Earlier this month we welcomed a group of young people from the ‘Utah School for the Deaf and Blind’ to our home cricket centre for an inclusive sports day of VI rugby and VI cricket.
The young people were part of the ‘Travel For Teens’ network that run ‘Camp Ability’ groups around the world. Throughout their week long trip, the young people met with VI organisations based from London such as Metro Blind Sport and the Thomas Pocklington Trust.
It was our honour to deliver the final sports session on the last day of their trip. Emma Uri is the Manager of Education Trips and Custom Trips. She shared: “Some of the young people have said this experience was the highlight of their trip to London!”
During the session our team of specialised coaches Dan, Elle and Dan delivered an engaging and interactive VI Cricket and VI Rugby session. This was achieved by promoting clear vocal communication and hand clapping to communicate direction between players and using balls with ball bearings inside.
Our Coach Mentor Dan also provided a short presentation around the various visual impairment categories and the way they influence the amount of legal contact in a VI rugby game. Dan shared: ”Players with different levels of sight and blindness will play different versions of VI rugby. For example a player that is completely blind can only tackle in a “hugby” like style, where a hug-like tackle is given to an opponent until a referee orders a release.”
Camp Ability are hoping to establish a sports network in the UK, and we hope that this experience will allow us to built a long-lasting relationship that will continue to develop in future. To hear more about VI rugby please contact our Head of Business Development Alex at alexbassan@changefdn.org.uk or to hear more about our disability programmes please contact our Disability Programmes Manager Ryan at ryanjones@changefdn.org.uk .
