The Eyes Free Sports Podcast

By eyesfreesports

Eyes Free Sports explores sports and recreation activities for blind and visually impaired individuals.... more

· Sports

5

99 ratings

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FAQs about The Eyes Free Sports Podcast:

How many episodes does The Eyes Free Sports Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 124 episodes available.

The Eyes Free Sports Podcast episodes:

September 28, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 124 – Meeting Retired U.S. Army Major Ivan Castro, a Longtime Endurance Athlete
In Episode 124 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is Ivan Castro from Orlando, FL. The Army veteran and highly accomplished endurance athlete discussed:
- His early years and education
What inspired him to enlist in the U.S. Army and his 28-year military career
How he went blind while serving and how he was able to continue to serve on active duty in spite of his blindness
His achievements in marathons, hikes, and other endurance adventures he has tackled around the world
The U.S. presidents and other celebrities he has met throughout his life
The book he co-authored about his journey
His message about living life to the fullest
Check out Castro’s book, Fighting Blind, on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Blind-Berets-Extraordinary-Courage/dp/1250076544.
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42min
September 14, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast -Ep. 123: Playing Blind Chess with David Rosenkoetter
In Episode 123 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is David Rosenkoetter. The longtime adaptive athlete and fitness guru has also competed in blind chess for many years. During the discussion, Rosenkoetter spoke about:
- Where he is from and his childhood
His visual impairment
His educational journey and professional career
How he got into adaptive sports for the blind and the sports he has competed in
How he got into blind chess and his journey competing in tournaments
How chess is adapted for the blind and visually impaired community
An overview of the United States Blind Chess Association (USBCA) and the current state of blind chess in the U.S. and internationally
Over-the-board blind chess tournaments and those held virtually
How fitness has helped him when playing the mental game of chess
Learn more about the United States Blind Chess Association at https://usblindchess.org/.
Check out Rosenkoetter’s website at http://boldlyblind.blog.
His soon-to-be-published book is called Jag.
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48min
August 31, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 122 – Talking Blind Hockey with Drew Garza and Josh Schneider of The Dented Puck Foundation
In Episode 122 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we visit with Drew Garza and Josh Schneider, two of the founders of The Dented Puck Foundation who are both highly active in blind hockey in the U.S. During the conversation, they talked about:
- Their early years
Their low vision journeys
How they discovered blind hockey
Their experiences in blind hockey both on and off the ice
Why they started The Dented Puck Foundation and its mission
The current state of blind hockey in the U.S. and looking ahead
The possibility of getting blind hockey into the Paralympics someday
How to learn more about blind hockey and their contact info
Learn more about The Dented Puck Foundation and blind hockey at http://thedentedpuck.com/.
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52min
August 17, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 121 – Stretching with Sonya Chapnick, a Visually Impaired Certified yoga Therapist and Founder/CEO of Yoga Gently
In Episode 121 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, our guest is Sonya Chapnick from the Los Angeles, CA area. The founder and CEO of Yoga Gently spoke about:
- Her early years and education
Her unique career prior to losing her vision
How she got into yoga and her professional certifications
What inspired her to launch Yoga Gently
The yoga programs she offers and how she adapts them to blind and visually impaired clients
How she got into tandem cycling, skiing, and other outdoor activities
Her advice on the benefits of getting involved in sports and recreation
Learn more about Yoga Gently at http://yogagently.com.
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43min
August 03, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 120 – Meeting David Benney and Recapping the 2024 National Beep Baseball Association World Series and Season
In Episode 120 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet David Benney. The longtime beep baseball player and advocate for the sport spoke about:
- His early years growing up in Chicago
His visual impairment and how it has impacted his life
His education and career
How he got into playing beep baseball and his lengthy career with multiple teams
His role as a color commentator and media team member for the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA)
An overview of the 2024 NBBA season
Recapping the 2024 NBBA World Series held in the St. Louis, MO area
Players who stood out to him during the World Series
His overall observations on how the World Series was put on and looking ahead
Learn more about the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) and the sport of beep baseball at http://nbba.org.
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1h 12min
July 20, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 119 – A Visit with Liz Bottner, a Blind Hockey Player, Adaptive Runner, and All-Around Disability Advocate
In Episode 119 of the Eyes Free Sports Podcast, Liz Bottner joins the conversation. A native of Delaware, Bottner has gone on to a successful professional career along with lots of involvement in several adaptive sports. During the podcast, Bottner talked about:
- Being a triplet and her two sisters
Her eye condition
