I wanted to share a project a good friend is creating because it’s an important project. Last week, my friend Derek Riemer announced his adaptive sports project and I wanted to share it with all of you. My interest in sports has been lifelong and I feel that the impact sports has had on me has made me the person I am today. As Derek can tell you it’s not always easy to participate in sports but the outcome is long lasting and critical for people with disabilities. When someone has a disability they may not ever get a chance to understand what they can really do.
Far too often people with disabilities are left out of the activities that many others take for granted. Why would a blind person want to go hiking or rock climbing? The benefits of these activities are not just the health benefits we all know but the comradery that can be found by spending time with friends disconnected from everything else but the people that surround you. Many people tend to think that blind people might not like going somewhere to experience the scenery or that a blind person cannot safely rock climb. I am here to tell you that is wrong. I loved climbing when I was younger and wish I could still do that and many other physical activities I did before.
I spent a lot of time in my childhood and teens outdoors and getting into as much trouble as I could and yes I had lots of cuts and scrapes but I still kept going. I remember a ski trip one year when I went full speed into a tree and had massive scratches and almost got a branch in my eye. The rest of the weekend I was not thinking I am never going to ski again; it’s too hard and too dangerous. Instead I was thinking man mom is going to cut off my chances to go skiing. My fear was unwarranted and she did not stop me from going again. My mother and father were incredible parents. They worried about us and cared for us the best they knew how but they never stopped us from having chances to learn and do our best. Many people with disabilities do not have such great parents, they are over protected and or not aloud to try anything they want because it’s “not safe”
I was introduced to competitive sports early and I think these chances made me the successful person I am today. Sports taught me to always do the best I could and always strive for more. I use these techniques today in everything I do. I don’t stop trying to get technology to work for me and or other people with disabilities. I continually push as hard as I can to keep moving the accessibility bar just a little higher.
In my teens I was introduced to Goalball and that was life changing for me. From 1983 through 1998 I traveled all over Canada, and to about 15 states and even to England and korea. How many kids could say that by the time they were 20. Not many. Well into my late 30s I continued to play and teach many other blind people the game. Goalball taught me how to be on a team and how working with others can get you so much farther than not. I love collaborating and working with others to this very day. And I have always thought that when I work with the team creating a product they learn more about accessibility and about the abilities of people with disabilities faster than if I just give them my report of my findings. I find that people tend to become champions of accessibility when they have someone like me, a person with a disability, at their side contributing and always showing how things can be done and not just saying this is inaccessible.
So in closing I think Derek’s project is a great idea. People with disabilities need to take part in recreation and sports and to also understand that even if they have a disability they are still as able as they want to be and can do everything they want to. It just takes time to try and the opportunities to do so.