Bill Abell can’t help but get choked up when he talks about how he got involved with the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA).

Abell, a Colorado Springs resident, who has been volunteering for the IBSA World Youth and Student Championships and Pan American Games since 2001, said his blind son, Mike, was his driving force.

“We’ve seen what it’s done for our son,” he said. “He’s totally independent. Athletics gave him the confidence that he can do anything anybody else can do.”

Abell is one of 250 volunteers at the blind world championships, which started Thursday and will run through Sunday at multiple area locations.

While the volunteers come out to serve the athletes, the games aid the competitors with tools for the future.

“In the United States, 70 percent of blind people are unemployed,” said Mark Lucas, the executive director of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes. “But the athletes here, only 30 percent of them are unemployed. Why? Because they’re competing. People who compete in games for the visually impaired are going to carry this into the future and be able to compete for a job with a person who is able-sighted.”

Abell, who took a week off from his job at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney to volunteer, said competitions like these do wonders.

“It takes them from a place where they’re self-conscious and to a place where they grow emotionally,” he said.“There’s a ton of them that literally don’t think of themselves as having any kind of impairment.”

AT A GLANCE

What: IBSA World Youth and Student Championships and Pan American Games; 26 countries; 358 athletes

Where: El Pomar Gymnasium at Colorado College (goalball), the U.S. Olympic Training Center (judo and swimming) and the St. Mary’s Grace Center (track and field)

When: Today — goalball (8 a.m.-noon,1-5 p.m. and 6-10 p.m.); judo (10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-7 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.); swimming (10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:30-4:45 p.m.); track and field (9-11:45 a.m. and 6-10 p.m.). Sunday — goalball (8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.); swimming (10 a.m.-12:15 p.m.); track and field makeups (9:30-11:45 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m.)

Tyler Merren of the U.S. men’s team played goalball Friday during the IBSA World Youth and Student Championships and Pan American Games. Photo by COURTESY OF HAL SIMPSON