FW: Question for the Listserv - Young Blind Gymnast
See below from Becky Keller. Morning all, This email was sent to one of our partners here in Virginia, Professor Andrew Gipe. He is a professor at Virginia Tech, School of Architecture. Over the past few years we have partnered with VT to put on a program called Blind Design for our blind and low-vision students. I was hoping to get you all to put your thinking caps on, or send us to someone you might know with non-visual vaulting experience (or maybe even sprinting for track). Thanks in advance for your ideas!! Becky Good evening, I am Ashley Tatum, I just finished my first year from Andrew Shaver's studio. I am also childhood friends with Leah Tillman. I coach gymnastics and one of the girls that I coach is blind. She is a competitive gymnast, and I coached her on vault and bars this past season. This season she will be moving up levels and will need to compete a significantly harder vault. I visited the exhibition that you had this past semester in the Moss Arts center and remember there being textured floor mats. Her difficulty in vault stems from her confidence both in her run and hurdle up to the springboard. I have a few ideas for a solution, one of which includes textures. I was wondering if you have any availability to discuss your findings while studying with the blind, or any suggestions that you may have. I live in the area and would be available to schedule a meeting if available. However, I realize it is summer, and your schedule may not allow for this, any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Ashley Tatum Best Regards, Becky Keller, MA, NOMC, COMS Pre-Employment Transition Specialist - DBVI Student Team Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired 397 Azalea Ave, Richmond, VA 23227 becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov <mailto:becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov> Cell: (804) 845-0685 Fax: (804) 371-3174 Facebook <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vVkRCVkk_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.ArkRjdnZSJJhFvMyD7LGNpv1KU3f3JCQxdSY5ognS1s/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | LinkedIn <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5saW5rZWRpbi5jb20vY29tcGFueS92aXJnaW5pYS1kZXBhcnRtZW50LWZvci10 aGUtYmxpbmQtYW5kLXZpc2lvbi1pbXBhaXJlZC8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.PAdvudW8hHK9QLrkwXRXKdTnNYQqPGOaK9eW9bTx7CI/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | Website <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5kYnZpLnZpcmdpbmlhLmdvdi8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.p_5hU02Luwm2A9i5ZB6kXeVU9S8Fo3ekjAjSLVKSchM/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> DBVI Main: (804) 371-3140 Toll free: (800) 622-2155 "Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome." Arthur Ashe
Hi Becky, Rose Sloan Warner would be great for this. She is a long time gymnast and currently lives in Colorado but should be able to meet online. I can share this with her and see if she is available to help. Joni Martinez, NOMC
On Jul 29, 2025, at 3:30 PM, NBPCB Office via NOMC <members@lists.nbpcb.org> wrote:
See below from Becky Keller.
Morning all,
This email was sent to one of our partners here in Virginia, Professor Andrew Gipe. He is a professor at Virginia Tech, School of Architecture. Over the past few years we have partnered with VT to put on a program called Blind Design for our blind and low-vision students. I was hoping to get you all to put your thinking caps on, or send us to someone you might know with non-visual vaulting experience (or maybe even sprinting for track). Thanks in advance for your ideas!!
