Multi-Sport Festival Headed for Colorado Springs

Through funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a Summer Sports Festival in Colorado Springs, Colorado on July 21-26, 2015. The focus of this camp is active duty military and veterans who have experienced vision loss, but all blind or VI athletes are eligible to apply to learn more or sharpen their skills in numerous sports, including goalball, track and field, archery, powerlifting, biathlon and rock climbing. Camp attendees will also have the opportunity to compete in the Rocky Mountain State Games in multiple sports.

• Camp Dates: July 21-26, 2015 (Including travel days)

• Location: Colorado Springs, CO

• Non-military athletes will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements with arrivals on July 21 and departures on July 26 into Colorado Springs

• Application Deadline: June 5, 2015

• There is no cost for VA, veterans or military participants. The fee for all other participants is $350, which will cover:

  • room and board

  • transportation to and from the airport and throughout the week

  • instruction

  • Entry fees for Rocky Mountain State Games events, including Track and Field and Goalball

  • T-Shirt

Athletes at the camp will learn:

• Basic goalball skills (blocking, defensive positioning, throwing, game strategy and communication)

• Basic track and field techniques in throwing and running

• Basic biathlon skills with the competition laser system

• Sport and fitness adaptations for every-day use

• Athletes must possess the physical fitness to make it through the duration of the camp.

We are also pleased to invite up to five interested coaches to attend and enhance their own adaptive sport knowledge. Funding will be available for approved coaches (VA staff and other community coaches). No prior experience is required; however, we will be looking for applicants who have an interest in building adaptive sport programs in their community or having a continued involvement with USABA sport Programs.

Veteran and non-veteran athletes interested in applying should fill out the application by clicking here by June 5, 2015. Interested coaches and VA staff must provide a cover letter to Matt Simpson at USABA (msimpson@usaba.org) by no later than June 5, 2015. Please include details on your interest in the camp, your previous sport experience and how you would hope to use the camp to develop sport opportunities for people who are blind in your community or with blind veterans. Please direct any questions to Matt Simpson at msimpson@usaba.org or call (719) 866-3019.

Click here for more information.