Low-vision student teaches classmates at Midvale Middle new sport

Earlier this school year, Midvale Middle School seventh-grader Cody Phelps told his healthy lifestyles teacher Lyndsey Pearson about sports he plays. Cody, who was born blind in one eye and with low vision in the other, wanted to teach his classmates goalball, a team sport designed for blind athletes, and Pearson welcomed the opportunity.

“He planned it all and ran with it,” Pearson said, after the seventh-grade physical education class played goalball, Oct. 4. “He is a great teacher. He got the supplies, put together the markings on the floor and taught us all how to play.”

Goalball is played in the Paralympic games and by many blind or partially-sighted sports federations, said Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind orientation and mobility specialist Tracy Day, who helps 13-year-old Cody.

In the sport, three-member teams throw a ball with bells inside, trying to score in the opponents’ goal. Teams alternate rolling or throwing the ball from one end to another and try to block the ball from getting in their own goal by using their hands or body to stop the ball. At Midvale, students wore goggles that blinded them.

“I thought it would be fun for them since they’ve never played it before,” Cody said. “It’s one of the service projects that I can do to help at school.”

As part of Midvale Middle’s international baccalaureate program, students perform service projects.

“We want students to be able to connect with the real world and learn how they can impact it in a positive way,” Logan said. “Cody’s project makes kids realize how others succeed with more difficulties than they might have and how people can overcome these challenges.”

Seventh-grader Monika Kite said it is more challenging that she thought.

“It’s tricky,” she said. “I could hear the bells in the ball, but I couldn’t see it.”

Seventh-grader Emily Stauffer agreed. “It’s fun and different, but harder than I thought,” she said. “It gave me a greater understanding of Cody, who does almost everything we do in P.E.”

“Many people who are blind or have low vision aren’t moving as natural as those with vision,” Day said. “This helps them move their body and keeps them healthy. Many schools may say that it’s too big of a liability to help these students in physical education.”

When Pearson student-taught 12 years ago, she had a blind student in her class.

“I walked in thinking about what I had to do for an average class and it was an eye-opener,” she said. “I think this teaches that everyone has some sort of difficulty, and for Cody, while he may struggle with vision, he wants everyone to know that he’s not willing to give up.”