Visual Impairment

When dealing with players who may have a Visual Impairment it is paramount that coaches do not assume that all visual impairments are the same. Visually impaired people are classified according to their different levels of sight. These are structured categories based on medical recommendations and are categorised as B1, B2 or B3. Players who have B1 classification are blind; players who are B2 and B3 are classed as partially sighted. Partially sighted players can usually be coached in a similar way to their sighted peers.

There are a number of causes of visual impairment:

• Impairments may be present from birth, known as congenital
• After birth as a result of an injury, accident, old age or a disease

If a player has a Visual Impairment the following outcomes or combinations of outcomes exist:
Damage to

• The eye itself or the muscles to the eye
• The central nervous system or the occipital lobes of the brain which has the function of visual identification
• The optic nerves which pass on information to the brain

There are a number of types of impairment

• Total blindness which is defined as the inability to identify (see) any objects or contours in any direction or distance.
• Light perception which is the ability to see strong light at a distance of 1 metre.
• Residual which is a persons remaining vision

When working with Visually Impaired players:

• You will need to ascertain the players level of sight – Don’t assume anything at all – rather ask the player privately or their parent / carer. If your clubs administration procedure is working you should have a medical record with the information available to you. If the player is a first timer then you have to ask them. Also allow the player time to settle in to the new surroundings, ensure no doors or other obstacles might cause them danger and if there are such obstacles make the payer aware of them. Does their partial sight have implications for the proposed activity, for example a detached retina may prevent heading a ball.
• The environment will need to be assessed for the lighting levels. Different types of lighting will affect different levels of sight. Fluorescent lighting, floodlights, cloud cover and even your positioning when talking to the player may all cause the player problems, so you must ask each time in order to keep yourself fully informed.
• As with the rest of your group your verbal instructions need to concise, technically correct and straightforward. The player may be much more reliant on your explanation rather than your demonstrations.
• Your demonstrations need to be within the player’s comfortable vision distance, so if you demonstrate to one group do not expect all the players to be able to see it.
• If a player is more reliant on your instructions then ensure as much as possible that background noises are kept to the minimum. There is little that can be done about motorway traffic or trains except waiting for a break but other players talking over you or echoes in confined spaces may be addressed.
• It may be useful to enlist the help of family and friends to assist in coaching sessions, as they would be more familiar with guiding the individual.
• Evacuation procedures due to emergencies (fire etc) will have to be fully explained to player and parent / carer. Is the warning a light or a particular buzzer or bell?
• In terms of equipment - the use a brighter coloured football would make the session more accessible but remember NOT to use a multicoloured ball. The colourings of the pitch markings may not be within your control but most centres will be aware of the need to ensure a contrast between the surface colour and any pitch markings. Also the colours of bibs may cause the players a problem so make sure you ask before the session begins. Try to encourage players to remove training equipment and bags from the immediate area.

Blind Players

Coaches Colleague suggests that any coach working or intending to work with Blind players should make every effort to attend a recognised workshop to become familiar with coaching Blind players as It is more difficult to include blind people in coaching groups of sighted players both for safety reasons and to retain the integrity of the game as played by blind people. B1 players have no vision and react to sound, echo and verbal instructions to play the game. The following points are a brief example of points to be considered;

• Always address the player directly by their name, and because the coach is the focal point of the session for the players a lot more verbal communication is required.
• Touching a player to position them may be necessary, but always seek permission first, it may be useful initially to enlist the help of family and friends to assist in coaching sessions, as they would be more familiar with guiding the individual.
• Do not walk away without informing the player or group
• Place kit bags, footballs etc away from the immediate playing area
• Be specific with instructions and present them in a logical sequence.
• Evacuation procedures due to emergencies (fire etc) will have to be fully explained to player and parent / carer. Is the warning a light or a particular buzzer or bell?
• Keep noise distractions to a minimum.
• Any boundary ropes, walls or cones, must be talked and walked through with the players and some time must be set aside to allow familiarity.
• Changing and toileting facilities need to be explained fully.
• Equipment will be according to the recommendations made by the appropriate disability sports organisation, the FA, or your local County FA.

Eventually, it may be that sighted players or coaches in the group would be able to assist