Hello MWABA,

Join us for Tandem Biking, Goalball, Youth Club Blind Soccer, Kayaking, Tennis, and more! Congratulations to Vencer Cotton and his partner for taking first place at B1 doubles (ranking number one in the country for doubles) and taking second place (ranking number two in the country) in men’s B1 Blind Tennis at the Blind Tennis Nationals in Pittsburgh last weekend!

Tandem Rides

· We still have some available free registrations for the DC Bike Ride on September 12th. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/HePrczM1kWYK2udv5 ASAP if you’re interested in doing the DC Bike Ride with MWABA!

· Sign up by Tuesday night at 8 p.m. for our Thursday night Eastern Market ride and our Friday night Bethesda ride: https://forms.gle/YAdsEQbKSpZABg2Y7 Note that the red line is under construction, and busses replace trains to Bethesda until September.

Goalball

· Come to Goalball practice on August 22nd from 10 AM to 1 PM at 1480 Girard St. NW, DC.

Youth Club Blind Soccer – Saturday, August 29th

· Our next youth club activity will be blind soccer on Saturday, August 29th from 10:00-1:00. We’ll be at the Takoma Mini Soccer Pitch at 301 Van Buren Street NW, Washington, DC. If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please email Claire at clairep03 by August 20th.

Annual Kayaking on the Wharf

· Please join us for our annual Kayak the Potomac event on Sunday, September 20th at the Wharf, 710 Wharf St. SW. MWABA will be renting double kayaks from 1:00-5:00 pm. This is a drop-in event. Come anytime and stay as long as you like. MWABA will provide snacks, water and Gatorade. The Wharf is an easy walk from the Waterfront metro station on the green line. Wear shoes and clothing that can get wet, and keep your fingers crossed for the same beautiful weather we had last year. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/6G5dt8TuoHv6WDWN7

Tennis

· MWABA is partnering with the Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County to host free blind and low vision tennis classes on September 19th and 26th at the Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW, DC. See the attached flyer for more details and register here: September 2026 Tennis Classes Registration

Other Activities

· Blind Fencing Class Announcement Fall 2026. Learn how to use a sword! Blind fencing is growing in the US and abroad, and we hope that it will be included in the Para Olympics in the future. Fencing can help develop orientation and mobility skills. It is an energetic sport that can enhance reflexes, balance and coordination. It also requires strategy and tactics to win against an opponent. The sport is very safe as the fencing uniform provides ample protection. The swords are not sharp; they have a small tip at the end that depresses and lights up a light and sounds a buzzer when a fencer is stabbed.

o Registration is open for a class to teach fencing to blind adults at Chevy Chase Fencing Club. The class is only for those who are legally blind and ages 13 and above. The class size will be limited to ten students.

o Classes will meet on Friday evenings, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, for ten sessions, beginning on September 11th, at the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW.

o Full uniform and equipment is provided to the students for use during the class. Students are asked to wear shorts (so that the fencing knickers can be worn overtop), long knee-length socks, and athletic shoes (no sandals or Crocs).

o Register online at https://fencer.com/fencing-class-registration/. The registration fee is $250 for the semester. If additional funding can be found before the start of the classes the registration fee will be reduced and a refund of the difference will be given to those who have already paid. It may be possible for students who have hardship paying the full fee to get supplemental financial assistance from generous sources. If there are any problems with your registration submittal, look for error messages at the top of the webpage.

o If you have any questions, please contact Raymond Finkleman (Fencing Master and Member of the Sligo Creek Chapter of NFB) at fencer.

· South Africa safari in October designed for blind and low-vision travelers: 2026 The best of South Africa Vip

If you have news or an activity you would like to submit to be included in an upcoming newsletter, please send it to: mwaba.inc.

Thanks and see you out there!

Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA)

Sports and fun for everyone! https://gomwaba.org

September 2026 Blind Tennis Flyer – Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County – Final.docx