Original framework for the inclusion of blind persons using baseball practice

The project BATBALL officially started in January 2017 with already a full agenda of activities. Indeed, the first activity was held in Montpellier at the beginning of February with two goals regarding dissemination: to organise workshops for students on the blind baseball practice and a conference on the theme of the organisation of disabilities in Europe, hosted by the associated professor Anne MARCELLINI from the Université de Lausanne in Switzerland. Three kind of workshops were settled intended for different people; in fact the first one targeted students in the field of adapted sport activities, the second one targeted all students with visual disabilities and the third one targeted students in the field of adapted sport activities but specialised in baseball. The main work until May 2017 was to begin to work on the “teaching kit” intended as a practical tool for the players and trainees. A tournament was organised by the Italian partner AIBXC mid-May and it was an opportunity to make the inventory of existing documents and supports on the practice of blind baseball; then a group of students were in charge of recording the games during the tournament in order to analyse afterwards the videos and to have a starting point of the teaching kit. Moreover, the teacher-researcher M. Eric PERERA, from the Université de Montpellier started a sociological study based on the will to know more about the motivation of the baseball federation to adapt baseball for visually impaired. This preparation of work led to the realisation and recording by a professional of the videos for the teaching kit in September 2017. During two days, four cameras were recording training sessions of players (with visual impairment or not) on different situations and positions depending the game. A video was also made on the role of the referees. At the end of September, a meeting was held at the German partner city in Freising in order to make an inventory of the current equipement and define the one needed for further development of the blind baseball. This inventory was made with the help of the Italian partner who has the expertise in terms of material and equipment. The Germans chose the option to buy the same equipment than the Italian team because the latter are practicing the game close to the traditional one. Moreover, this meeting was a starting point to the introduction of blind baseball within the German federation thanks to a letter written by the president of the Confederation of European Baseball to the president of the German Federation. Besides, the meeting provided the opportunity to know more about the associational baseball network in Germany and the potential clubs interested in developing the blind baseball in Bavaria. A presentation was made by the coach of Freising team, Hubertus HAGEMEYER, in order to present his training method, programmation over a year and improvements to be done regarding the difficulties encountered. The information delivered have been useful for the preparation of the training kit. Meanwhile, the organisation of the tournament in Montpellier was in progress. Indeed, the idea to create an international tournament by inviting the Cuban team to come on October to Montpellier was discussed in May. After several weeks of discussion with the Cuban team president and thanks to co-financing, 11 members of the Cuban team were present for the first time in Europe on the field to compete the French and Italian teams. The tournament was the last event held on the project, followed by an intensive work on the training kit.