parents of children who are visually impaired or blind find it difficult to keep their kids engaged in physical activities and sports. Hilda and I are often asked: How do you keep your child active and safe?
Hilda & Ashton:
Ashton is eight years old and he was born blind. He has a condition called Septo Optic Dysplasia which means the Optic nerve did not fully develop before he was born. Ashton has always been very cautious, his vision is much better in the left eye and he is very good at tilting his head and using the little vision he has. He picks up things and brings them very close to his eyes so he can see them better. He has learned how to read large contrasting print, but Braille seems to be a lot easier and he is getting much better at writing and reading with his fingers.
Ashton tried tumbling when he was three and it was very hard for him. He didn’t quite understand how to hold on to the beam or balance on it. He was nervous to jump on trampolines and do any kind of flips. We stopped the tumbling lessons after a couple months. He wasn’t very interested in sports after that experience. We tried football and soccer teams but it was too fast and chaotic. He did not like not knowing where the ball was and he said no one ever passed him the ball when he was open.
Luckily, through an amazing organization called The National Ability Center (NAC), we heard of an Adaptive Family Ski Camp. I asked him if he wanted to try skiing and explained it wasn’t a team sport and no one would be running around or kicking balls around him or throwing anything at him. He agreed to try it, so we signed up and as a family went to Park City and participated in this camp. They had an adaptive ski instructor just for Ashton. She taught him how to get his skis on and she used a bamboo pole and explained to him how to stand up with the skis and hold on to the pole as they skied down the mountain. I remember the very first time I saw him skiing down the mountain, I cried, my son who I thought would never be able to enjoy sports had found a sport he loved. He waved at me and yelled, “Hi Mom!” After seeing this, our entire family decided we needed to learn how to ski because this is Ashton’s favorite sport. We have all taken lessons from The NAC and have all learned how to Ski with Ashton. I’ve also learned we don’t need a bamboo pole, we could use a hula hoop or even his cane for him to hold onto. There are many ways we can help him to ski and to enjoy adaptive sports.
The summer after the ski camp, we signed up for a Family Summer Camp by a reservoir. We slept in a yurt and also had the NAC instructors. They helped Ashton learn to use a paddleboard. He isn’t able to stand on the paddleboard but he enjoys sitting on it and holding the paddles. He loves just feeling the breeze and the freedom of floating in the reservoir in the middle of the mountains. I love that these experiences are teaching my son that he can do things. He can try all kinds of sports and he can enjoy them even if he has very little vision. The NAC has changed our lives and it has made such a difference in Ashton’s life.
Children who are blind need to be given the same experiences and chances as children who are sighted. It is the only way we can teach them that they can do these things. I would’ve never known that Ashton could ski if I had never given him the chance to try. Skiing is now something we do as a family every year. Ashton has grown so much from the first time he skied when he was five until now. I can’t wait to see how many more mountains he will climb or shred down as he gets older.
Kim & Kai:
Kai is seventeen and began to unexpectedly lose his sight at the age of ten. He currently has less than 8 degrees of blurry vision. His sight is not very functional, but he has light perception and can spot high contrasts. He is a braille reader and walks with a white mobility cane.
He has always loved board sports. When he was five he was the first kid to drop in on the big skate ramp with his teenage brother and friends cheering him on. His antics earned him the nickname “no fear Kai.” As a young child, he played peewee basketball and loved to do “hardcore parkour” at our local park and gym. Oh, he loved his bike too, he would spend hours circling our neighborhood with friends. So, when vision loss struck we were all shocked. We had no experience with sight loss and therefore no network or experience to draw upon. In the beginning that was a scary, lonely space, but I see now that because we didn’t have anyone telling us “no” we simply let Kai lead the way.