Her education and graduate studies
Her career working for a few major government organizations
What led her to try adaptive sports for the blind
Her experience competing in blind hockey with the Hartford Braillers
Her experience as an adaptive runner and her running guide dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Her volunteer work
Her advice for anyone in the blind community who has thought about trying sports and recreational activities
Some important resources for those interested in adaptive sports programs
Learn more about the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) at http://www.usaba.org.
For more information on blind hockey, check out https://unitedstatesblindhockeyteam.com/.
Contact Liz Bottner at [email protected].
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42min
July 06, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 118 – A Conversation with Alvin Suarez, a Goalball Player and Coach, Beep Baseball Player, and Musician
In Episode 118 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Alvin Suarez from New York City. During the conversation, the longtime adaptive athlete and coach spoke about:
- His early years growing up in New York City
His visual impairment
His education attending both mainstream schools and a school for the blind
His day job and unique side hustle
His experience playing adaptive sports as a youngster and what drew him back to participating in them well into adulthood
His journeys in goalball and beep baseball
His experience as a goalball coach for a women’s team
His band with other visually impaired musicians and the music they’ve produced
Learn more about beep baseball and the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) at http://nbba.org.
Check out his band, Los Ciegos del Barrio, on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/losciegosdelbarrio.
Suarez is involved in a fundraiser with the New York Association of Blind Athletes on Wednesday, July 17 at Reif’s Bar at 302 East 92nd Street, Manhattan, NY. For more info, check out the NYABA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/New-York-Goalball-Sport-for-the-Blind-Visually-Impaired-100063486644438/.
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1h 16min
June 22, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 117 – A Conversation with Wynter Pingel, a Beep Baseball Player, Runner, and Musician
In Episode 117 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Wynter Pingel from the Boston, MA area. The beep baseball player, runner, and musician talked about:
- Her childhood and attending both mainstream schools and a blind school
Her education and career, including a job she had with National Braille Press (NBP)
How she got introduced to adaptive sports for the blind as an adult
Her experience playing beep baseball and tournaments she has competed in
Her experience as an adaptive runner and her goals for future races
Her background in music and her current career as a gigging musician
Learn more about beep baseball at http://nbba.org.
Check out one of the bands Pingel plays in, Connacht, at https://connachtband.com/.
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46min
June 08, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast: Ep. 116 – Meeting Murray Elbourn, a Longtime Goalball Player, Disability Sports Leader, & CEO of Amerability Services
In Episode 116 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we visit with longtime goalball player and disability sports leader Murray Elbourn. The native of Australia now operates Amerability Services in Washington State. During the interview, Elbourn talked about:
- His early years growing up in Australia
His vision loss journey and how he had some vision restored as an adult
How he was introduced to adaptive sports for the blind
His career and achievements playing goalball
What led him to move to the United States, back to Australia, and then back to the U.S.
How he got into blind tennis and his current role with the U.S. Blind Tennis Association (USBTA)
His coaching experience and why he thinks sports and recreation are essential for members of the blind community, especially children
Why he started Amerability Services and how this company combines training in independent living skills with blind sports opportunities
Contact Murray Elbourne at [email protected].
Learn more about the U.S. Blind Tennis Association (USBTA) at https://playtennis.usta.com/usbta.
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38min
May 25, 2024The Eyes Free Sports Podcast – Ep. 115: Meeting Charles Catherine, an Elite Para-triathlete and Co-Captain of the U.S. Men’s Blind Soccer Team
In Episode 115 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we meet Charles Catherine. A native of France, Catherine has become a highly talented para-triathlete who was recently named as one of the captains of the U.S. men’s blind soccer team. During the conversation, Catherine discussed:
- His childhood growing up in France
His eye condition
His education and career, including his current role with the National Organization on Disability (NOD)
His journey to the United States
How he got into endurance sports, specifically the triathlon
How he got into blind soccer and his journey moving up the ranks
How blind soccer works
What it means to represent the U.S. as a blind soccer player
Looking ahead to the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles
His musical interests and achievements
Why he recommends all blind and visually impaired individuals find opportunities to pursue in sports and recreation
Learn more about blind soccer at https://www.usaba.org/clubs-sports/blind-soccer/.
Follow Charles Catherine on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/charles.daddio/.
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44min

FAQs about The Eyes Free Sports Podcast:

How many episodes does The Eyes Free Sports Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 124 episodes available.

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