Sports 303: The Power of Team Sports

1) Episode Summary In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow continues the sports series with a conversation about team sports, adaptive recreation, and the deeper personal growth that comes through play. Guest Ashley Thomas, founder of Bridge to Sports, shares her own story of living with spina bifida, becoming a wheelchair user, discovering sport later in life, and eventually competing at a world-class level in kayaking. Ashley brings a powerful perspective to the conversation: sport is not just about competition. It is a tool for confidence, independence, resilience, teamwork, communication, and self-discovery. She shares an unforgettable story about doing her first 5K with her daughter, where poor planning turned into a lesson in humility, teamwork, and learning how to communicate needs clearly. The episode also explores the value of asking for help, how to approach a team environment when you feel like the “new person,” and why it is important to keep trying even when fear, discouragement, or past rejection make it tempting to stay small. Ashley also discusses adaptive team sports and activities that can work well for blind and low-vision athletes, including beep baseball, bocce, cycling, kayaking, and other adaptive options. The heart of the episode is simple and strong: it is never too late to play, never too late to try, and never too late to discover what you are capable of. 2) Contact Info Guest / Organization Ashley Thomas Founder, Bridge to Sports Aftersight Aftersight Email: [email protected] Producer Jonathan Price Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight 3) Show Credits Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss Host: Kim Wardlow Guest: Ashley Thomas Producer: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight 4) Chapter Markers 00:02 — Kim introduces the sports series and guest Ashley Thomas 01:21 — Ashley shares her background, disability, and love for sport 02:58 — Why sport can be adapted for everyone 05:45 — The deeper benefits of team sports beyond the game itself 07:21 — Ashley’s first race story and lessons in humility and teamwork 21:41 — Finding the sport you love versus the one you are best at 22:29 — How to ask for help and communicate your needs clearly 31:11 — Body positioning, posture, and practical sport readiness 34:45 — Beep baseball and what it teaches about blind athletic skill 37:23 — Blind soccer, hockey, and starting what does not yet exist 39:16 — Bocce as an adaptive team sport option 42:08 — Kayaking and other adaptive opportunities for blind athletes 43:13 — Ashley’s closing encouragement: just do it (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0