Over the years we have tried a variety of activities including basketball, Nerf wars, soccer, Airsoft, archery, and swimming but the only constant was board sports. Kai was determined to skate, skim, and surf! He has lived in our neighborhood most of his life, so he felt totally comfortable skateboarding around here. He used his cane to sweep the pavement in front of him. And, from time to time, he and a friend would go to a small skate park in a neighboring town and hit the ramps. They’d go early before the crowds and Kai wore a helmet, knee pads, and a bright yellow jersey over his clothes that read “Blind Athlete.” He enjoyed the freedom of skating.
A few years ago, Kai had the opportunity to attend a surf camp for kids who are blind and visually impaired and thanks to some great surf instructors at Indojax Surf Charities he felt like a pro by the end of the week. I think that was the first time he tried out a “Dakota Disk” cane tip which looks like a Frisbee and works great in the sand because it doesn’t get stuck in ruts.
Skimboarding has always been Kai’s first love. He began skimming at the age of three with his older brother. As his skills developed, he graduated from sand skimming on a wooden board to wave skimming on a carbon fiber board. Skimboarding at this level involves sprinting full speed on a public beach while holding the board. Then, dropping the board and jumping onto it while sliding out on a wave (surfers ride in, skimmers ride out). How could he safely continue this sport?
I did a little research and found that world champion skimboarder, Austin Keen, was holding a skimboarding camp at our local beach. I called and explained Kai’s situation and Austin was “STOKED!” to work with him. Kai attended the camp, wearing a yellow “blind athlete” rash guard with mom and dad nervously hovering to be sure he didn’t collide with other skimmers. The pro watched his form and made helpful suggestions. Austin taught him a move called the “Monkey Crawl” which allowed Kai to run full speed from the beach into the knee-high water and then slide the board under his feet in one smooth swoop. This move allowed him to get on the board without having to let go until his feet were firmly planted. The monkey crawl worked for Kai and after spending a multitude of hours training he said, “It’s all muscle memory,” but as a parent, it is a sight to behold — pure joy and freedom!
The skimboarding community is amazing! We never had a single problem when we registered Kai as a “blind athlete.” Contest organizers simply asked how they could help. During Kai’s first two competitions a pro, Casey Keirnan, offered to help him scope the waves since the timelines were tight and the crowds were noisy, which made it difficult to “find the rhythm of the waves.” Casey also helped to ensure that Kai was not on a direct collision course with another competitor. Kai was thrilled to make it into the semi-finals against fully-sighted competitors. In fact, after seeing his speed and determination, Austin Keen made a few calls and Kai became the world’s first legally blind sponsored skimboarder! Kai gets high contrast brightly colored boards from Exile Skimboards which help him spot his board in the surf. Austin even met up with us on a vacation to California and took Kai to the legendary Thousand Steps Beach and we also experienced “The Wedge.” This is the stuff skimmers’ dreams are made of – and it’s Kai’s reality!
His next goal is to try snowboarding. We live in flat, coastal Georgia, but Kai applied to attend a winter extreme camp in Colorado through Extreme Mobility Camps (XMO). He’s super excited about the opportunity.
Conclusion
Kids who are blind / VI can do anything they set their minds and hearts to as long as we give them the opportunity and support necessary to succeed. Simply look for the SPARKLE and take advantage of even the slightest glimmer of interest.
As moms, we know that it takes a ton of courage to let them try out new activities, but the benefits are worth the risks. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help, find mentors, and make accommodations. We have found the sports communities to be exceptionally welcoming. Our kiddos need healthy ways to cope with everyday stress, and physical activity helps them to be physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy. Sports also help our kids to connect with peers and new communities with shared interests. So, take a deep breath, and get ready.
On your mark. Get set. GO!
Personal Recommendations from Kim & Hilda
The National Ability Center (NAC)
No Barriers Summit (read more here)
The following is an additional list of camps and resources that have been recommended by parents in our community:
KAOS! through Susquehanna Valley Team River Runner kayaking in PA
Wisconsin Lions Camp (there are active chapters in most states)
Envision VIP Sports Camps, PA.
Helen Diller Home/Beach Camp NJ
Navigating Blindness 
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