One of the World Baseball Softball Confederation's latest disciplines Blind Baseball featured in the second International Symposium on Physical Activity and Individuals with Visual Impairments or Deafblindness at the University of Parma, Italy from 8 to 10 June. The event was organized by Real Eyes Sport in collaboration, among others, with the Italian Paralympic Committee.
Scholars, practitioners, and parents representing Italy, the United States, England, Ireland, Scotland, Czechia, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Israel and Switzerland shared their research and practice.
Keynote speaker Lauren Lieberman, PhD, a Distinguished Service Professor in the Kinesiology Department at The State University of New York at Brockport (SUNY) in adapted physical education and the director of Camp Abilities, an educational sports camp for children with visual impairments, commented: "This Symposium represented a unique opportunity to meet and share our experiences. I'm grateful to the organizers. We all will take a chance to improve as professionals and humans."
Eva Trevisan of the Italian Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member) introduced blind baseball Italian Style as a motor and psychological rehabilitation instrument.
Blind baseball was the WBSC's flagship parasport during 2022. In August, Italy defeated Great Britain to win the first WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup. The United States finished third. Germany, Netherlands and France also participated in the International Cup, which took place in Beeks, Netherlands. This ground-breaking event was celebrated with the first braille WBSC trophy ever created.
