Fierce Competition and Friendly Camaraderie; the 7th WILL-SEESAW Cup

 



            While some may believe that visually impaired individuals are not as physically active in comparison to non-disabled people, the truth is quite the contrary; despite the apparent struggles, they are significantly competitive and find great joy in sports. Therefore, I participated in a Showdown competition, a type of sport conducted with a blindfold on to create a level playing field for everyone. In the beginning, I underestimated the sport; I didn't realize just how confusing, difficult, and frightening an experience with complete blindness felt. I struggled to find the location of the ball, and I often lost control of the ball while attempting to transport it to the optimal position. But while I was not in full control, I heard the plays of the visually impaired players and was mindblown at the skill and work they put in to the sport. I heard their powerful wall crawl attacks; I tracked their hectic dribbling, which successfully threw me off as I let my guard down, losing a point. 

            While I lost to many of the visually impaired Showdown players, I didn't feel a sense of despair but rather a sense of understanding for the hard work and joy that visually impaired individuals find despite the struggle that I found hard to bear in just a single game. Therefore, I feel that the WILL-SEESAW Cup was a wonderful opportunity to gain respect for the visually impaired, and I look forward to participating in it in the foreseeable future.

    

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