Claim OwnershipThe Eyes Free Sports Podcast
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Description
Eyes Free Sports explores sports and recreation activities for blind and visually impaired individuals.
155 Episodes
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In Episode 155 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Dr. Claudia Folska from the Denver, CO area. The highly accomplished tandem cyclist, business owner, and woman of many other talents talked about:
Her early years
Her visual impairment
Her educational journey
What inspired her to launch the Eyecycle nonprofit to help connect sighted and blind cyclists
Her rides across the United States and from Pakistan to China
The keys to an effective captain-stoker relationship in tandem cycling
Being the first blind woman elected to public office in Colorado
Her work with All Access Transit Solutions
Check out Dr. Folska’s website at https://claudiafolska.com/.
Visit All Access Transit Solutions at https://aats.today/.
In Episode 154 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we welcome back Murray Elbourn, a longtime adaptive athlete who has worked for major adaptive sports organizations in Australia and the United States. He originally appeared on Episode 116 of Eyes Free Sports. During the conversation, Elbourn spoke about:
Being elected as president of the U.S. Blind Tennis Association (USBTA)
Updates on blind tennis around the U.S. and where some new opportunities to play have launched
His work on a project with the University of Washington College of Engineering to develop a fully accessible American football for the blind and visually impaired
How a blind American football game might be played in terms of rules and positions
The importance of blindness organizations working together and connecting with mainstream sports organizations
The possibility of getting blind tennis into the Paralympic Games
Learn more about blind tennis at http://usblindtennis.org. You can also email vicepresident@usblindtennis.org or call/text 509-601-8447.
In Episode 153 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is Mark Ivy, a beep baseball player with the Oklahoma Lookouts and standup comedian. Mark originally appeared on Episode 133 of the podcast. During this conversation, he talked about:
An overview of the Oklahoma Lookouts’ 2025 season in the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) and their run at the World Series
His experience competing in the beep baseball all-star showcase held at George Mason University in October
A recent addition to the Lookouts’ roster
His take on being a blind standup comedian and whether it’s an advantage or disadvantage to not be able to see the audience
Some of his and Greg’s other favorite comedians
Learn more about beep baseball at http://nbba.org.
In Episode 152 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we discuss a recent climb of nearly 50 individuals with disabilities up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. We are joined by two members of the group – Drs. Conchita Hernandez and Sachin Pavithran – who were two of three visually impaired climbers in the group. During the conversation, they discussed:
Their visual impairments
Their personal and professional backgrounds
Their backgrounds in adaptive sports and recreational activities
How they got connected to the #AccessibleTogether Climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro this summer
A day-by-day recap of the climb
Their guides and other adaptations they used as visually impaired climbers
Other participants they got to know
What completing the climb meant to them and how they felt afterward
Their contact info
Follow Dr. Hernandez on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/conchitahernandez. Also, follow Dr. Pavithran on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachin-pavithran.
In Episode 151 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is Tanveer Ahmed, a multisport adaptive athlete who is originally from Pakistan and now resides in New York. During the conversation, Ahmed discussed:
How he lost his eyesight playing mainstream sports
His experience competing in blind archery and blind cricket in Pakistan
Moving to the United States where he’s pursuing even more adaptive sports
His experience at the 2025 Chicago Para-Archery Championship this summer
His experience at the 2025 National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) World Series in St. Louis this summer
Other sports for the blind he’s trying
His advice for anyone who is interested in sports and recreation
In Episode 150 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we learn all about blind cricket. Our guests are two siblings, Abey and Drew Finklea, both of whom have been instrumental in bringing blind cricket to the United States. During the interview, they talked about:
Their childhood
Abey’s visual impairment
How they were introduced to blind cricket
How blind cricket works
What inspired them to launch Cricket Association for the Blind USA
Their work in helping to develop a national women’s blind cricket team and the upcoming World Cup event in India
Their goal to start a national men’s team in blind cricket
Their plans to help launch and grow local blind cricket programs around the U.S.
How to learn more about blind cricket and get involved
Check out Cricket Association for the Blind USA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/Cricket-Association-for-the-Blind-USA-61573721957449/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cab_usa_blindcricket/.
