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<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> United States Association
of Blind Athletes [mailto:etap@usaba.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 29, 2010
1:47 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Nickie Pearl<BR><B>Subject:</B> Massachusetts Schools for
the Blind Gear up for Fencing Match<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: #ff0000"><STRONG>Mass. schools for
blind gear up for fencing match</STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV align=center> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">By MARK PRATT <BR>Associated Press
Writer </SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><EM style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Mar 28, 2:07 PM EDT</EM></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" align=center> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) -- Cory Kadlik has
never let being blind stop him from golfing, skating, learning martial arts or
riding a dirt bike. He had his doubts when it came to fencing. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"I never even knew this was possible," said
Kadlik, 19, of Medway as epees clanged, his teammates whooped in triumph, and
coaches barked out instructions in the gym of Perkins School for the Blind.
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"I'm on Twitter, and I mentioned to my
followers and friends that I was going to be in a fencing tournament and I had
ten replies saying 'Blind people can fence? Really? No way!' Yeah, anything is
possible." </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Kadlik duels Monday in what's being billed as
a first-of-its kind match between students at schools for the blind - Perkins
and The Carroll Center for the Blind in nearby Newton. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The match was the brainchild of Perkins
fencing instructor Cesar Morales, founder of the International Fencing Club in
suburban Boston and also a teacher at the Newton school. Morales said the
students got bored fencing against the same people week after week and needed
outside challenges. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Fencing teaches the balance, agility,
mobility, timing, listening and navigational skills that the blind need to make
their way in the sight-oriented world, said Peggy Balmaseda, a physical
education teacher at Perkins for 25 years. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"This helps with orientation," said Kadlik,
who lives on his own in an apartment on the Perkins Watertown campus. "When
you're walking along, and you come to a crosswalk, you need to stay in a
straight line to cross the street, and learning to stay straight in fencing
reinforces that feeling." </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The Carroll Center has been teaching fencing
to its students for exactly those reasons since 1954, said vice president Arthur
O'Neill. But to his knowledge, this is the first time there has been a fencing
match with another school. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">About a half-dozen students from each school
will compete. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Any kind of physical activity benefits the
blind and visually impaired, said Mark Lucas, executive director of the U.S.
Association of Blind Athletes based in Colorado Springs, Colo. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The organization oversees competition for the
blind in sports including cycling, swimming, skiing, and judo, but Lucas said
he's never heard of a fencing tournament for the blind, perhaps because it takes
so much hand-eye coordination. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"This sounds like a wonderful opportunity,"
he said. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Blind and visually impaired people who
participate in sports tend to be more competitive and higher achievers, Lucas
said. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"The unemployment rate for the blind
nationwide is something like 70 percent, but we surveyed our members and found
that it's more like 30 percent for those involved with sports," he said.
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">For the Perkins fencers, fencing is just
plain fun and proves that the blind can do anything the sighted can.
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"I'm not limited by the way I am," said
Perkins student Sam Robson, 17, of Westport, Conn., who also wrestles, swims and
runs track. He said he's lived his life facing skepticism about his abilities.
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"Don't tell me I can't walk across the street
by myself," he said. "I can do that. Don't tell me I can't fence. I can do that.
I think it's a big statement that can show people we are not afraid."
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Minh Farrow, 21, the only woman on the
Perkins team, said she was inspired to try fencing by her younger brother. "I
just do it because it's fun," she said. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">There are no special rules and no greater
risk of injury for the blind students, Morales said. They wear the same
protective jackets and headgear as sighted fencers. They start with their
weapons touching, then fence on command from the officials, just like a fencing
bout for the sighted. There are no verbal cues from coaches, and they use the
same electronic scoring devices that buzz and light up when a fencer touches the
tip of their weapon to their opponent's torso or head. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> </DIV>
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<DIV><EM>Address postal inquiries to:</EM></DIV>
<DIV>United States Association of Blind Athletes</DIV>
<DIV>33 North Institute St</DIV>
<DIV>Colorado Springs, CO 80903 </DIV>
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