Becky
Good evening,
I am Ashley Tatum, I just finished my first year from Andrew Shaver's studio. I am also childhood friends with Leah Tillman. I coach gymnastics and one of the girls that I coach is blind. She is a competitive gymnast, and I coached her on vault and bars this past season. This season she will be moving up levels and will need to compete a significantly harder vault. I visited the exhibition that you had this past semester in the Moss Arts center and remember there being textured floor mats. Her difficulty in vault stems from her confidence both in her run and hurdle up to the springboard. I have a few ideas for a solution, one of which includes textures. I was wondering if you have any availability to discuss your findings while studying with the blind, or any suggestions that you may have. I live in the area and would be available to schedule a meeting if available. However, I realize it is summer, and your schedule may not allow for this, any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Ashley Tatum
Best Regards,
Becky Keller, MA, NOMC, COMS
Pre-Employment Transition Specialist - DBVI Student Team
Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired 397 Azalea Ave, Richmond, VA 23227
becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov <mailto:becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov>
Cell: (804) 845-0685 Fax: (804) 371-3174 Facebook <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vVkRCVkk_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.ArkRjdnZSJJhFvMyD7LGNpv1KU3f3JCQxdSY5ognS1s/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | LinkedIn <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5saW5rZWRpbi5jb20vY29tcGFueS92aXJnaW5pYS1kZXBhcnRtZW50LWZvci10 aGUtYmxpbmQtYW5kLXZpc2lvbi1pbXBhaXJlZC8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.PAdvudW8hHK9QLrkwXRXKdTnNYQqPGOaK9eW9bTx7CI/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | Website <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5kYnZpLnZpcmdpbmlhLmdvdi8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.p_5hU02Luwm2A9i5ZB6kXeVU9S8Fo3ekjAjSLVKSchM/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l>
DBVI Main: (804) 371-3140 Toll free: (800) 622-2155
"Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome." Arthur Ashe
_______________________________________________ NOMC mailing list -- members@lists.nbpcb.org To unsubscribe send an email to members-leave@lists.nbpcb.org
Becky, I forwarded your message to a friend of mine who was an assistant gymnastics coach at the University of Vermont. The coach he worked under lives here in Virginia and may have some information to share or no people to contact. Stay tuned. Marc Companion. no. On Jul 29, 2025, at 4:30 PM, NBPCB Office via NOMC <members@lists.nbpcb.org> wrote: See below from Becky Keller. Morning all, This email was sent to one of our partners here in Virginia, Professor Andrew Gipe. He is a professor at Virginia Tech, School of Architecture. Over the past few years we have partnered with VT to put on a program called Blind Design for our blind and low-vision students. I was hoping to get you all to put your thinking caps on, or send us to someone you might know with non-visual vaulting experience (or maybe even sprinting for track). Thanks in advance for your ideas!! Becky Good evening, I am Ashley Tatum, I just finished my first year from Andrew Shaver's studio. I am also childhood friends with Leah Tillman. I coach gymnastics and one of the girls that I coach is blind. She is a competitive gymnast, and I coached her on vault and bars this past season. This season she will be moving up levels and will need to compete a significantly harder vault. I visited the exhibition that you had this past semester in the Moss Arts center and remember there being textured floor mats. Her difficulty in vault stems from her confidence both in her run and hurdle up to the springboard. I have a few ideas for a solution, one of which includes textures. I was wondering if you have any availability to discuss your findings while studying with the blind, or any suggestions that you may have. I live in the area and would be available to schedule a meeting if available. However, I realize it is summer, and your schedule may not allow for this, any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Ashley Tatum Best Regards, Becky Keller, MA, NOMC, COMS Pre-Employment Transition Specialist - DBVI Student Team Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired 397 Azalea Ave, Richmond, VA 23227 becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov <mailto:becky.keller@dbvi.virginia.gov> Cell: (804) 845-0685 Fax: (804) 371-3174 Facebook <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vVkRCVkk_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.ArkRjdnZSJJhFvMyD7LGNpv1KU3f3JCQxdSY5ognS1s/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | LinkedIn <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5saW5rZWRpbi5jb20vY29tcGFueS92aXJnaW5pYS1kZXBhcnRtZW50LWZvci10 aGUtYmxpbmQtYW5kLXZpc2lvbi1pbXBhaXJlZC8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.PAdvudW8hHK9QLrkwXRXKdTnNYQqPGOaK9eW9bTx7CI/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> | Website <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy aSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMDkuNjk0NTMyMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJo dHRwczovL3d3dy5kYnZpLnZpcmdpbmlhLmdvdi8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNl PWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.p_5hU02Luwm2A9i5ZB6kXeVU9S8Fo3ekjAjSLVKSchM/s/1202550832 /br/151979645153-l> DBVI Main: (804) 371-3140 Toll free: (800) 622-2155 "Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome." Arthur Ashe _______________________________________________ NOMC mailing list -- members@lists.nbpcb.org To unsubscribe send an email to members-leave@lists.nbpcb.org
participants (3)
-
admin＠nbpcb.org -
Joni Martinez -
Marc Companion