Sports

They love Chaz Davis in his hometown of Grafton, Mass. But we are just as proud of him here in Littleton, Colo. at the Colorado Center for the Blind!

Chaz, a 2016 Paralympian in Rio and a 2017 graduate of CCB, won the Boston Marathon’s visually impaired division on October 11. It was the 125th Boston Marathon, but the first year that this division was available for blind runners to register in. Previous blind marathoners in Boston just … well, ran.

Blind runners run with a guide to whom they are tethered, meaning that the guide and blind runner must be carefully matched as far as speed and endurance, and marathon runners may change guides during a race.

March to the Beat of Your Own Drum

Our first 2021 in-person FAST activity for youth will fittingly be all about movement, and a little music! Sign up for our April 24 FAST!

Who: Blind students of all ages and their families Where: Colorado Center for the Blind,
2233 W Shepperd Ave. Littleton, CO 80120 When: Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

It’s the return of the FAST! On Saturday, April 24 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, we will hold our first in-person FAST (Fun Activities & Skills Training) Program for 2021.

And what better way to kick it off then with a fun activity that involves music and movement. Join us for a mid-day session of cardio drumming with Julie, Stringball with Martin, and Soccer with Will. This activity will allow us to discuss and work on spatial awareness in a fun and exciting way.

Editor’s Note: This letter has been widely distributed this week, but we decided to risk repeating ourselves by posting it here because we very much hope you will join us for the NFB of Colorado Comcast 6 Dot Dash on Sunday. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

Dear Family and Friends,

The entire family is welcome to come and enjoy FAST Friday Fun and Games on May 11 at 5:30 with staff and students at the Colorado Center for the Blind.

This will be an active FAST Friday. We will be getting out and enjoying the beautiful spring weather, playing some kickball, string ball, learning to tandem cycle and doing some guide running to prepare for the NFB of Colorado’s 6 Dot Dash on June 24. We will also be doing some grilling and enjoying some great food.

If you want a burger or a dog, you gotta RSVP here.

Since January, fans attending Colorado Avalanche games have been treated to between-periods video of the Try Blind Hockey Day on January 17. Over 50 blind Coloradans went out on the ice that day, some for the first time, others with a stick in their hand for the first time. Fans are impressed by the video, but it is little more than an historical artifact now.

Back in January the Colorado Avalanche hosted a “Try Hockey” event for prospective blind hockey players. It featured several blind hockey players from across Canada and the United States and was coordinated by USA Hockey and the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association. Forty-two blind participants, including youth and some, like me, who were much older, took to the ice that day. About half of those participants came from CCB.

You can read more about it in this article, Try-Blind-Hockey Day Another Example of How Hockey is for Everyone.

It’s happening here tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. Thanks to our partners at WE Fit Wellness and United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). Contributing will be Eye-Cycle, Achilles Denver, and members of the Colorado Storm Beep Baseball team.

And at lunch there will be a keynote address from current CCB student Chaz Davis, a member of the 2016 US Paralympic team! Check out the agenda below.

#NFChallenge Olympic Day Agenda

10:00–10:10 – Welcome
Meeting Room

10:10–10:55 – Breakout Session 1
Running – lobby sitting area
Tandem Cycling – picnic tables
Beep Baseball – side yard
Power Lifting – art room
Goalball – gym

11:10–11:55 – Breakout Session 2
Judo – Travel Lobby
Tandem Cycling – picnic tables
Beep Baseball – side yard
Power Lifting – art room
Goalball – gym

11:55–1:00 – Lunch
Meeting Room
Keynote Address: Chaz Davis, 2016 Paralympian

There wasn’t time to sit still till lunch was served, but none were inclined to do so at Saturday’s #NFChallenge Olympic Day 2017. There were just too many things to try out – beep baseball demonstration with the Colorado Storm, judo and power-lifting, goal ball and tandem bicycling with Eye-Cycle! Everybody got to take a turn at three or four of these activities, and a few even took a second bike ride or got into a couple of actual goal ball matches!

But participants were able to sit still long enough to listen to Paralympic runner Chaz Davis talk about how he went from “overweight and out-of-shape” to being the current record-holder in the marathon for blind and visually impaired runners.

And then it was back to another round of fun – and fitness – activities!

We are always excited to be invited to talk at schools in the area about what it really means to be blind. It’s a great chance to dispel myths and stereotypes and to teach kids that blind people are just folks, too. So, we were delighted when we received a call from Diane Harris, a parent and administrator at nearby Mile High Academy.

Another round of testing for the Martial Arts class on Tuesday was followed by an awards ceremony. The entire Center turned out in the gym as five students and Travel Instructor Steve Patten all received orange belts from Karate Denver instructors Rachel and Travis. Steve is a bit of a ringer, of course, since he already has a black belt in Judo and competed internationally.

Each class meets for eight sessions in our gym, learning any number of defensive strategies and moves, punches, kicks and holds. This class included Jay, Jimmy, Warren, Brittany, warren and Courtney C along with Steve.

“I feel a lot more confidence in myself,” said Brittany after the class. Wearing a warrior’s face during her belt testing, she giggles when asked about it. “It was fun too!”