The German Disabled Sports Association (DBS), in close cooperation with its regional associations, is offering opportunities to get involved this year at numerous campaign days for people with visual impairments. Various summer and winter sports can be tried out, from Nordic para skiing to goalball and para judo. The action days are carried out with various cooperation partners such as the local schools for the blind or self-help organizations.
The DBS wants to get young people in particular interested in the sport. “With the offers, we want to motivate children and young people to become active in sports and then support them in their search for a suitable sports club,” says Marcel Wienands, project coordinator for sport for the blind and visually impaired at the DBS, and adds: “Sport is for the personal development of of great importance to people with visual impairments, promotes self-confidence and often creates new friendships as well.”
In Nuremberg and Unterschleißheim, the first action days in para swimming have already taken place this year. It continues in March, when blind and visually impaired young athletes from the Ruhr area can get an insight into para athletics at TV Wattenscheid 01, the club of Paralympics participant Katrin Müller-Rottgardt. A day of action will also take place in Berlin on March 18th, where two Paralympic sports, Para Judo and Goalball, will be offered to visually impaired athletes.
In the spring there are also various opportunities to get active in the Rhineland. At the Fühlinger See in Cologne, children and young people can try their hand at para rowing and at the Düsseldorf School for the Blind, several sports can be tested at the same time. On May 12th, you can experience winter sports up close in Unterschleißheim and get to know the sport of para skiing in a Nordic way. Action days are also offered in the region around Baden in cooperation with the schools for the blind in Ilvesheim and Waldkirch.
The cooperation with the Federal Association of Parents of Blind and Visually Impaired Children (BEBSK) eV also offers great opportunities to get a little closer to para sports. The Germany-wide self-help association is holding its family weekend in Oberhof from May 18th to 21st. There, the DBS would like to arouse the desire for sports with a day of action for the members.
For all questions about the sport of people with visual impairments and participation in the action days Marcel Wienandsproject coordinator for blind and visually impaired sports of the DBS, by email or telephone: [email protected]0152/57954557.
