Our Sports & Activities
Goalball
Goalball practices are held on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Columbia Heights Community Center. For more info, please email Kurt Sloop and Lori Pierce at mwaba.inc@gmail.com.
What is goalball? It’s the only team sport specifically designed for the blind. It is played by men and women around the world, including in the Paralympics. MWABA launched its goalball program in June 2015, by hosting a goalball clinic at Trinity Washington University.
Watch the video below to find out more about the sport of Goalball, or click here if you are viewing this from a mobile device.
Hiking
We organize hikes approximately once per month. Hikes are of varying levels of challenge and distance to accommodate a diverse range of hikers. We are also looking for guides who enjoy hiking and can provide assistance to blind/low vision hikers based on their stated needs, and we hope that the shared activity will build community, friendships, and lots of fun. Please contact Qudsiya Naqui at qnaqui@gmail.com or Kevin Andrews at kevin.andrews94@gmail.com.
Tandem Bicycle Rides
A group of sighted captains (front seat) and blind stokers (back seat) rides tandem bikes every Thursday evening at 6 PM and approximately one weekend day per month. (If those times are inconvenient for you, email us and we’ll work with you to arrange another ride time, or check out the Tuesday Night Tandems group in Alexandria.)
MWABA’s rides depart from either the Bethesda and Eastern Market metro stations for distances of 10-20 miles, primarily on local trails. Tandem bikes and helmets are provided by MWABA. Friends and family members are welcome to ride along on single bikes, or as we like to call them, “half-bikes.” If you’d like to learn more or sign up to be part of a ride, please email Shira Gordon and Chris George at mwaba.inc@gmail.com.
Yoga
Yoga classes are being held at Circle Yoga on the last Saturday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Tajuan Farmer at mwaba.inc@gmail.com.
Beep Kickball
For more information, contact Claire Posteraro at mwaba.inc@gmail.com.
Running Groups
MWABA members participate in runs and walks hosted by the DC chapter of Achilles International. In these activities, blind athletes can partner with a guide and run, jog or walk outside for whatever distance is comfortable for them. To learn more about these group workouts, visit the Facebook page of Achilles International’s DC chapter or email hmcfadden@achillesinternational.org
Dragon boat paddling with Out of Sight Dragons, Inc. (OSD)
This is a separate organization that several MWABA members also enjoy: Out of Sight Dragons race dragon boats! That means sitting two abreast in long, narrow paddle boats with a dragon head at the front and dragon tail at the back. Out of Sight Dragons are a team of blind and visually impaired individuals, friends, families, volunteers and partner organizations in the Metropolitan Washington DC area with the mission to promote the benefits of dragon boat paddling among blind and visually impaired people.
As a dragon boat racing team, we compete in dragon boat events, festivals and regattas. We welcome everyone to our team to experience dragon boat paddling teamwork, get a full body workout and have fun!
For more information about our practice schedule please contact us via:
Email: outofsightdragonsdc@gmail.com
By Phone: (202) 599-7395
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/outofsightdc
Ideas for other activities?
Please feel free to contact us at mwaba.inc@gmail.com with any other suggestions for future activities.
Calendar of upcoming activities and events
Note: Before participating in our programs, please complete our registration form (which includes a waiver) here.