In Episode 149 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we look back on some of our conversations with blind and visually impaired athletes with a focus on how they specifically discovered adaptive sports and recreational activities for the blind. We feature segments with:
Eliana Mason of the U.S. women’s goalball team
Chuck Gotus, a blind tennis player and bowler
Melchion Ellis of the New York Bombers beep baseball club
Ed Plumacher, a beep baseball and blind baseball player
Roger Oberholzer, a blind stoker and marathon runner
Calahan Young of the U.S. men’s goal ball team
In Episode 148 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Joe Chite from South Florida. During the conversation, Chite discussed:
His early years
His education and career
How he lost his eyesight as an adult
His introduction to goal ball and how the 2024 Paralympic Games impacted him
His recent experience playing goal ball
His efforts to bring together a goal ball community in South Florida
Other blind sports he’d like to try
Check out South Florida Adaptive Sports on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/South-Florida-Adaptive-Sports-100063517304120/ and on TikTok by searching for “South Florida Adaptive Sports.”
Contact Joe Chite by email at cjchite@gmail.com.
In Episode 147 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Terri Rupp from Las Vegas, NV. The accomplished endurance athlete spoke about:
Her unique childhood and education
How she got into adaptive sports
Her achievements in running, including Ultra marathon races
Her take on guides and tethers
Her running guide dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Her involvement in the National Federation of the Blind, including her time serving on the national board
Sharing her journey as a blind mom through her Blind Mother Runner profiles on social media
Follow Terri Rupp on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blindmotherrunner/?hl=en and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064779968422&locale=ta_IN.
Check out Achilles International at http://achillesinternational.org.
Join the United in Stride community to find running and cycling guides at http://unitedinstride.com.
In Episode 146 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we recap the 2025 National Beep Baseball Association season and the recent NBBA World Series held in the St. Louis, MO area. Dave Benney, a Hall of Fame player as well as the former public relations director for the NBBA, joined the conversation. Benney discussed:
Offseason moves leading up to the 2025 season
The regional beep baseball tournaments held in the spring and summer
His thoughts on the top teams going into the World Series
The early games at the World Series and some surprising outcomes
How the rest of the games unfolded throughout the week
The championship game featuring the Indy Thunder and Indy Edge
How the Thunder’s title ranks historically in beep baseball
Other observations about the World Series, including some unusual occurrences and decisions that were made
A few teams that returned to the World Series after a long hiatus
Learn more about the National Beep Baseball Association and beep baseball in general at http://nbba.org.
In Episode 145 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we are joined by Joseph Fleeks, a.k.a. Security. The longtime beep baseball player talked about:
His childhood
Suddenly losing his eyesight as a teenager
Transitioning from a mainstream high school to the Texas School for the Blind
His current role with Blind Professionals Network
How he got into adaptive sports
His introduction to beep baseball and highlights from his career on the field
Helping to launch and co-host the Blind Table Talk podcast
Learn more about beep baseball at http://nbba.org.
Check out the Blind Professionals Network at https://blindpronet.org/.
Learn about the Blind Table Talk podcast at http://blindtabletalk.com and search for “Blind Table Talk” on all major podcast platforms.
In Episode 144 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we chat with Chad Dillon, a beep baseball player and host of a beep baseball podcast. During the conversation, Dillon spoke about:
His early years
Discovering his visual impairment in an unexpected way
His education and career
Getting into beep baseball
His experience playing with the Gateway Archers and Oklahoma Lookouts
Hosting the “Beep Baseball Tonight” podcast
His experiences with accessible technology for visually impaired sports fans
Learn all about beep baseball at http://nbba.org.
To check out his podcast, search for “Beep Baseball Tonight” on your favorite podcast platform.
In Episode 143 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we dive into birding for the blind. We meet Donna Posont, founder of Birding by Ear and Beyond in Michigan. During the discussion, she talked about:
- Her early years
- Her family and siblings who have also been blind
- How she got interested in nature and birds
- Launching the Birding by Ear and Beyond Program at the University of Michigan Dearborn
- What the program does and an overview of its participants
- Techniques and resources for identifying birds as someone with a visual impairment
- Other activities the program has hosted
- Her involvement with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
Contact Donna Posont at donnabutterfly50@gmail.com.
Check out the Merlin Bird ID app at https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/.
Learn about Birdability, a nonprofit for people with disabilities, at https://www.birdability.org/.
In Episode 142, we mix it up a bit by covering a new topic - accessible video games for the blind and visually impaired. We are joined by two guests - Carlos Vazquez, a.k.a. Rattlehead, and Aaron Espinoza, a.k.a. Blind All Day. During the episode, they covered:
Their personal backgrounds
Their visual impairments
How they got into playing video games
Some of the most accessible video games for the blind and visually impaired
Their experience attempting to play sports video games
The work they have done in terms of consulting and advocating for accessibility in video games
Tournaments that have been held for blind gamers
What they would like to see improve with accessibility
How to follow them online
Check out Can I Play That at https://caniplaythat.com/ to learn all about which video games are accessible for blind and visually impaired gamers.
Search for the Blind Gamers Hub on Discord.
