USABA to Host the 2010 National Sports Festival in Conjunction with the Rocky Mountain State Games

Thirty-five USABA athletes along with eight military personnel, who are blind and visually impaired will have the opportunity to learn and refine their skills in various sports clinics instructed by USABA national coaches at the Sports Festival held at Colorado College. Participants will experience a variety of sports adapted for athletes who are blind or visually impaired including archery, judo, powerlifting, swimming, track & field, wrestling, a 5K run/walk, tandem cycling and goalball (a team sport designed for those who are blind and visually impaired).

Mission Vision, a program specifically designed for Veterans and Service members who incurred vision loss as a result of service, was launched to help promote sport and physical activity. The USABA's Military Sports Program works with the VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers to enhance their rehabilitation programs and provides the service members the opportunity to compete against peers, blind and visually impaired, as well as sighted athletes.

"The USABA Sports Festival provides blind and visually impaired athletes from all over the United States a unique opportunity to train and compete alongside their peers," said USABA Executive Director Mark Lucas. "USABA coaching staff and Paralympic athletes provide participants the opportunity to hone their own athletic skills, empowering them to take the game to a higher level in their local community-based programs."

The USABA athletes will come from all over the nation, Washington to Arizona, California to West Virginia, Connecticut to Florida to participate in the sports festival and the Rocky Mountain State Games. One of the larger groups partaking in the festival and state games is from the Delta Gamma Center in St. Louis, Missouri, with 19 athletes and 10 staff.

Following the three day Sports Festival and Mission Vision Program, the USABA athletes will compete in the Rocky Mountain State Games alongside their USABA peers and 8,000 sighted athletes which are organized and managed by the Colorado Springs Sports Corp. The State Games will have 35 sports for Junior and Master's level competitions, taking place at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Fort Carson, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Memorial Park, Colorado College and other venues.

For more information about the Rocky Mountain State Games please visit http://www.coloradospringssports.net/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=101