We would be extremely grateful if you could donate your generous support to our organization. All proceeds and donations go to helping the Houston Hurricanes with equipment, travel, housing and meals for regional tournaments throughout the year and the annual NBBA World Series.
Houston Hurricanes
GHABA
Click The Donate Button Below To Purchase Raffle Tickets
Raffle winners will be announced on July 15th via livestream at 1pm on the Houston Hurricanes Facebook Page
Ways You Can Help
* If you would like to Donate a prize to the 2023 World Series Raffle please contact us and we will make arrangements with you to receive prize.
Our Mission
The Greater Houston Association of Blind Athletes (GHABA) is an organization created
for Athletes by Athletes. GHABA was founded for the purpose of enriching the lives of the blind
and visually impaired across the nation through sighted volunteers and themselves.
We are committed to bringing sport opportunities such as Beep Baseball and Goal Ball
to individuals of all ages. GHABA offers programs for Veterans and Adults who are blind or
visually impaired. Our hopes are to reach out and offer more programs for the youth and
children who are blind or visually impaired.
Sport opportunities allow people who are blind and visually impaired to develop
independence while working in a team environment. It gives the players responsibility,
determination, work ethic, drive, friendship, team work, self worth and adversity to conquer.
The players go through their own trials and tribulations. Dealing with losing and failures on and
off the field, but there are many times in life where one may come up a little short and being
able to positively deal with the situation and learn from our past will help us in our future. If you
make a mistake, “Learn from it, and move on”. These sports will help these athletes grow as
people, it teaches you how to be flexible and persistent. You learn to play to your strengths,
just as anyone should do in life.
The Greater Houston Association of Blind Athletes (GHABA) is a Houston, Texas based
501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. We empower The Community of the Blind and Visually
Impaired to experience life changing opportunities in sports, recreation and physical activities,
thereby educating and inspiring the World. We are dedicated to improving the lives around us
and we cannot do anything without the help of our Sponsors and Donors. As either a Sponsor
or Donor you can deduct contributions made from IRC Section 170. “Help Us Illuminate the
Path for these Athletes.”
Sponsorships
The Greater Houston Association of Blind Athletes is a 501c(3) Organization that supports and helps the blind and visually impaired. We as a Non-Profit Organization take donations and sponsorships to help fund our athletes and their Beep Baseball and GoalBall Teams.
As donors you can deduct contributions made from the IRC Section 170. We are here to help Illuminate the path for these athletes.
In this sport there are a handful of sighted players such as the pitcher, catcher, spotters and volunteers.
Blue Ribbon Package $500-$999
• Name on GHABA’s website and the Houston Hurricanes website
• Social media shout out on GHABA and Houston Hurricanes
• Receive a Rally shirt for the Houston Hurricanes
Bronze Package $1000-$2499
• Blue Ribbon package
• Name on Banner (Fly’s at events, games, tournaments and the World Series)
• Name or Business Name displayed on a team workout shirt
Silver Package $2500-$4999
• Blue Ribbon Package
• Bronze Package
• Name or Business Name displayed on Rally Shirt
• Personal shoutout by a player (Two minute description of business)
• We pay for a Social Media boost
Gold Package $5000-$9,999
• Blue Ribbon Package
• Bronze Package
• Silver Package
• Rally Towel with Business Logo x100-200 (Depending on the Sponsored Amount)
Platinum Package $10,000 and UP
• Blue Package
• Bronze Package
• Silver Package
• Gold Package
• Car Magnets to advertise as we head to tournaments and the World Series
• A Patch of your companies logo to go on the Alternate jersey or our Work Out Jersey
Volunteer
The success of this sport relies on the collaboration and team work between the blind/visually impaired and the sighted volunteers who are playing alongside the athletes.
Beep Baseball is a highly competitive co-ed sport, with athletes ranging in age from the teens to advanced years. Which provides a wide range of high level competition. These Athletes benefit from being with other individuals who are going through a similar experience in life,
developing motor skills, learning team concept in a high intensity environment, building trust, self confidence and learning how to network in life settings. In order to achieve our goals, we rely on the support of our sponsors, our volunteers and outside funding. As a team and a league we are in constant demand for new beep baseballs and other adaptive equipment.
Contact Us for more information about when you can assist. One of the officers will get back in contact promptly.
What is Beep Baseball?
Beep Baseball, the sport is named after the ball itself. Its a softball size one pound ball modified to include a buzzer that beeps at high pitch three times per second. The pitcher, catcher and hitter are all one the same team working together towards the goal of getting the hitter to hit the ball and run to the base safely before the defense tracks the ball hit and secures possession of the ball. This creates an out or a run for the team.
Games Logistics
The game of Beep Baseball is fairly easy to comprehend. There are some major differences from Baseball. A Beep Baseball game will last six innings, unless more innings are required to break a tie. There are six players on each side of the playing field. A team has three outs per inning; a batter gets four strikes with an opportunity to take one pitch for a ball and not swing. There is no second base, only first and third which are one hundred feet down the foul line and ten feet outside the foul line. (This is to prevent the runners and the fielders from colliding) The bases are four foot padded cylinders with speakers that are controlled by an operator who sits behind home plate. The Pitcher which is on the same team as the batting team stands twenty feet in front of the hitter and softball style pitches to the hitting team. When the ball is hit, the base operator activates one of the bases. The hitter must identify which base is buzzing and run to touch the base before the beeping ball is fielded by a defensive player. You do not throw the ball like you would in Baseball, instead the defense is played with six players spread out throughout the field in a pattern strategized and practiced. The defense is allowed two sighted players who call certain numbers to identify imaginary zones in the field of play. The defense depending on the zone called will shuffle and start to track the ball and dive on to the ground to retrieve the beeping ball. You must have full control of the ball with two hands on the ball, in the air and away from the body to make an out. If the runner makes it to the base before the fielder can properly field the ball the runner is safe. There are three things that will occur when a player is at bat. Strike out with four strikes, hit the ball and have the defense make an out, or hit the ball and score a run. Keeping score is also very different but has its similarities. If you have any questions come out and watch a game or look up the rule book on the NBBA.org