Follow Carlos on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/khrattlehead/ and search for Rattlehead on other social media platforms. Check out his Twitch channel at http://twitch.tv/kh_rattlehead.
Check out Aaron on X at https://x.com/blindallday and search for Blind All Day on other social media platforms. Visit his YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@blindallday.
In Episode 141 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we visit with Emma Papariella from the Pittsburgh, PA area. During the conversation, the multipart adaptive athlete spoke about:
- How she was adopted out of China and moved to the U.S.
- Her visual impairment
- Her education
- How she was introduced to adaptive sports through the organization now known as Envision Blind Sports
- Her experience playing blind hockey
- Her experience with blind soccer, skiing, and goal ball
- Her current role with The Dented Puck Foundation
- Her role as a sport ambassador for the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA)
- What she enjoys most about participating in adaptive sports and helping to advocate for these types of programs for others to enjoy
Follow Emma on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/share/1EoLsTXQnu/?mibextid=wwXIfr. Visit her Instagram profile at https://www.instagram.com/emma_papariella_126/. Check her out on X athttps://x.com/e_papariella?s=21&t=vMdyNqbDgak3-FH5Ja86EA.
Learn about Envision Blind Sports at http://envisionblindsports.com.
Check out The Dented Puck Foundation at https://www.thedentedpuck.com/.
In Episode 140 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Ryan Lazaroe, head coach of the U.S. men’s national blind soccer team. During the interview, Lazaroe spoke about:
- His personal and professional backgrounds
- His involvement in soccer over the years
- How he got involved in blind soccer and started coaching
- Becoming assistant coach of the U.S. men’s national team, then head coach in 2024
- How blind soccer works
- The team’s recent events against international competition
- Looking ahead to the rest of the 2025 season and beyond
- The current state of blind soccer around the U.S. and efforts to continue to grow the sport
- How people can learn more about blind soccer and get involved
Check out http://usaba.org/ to learn more about blind soccer.
Contact Ryan Lazaroe by email at rmlazaroe@yahoo.com.
In Episode 139 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we bring back Angel Parra. Originally on Episode 23 of the podcast back in 2020 and known as Damien at the time, Angel talked about:
- Why he changed his name
- His adaptive sports career
- Some recent health challenges and how they have impacted his physical activity
- Volunteering at Camp Abilities in Brockport, NY back in 2023
- Looking ahead to his future athletic pursuits
In Episode 138 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet three members of the Vibin’ Vixens, a brand new all-female beep baseball team. Ashley Melero, Faith Penn, and Dakota Hogwood joined the conversation to talk about:.
Their visual impairments
Their personal backgrounds
How they got into beep baseball and the teams they’ve played with in the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA)
How the idea for the Vibin’ Vixens team was born
Competing in their first beep baseball tournament in Las Vegas
The importance of female participation in an adaptive sport like beep baseball
Looking ahead to the future of the Vixens and women in the game
Learn more about the National Beep Baseball Association at http://nbba.org.
Follow the Vibin’ Vixens on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/Vibin-Vixens/61566816963763/. Email the team at vibinvixens@gmail.com.
In Episode 137 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we welcome back members of the New York Bombers beep baseball team, formerly known as the Long Island Bombers. James Sciortino, Jim Hughes, and Alex Barrera join the conversation to talk about:
How they got into beep baseball and their experience playing with the Bombers
Why the team decided to rebrand itself from the Long Island Bombers to the New York Bombers
Looking ahead to the 2025 season and National Beep Baseball Association World Series
How they were invited to be guests on “The Kelly Clarkson Show”
Their experience appearing on the show and how kind Kelly Clarkson was to them
A donation from Major League Baseball they were made aware of during their appearance on the show
What their TV appearance has meant in terms of awareness about the Bombers and beep baseball in general
Check out the New York Bombers website at http://www.nybombers.org.
Watch the Bombers’ appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OGtBPfH9o&t=4s.
This episode is sponsored by AccessAbility Officer. Learn more at http://accessabilityofficer.com/.
In Episode 136 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is Lillian Goodman, a visually impaired skier, paratriathlete, and all-around adaptive athlete. During the interview, Goodman talked about:
Where she grew up and her visual impairment diagnosis as a child
Her education and career working in finance
How she discovered adaptive sports for the blind
Her experience in skiing and attending Ski for Light
Her involvement in swimming and other water sports
How she got into the triathlon and some events she has competed in
Her guide dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind
Her other interests and hobbies outside of sports
Learn more about Ski for Light at http://www.sfl.org.
Check out the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes at http://nwaba.org.
Visit Dare2Tri at http://dare2tri.org.
Learn more about United in Stride at http://unitedinstride.com.
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