Tennis for the blind & visually impaired
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>View discussions about this entry Country: Japan
Organization: Japanese Tennis Association for the Blind and Visually impaired
Sport: Tennis
Year the initative began (yyyy) 1990
YouTube Upload:
Project URL: http://www.hanno.jp/~matsui/
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? Making tennis possible for the blind and visual impaired community.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? It has traditionally been thought that tennis was not a sport that could be played by people with a visual handicap. Through the invention of a special tennis ball that makes noise when it is hit and bounces, blind players can now locate a moving ball and can therefore hit and play tennis in very much the same way as able-bodied players.
Right now, to our knowledge, the Japan Tennis Association for the Visually Handicapped is the only national body that exists and actively promotes tennis activities for the visually impaired players within their country. What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change? Our number one priority now is the international promotion of Blind Tennis. It is already big in Japan but we want to give blind players all over the world the opportunity to try and enjoy this great sport. There is a lack of awareness at the moment that tennis is a sport that can be played by the blind.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? In Japan, we have an integrated schedule of activities to support and encourage blind people to try, participate, practise and compete in tennis. There are regularly scheduled clinics and lessons throughout the country, as well as local and national tournaments.
How do you plan to grow your innovation? We are presently using all mediums at our disposal. We have recently had a couple of national TV features done, we have performed exhibitions in the United Kingdom and Korea, we have posted videos and information on the Internet and we are hoping to form an organisation to integrate the promotion internationally.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. Blindness is no longer an excuse to not be able to play tennis. One day it will be a Paralympic sport.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries? There are approximately 300 blind and partially sighted people who actively play tennis in Japan.The youngest is 2 years old and the oldest in their 70's.
The racket, being short and light and the ball soft and foamy, this style of tennis can be enjoyed by everybody - from infants to seniors. It is similar to mini tennis or short tennis. What makes blind tennis even more unique is that the blind / partially sighted players can mix and play with their able-bodied friends and family. We feel it is vital for the disabled and abled to share experiences. Given the popularity of blind tennis in Japan, we feel that it is ready to spread its wings and spread around the rest of the world. All blind and partially-sighted should have the opportunity to try this sport.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation? Able-bodied people imagine that tennis is impossible if you cant see the ball. We often think that the disabled are incapable and feel sorry for them. But blind tennis reminds us all, that with determination, the impossible is very often possible. Able-bodied remain amazed and inspired when they witness blind tennis for the first time and it has served to create better understanding of those with disabilities.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact? We have 2 mains obstacles we are working on overcoming:
- the special ball used to play blind tennis is still in a developmental stage. It is still very expensive to produce and breaks easily. - many parts of the world have still never heard about blind tennis. How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - NEC has been our primary source of funding.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization. REVENUES:
Fees: 200,000yen (from association registration fees and national tournament entry fees) NEC 700,000yen (500,000yen for international promotion, 200,000yen for an annual junior camp) Kao.Co 400,000yen (domestic promotion) Mainichi news paper(30,000yen for the national tournament) Fuji film (100,000yen for the national tournament) total is 1,430,000yen EXPENDITURES All staff are volunteers What is the potential demand for your innovation? Tennis for the blind is still unheard of and unseen in many parts of the world. Through active promotion and exhibitions, we hope that the sport could become an integral part of a blind person's choice of activities and hobbies.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? The international promotion of blind tennis started in January 2007. Our association was established in 1990 and run primarily by a visually-impaired committee of volunteers whose primary focus has been on the promotion of the sport within Japan. Now, we would like to expand the sport internationally but to do it effectively it will require a much larger budget than we presently have.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. Given the long history of tennis, Blind Tennis is a relatively new sport. It was originally created by Miyoshi Takei in 1984 in Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture, Japan. At the time, Miyoshi was a blind high school student at the Saitama Prefectural School For The Blind & Visually Impaired and he had a dream to hit a tennis ball.
Visually impaired versions of various other sports such as volleyball, table tennis and baseball already existed at the time. But, in these ball games, a ball was rolled on the floor rather than bounced. This was not what Miyoshi was looking for. He wanted to play tennis in three dimensions with a ball bouncing.He went to see his physical education teacher and asked for advice. The teacher was interested in his idea and they started to experiment together at the gymnasium in Saitama prefectural school for the blind and the visually impaired. The first and most important task was to make a special ball that would allow visually impaired players to locate its position by the sound it emited as it bounced or was hit. At first, they tried to use a toy plastic ball, in which they put some lead balls. It rattled and the sound was good. But the height of the bounce was not appropriate. They continued to experiment with various other materials but it was proving very difficult to make the perfect Blind Tennis. After graduating from school, Miyoshi entered a special education course in Tokyo to learn physiotherapy. He took his original ball to the Tokyo Sports Centre For The Disabled. He asked an instructor to play tennis with him. At first, the instructor was uncertain about Miyoshi's idea, but he was deeply moved by his enthusiasm.At that time , short tennis came from Sweden. A sponge ball is used for short tennis. One day a man who works for the wheelchair tennis association showed a sponge ball to Miyoshi.He had an idea of using a sponge ball.Then he went to a shop to find a ball, and he got a larger sponge ball. He cut it in half and put a table tennis ball for the blind and visually impaired in the middle. It was very challenging for Miyoshi to make contact with the ball at first but it was also a huge step forward for three dimentional sports for the blind and visually impaired.With its sponge exterior and a rattling table tennis ball at its core the National Rehabilitation Centre For The Disabled (NRCT) in Tokorozawa in Saitama started a project to manufacture the special tennis ball for the blind and set the rules. Miyoshi's dream was coming true. The visually impaired people, who were studying there, lent good advice. Furhermore, with the help of The Japanese Disabled Sport Association, a yet-unknown sport was about to be born. It was on the 21st of October in 1990 that Miyoshi's dream was realized at last. The first national tournament was held in NRCT. Miyoshi stood on the court feeling very excited and happy. He had accomplished his goal. Japan is divided into 47 regions. Blind tennis is now played in over 30 of these regions. It is estimated that about 300 players are now enjoying it regularly. The racket, being short and light, everybody from infants to the elderly can play it. And best of all, both challenged and able-bodied can play Blind Tennis together, either as opponents or in a mixed-doubles format with visually impaired player partnering someone with normal eyesight. Our goal is to make Blind Tennis a Paralympic event and a sport which is played far and wide around the world. Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material. Ayako Matsui, Director of Japan Tennis Association for the Blind and Visually Handicapped
born in 1961, in Tokyo Contact Information:
Ayako Matsui
Director Japanese Tennis Association for the Blind and Visually impaired (other) Discussions about this entry |
Hi Ayako Matsui,
This is a fantastic innovation. It sounds like blind tennis is really popular already in Japan and getting ready to spread its wings and develop in other parts of the world.
