Snowboarding and Skating - For a Blind Person
There’s nothing particularly unique about skating or snowboarding, it’s an every-day hobby for thousands, unless of course you’re blind. A Pennsylvania assist group known as Vibrant - Blind Outdoor Leisure Growth helps the imaginative and prescient impaired to accomplish exactly that. An instance is Nancy Leverett who manages to go skating a few times per month, something that would be completely unfeasible with out the support of the volunteers at Daring.
There are a number of special clothing items that are designed to protect a skier from injuries, for example:
- A coat
- Shoes
- A superb ski helmet.
- Ski mitts
Head coverage is provided by a ski helmet.
Ski helmets are designed specifically to insulate and protect against shocks.
In addition to dispensing protection, a ski helmet is developed with fashion in mind.
There are three generic types of ski helmet: full-face, short shell and full shell.
Fashion is also provided through additional functions such as ear-phones plugs for listening to music. The Salomon helmet range is a great case of a fashionable ski helmet.
A close-fitting helmet is the best defense against injury so ensure that yours is well fitted - seek advice from the retailer about this.
The production of ski helmets is governed by several sets of safety regulations.
Studies have shown that skiers who wear a helmet have a significantly reduced likelihood of injury.
“BOLD has been so beneficial in my life,” said Ms. Leverett, 57, of Mt. Lebanon. Nancy struggled with her sight right from birth - she was born without cataracts. However her sight remained good until she was fifteen; then she developed glaucoma and lost her sight. She first heard about BOLD when she was a student at Duquesne University. It was the 1970s, and Joyce Driben, a blind Greenfield resident, had just returned from Aspen, Colo., where she skied downhill and learned about a Daring group there operating with blind skiers.
The good work of BOLD inspired the ladies to set-up a similar group in Pittsburgh, to help the blind community there. This led to downhill skiing being provided to the group members.
At very first Nancy was afraid. Understandably so. But she persevered. At initially she got utilised to your skiis, their feel. She graduated to skiing on flat surfaces, and then onto a lot more adventurous slopes.
The method works by pairing-up blind and sighted skiers. This requires both trust and very good communication. Guides need to provide on-going information and constant feedback to the blind skier.
Beyond the physical activity it provided, Ms. Leverett said BOLD raised her confidence when she was in her early 20s, single and working. Her co-workers told her they were impressed she was skiing.
“It was a big confidence booster, so good for my self-esteem,” she said.
