Camp packs active slate for youth with visual impairments

More precisely, Celsur was a volunteer with Camp Abilities Texas, also known as CATX, which is a weeklong sports camp for youth who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind. It concludes July 18 on the Texas Woman's University campus.

The camp teaches children from 9 to 18 what they can do in the areas of sports and recreation.

Each young athlete is supported by a coach, many of whom are TWU adapted physical education graduate students or alumni. Athletes are given individualized instruction on a variety of sports, with the modifications they need to be successful. Twenty-five youths participated in this year's camp.

Celsur was paired with a camper named Eli. One of her favorite moments of the week was the campus ride, where the coach and athlete pedal on a tandem bike.

"Even though he was tired, he just kept pushing and he was really proud of himself," Celsur said.

Celsur worked to fulfill a practicum for her kinesiology master's degree with an emphasis in adapted physical activity, or APA. She is graduating in August and is starting a job teaching life skills and special education.

Most activities were held at Pioneer Hall and the Fitness and Recreation Center. CATX is planned by camp co-directors Lisa Hanson and Lily North and supported by Suzanna Dillon, a Texas Woman's kinesiology professor.

"It's facilitated a lot by volunteer work," Dillon said about the camp. "And it is the dedication of these physical educators, adaptive physical educators, special educators, orientation and mobility specialists that really help make camp a really unique experience for our campers each week. This camp is so impactful for our campers that they look forward to coming back year after year."

She added that part of the appeal for campers is reconnecting with friends and making new ones.

Programming at CATX is supported by TWU's Adapted Physical Activity program and Music Therapy program.

This year was the first in which music therapy students were involved. TWU assistant professor Della Molloy-Daugherty integrated students from her summer course/practicum into CATX.

Some campers developed a musical piece or performance for a talent show to celebrate the end of camp.

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