I have a couple of questions for you about the way this new game is designed. I would have thought that the game of tennis would not need to be modified so much to enable people with visual impairments to play. I understand the marking of the courts with string so that players can know where they are. I am wondering why the size of the court and of the tennis racquets are smaller?
I imagine it would be easier to spread this game throughout the world if it can be played on existing courts (indoor and outdoor) with tennis raquets that are already available in many countries.
Also, I really like the inclusive aspect of this new game that enables anyone to play regardless of their ability to see. Are sighted players are also required to wear blindfolds?
Good with the international development of blind tennis!
Best regards,
Jackie
Jackie Lauff
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Dear Jackie,
Thank you for your comment.
Wheelchair tennis has spreaded all over the world as it is as same as mainstream tennis except the number of bounces.
But for the totally blind, a normal court is to big as they start to move after hearing the first bounce.
Short tennis (or mini tennis) uses a badmigton court and it is good size for the blind.
I think that the partially sighted player can play on the normal size court.
Because the court is smaller and the ball is lighter the the normal tennis, the racquet should be shorter.
If the racquet is longer, it would be difficult for the visually impaired to hit a ball in the air. The nearer the ball is , the easier they hear the sound of the ball.
It might be a good idea to use the lines of normal tennis. We have to think about it for the internatinal promotion.
The sighted players do not have to wear blindfolds. If everybody wears blindfolds, it would be dangerous.
The visually impaired and the sighted hit a ball in turns, and the sighted can tell the visually impaired to move right or left , front or back. The nice conbination is needed.
I am going to Korea with Miyoshi from 20th to 22nd . The first tournamet in Korea is going to be held.
Takei is going to play a match with a Korean player.
Best Wishes
Ayako
Miyoshi Takei is indeed a very determined individual, Ayako, and you've written a very eloquent proposal representing your efforts to make tennis accessible to the blind in Japan, elsewhere in Asia, and in Europe.
The Japanese Tennis Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired appears to have made great inroads in Japan and is ready to grow the sport internationally.
I appreciate your effort to mainstream blind players with the normally-sighted and imagine that playing doubles with two teams, each consisting of a sighted player and blind one, is both exciting and enjoyable. You're really mainstreaming visually-impaired players with sighted ones in admirable fashion.
How does a blind player know if the ball has been hit within the court boundaries or not? Are the court lines raised to indicate to a player that he or she is standing inbounds or out-? Does the ball sound differently when it strikes the net or outside of court boundaries than when it's in play? Or do you use line judges to advise the players?
Steve Byars
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
Dear Steve,
Thank you for your interest for blind tennis.
Players need a judge to tell them whether a ball is in or out. The sound is same.
The court is similar to a badminton court and is usually played indoors. Like goalball, string is taped to the floor to mark baselines and center marks. The recommended string/cord is 2 millimeter (1/13-inch). Players can determine the dimensions of the court by touching the taped string with their hands and feet.
I sent balls to American Printing House. They have written a booklet about this tennis.
I hope that blind tennis will be accepted in the USA.
Besat Wishes
Ayako Matsui
It is indeed very cool to see the blind playing tennis, quite revolutionary really. I am wondering what the participants say about being able to play the sport. To promoting it to the blind around the world, what have been some of the benefits of the blind participating in this sport and does the organization provide other support or services to the blind? Thank you for the video, it's awe inspiring!
Tyler Ahn
Changemakers
Dear Tyler,
Thank you very much for sending the comment.
It is a dream for the blind to hit a ball in the air. it is difficult for the totally blind people to move around freely by themselves and hit a ball in the air. So it is worth doing.
There are some sports that the visually imparied can play , but the rules are complicated and the able-bodied can not enjoy together. The rules for blind tennis is as same as mainstream tennis. That means everybody can join and share the experiences.
Our association has just started international promotion. We have a national tournamet once a year.
Mr. Miyoshi Takei goes to schools to talk about his experience and hisitory of blind tennis and show his play to children. It is a good education for the integrated society.
Best Wishes
Ayako Matsui
Thank you for your reply, it is indeed a fascinating project. There is an entry from Nepal that is seeking to launch a cricket program there for the blind and I think you have expertise that can help. I hope you will take a look at their entry and reach out to them. http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/3676
Best, Tyler Ahn