A
Staunton man is trying to make a good idea - even better. And, as
WHSV's Susan Bahorich
- he's helping some special kids step up to the plate.
Jim
Eiland is a professor at Blue Ridge Community College. Eiland isn't
coach or even a player. He's the man behind the magic.
"What I
wanted to do was make something that was easy to maintain, easy
to build- almost like a kit," explains electrical engineer
Jim Eiland.
Last year he
came up with a special bat made especially for disabled children.
This year he's improved on his idea.
The bat sits
on a stand so players can trigger its swing by the pull of string.
"We made
it alittle bit more roughed and we used a spring as the force ordinary
door lock as the release mechanism," says Eiland.
And these off
the shelf items are helping to give these special athletes sense
of independence.
"Their
self-esteem has come up. They have self confidence in themselves
that they can hit a ball, that they can play baseball just like
they people play on television," says Adaptive Education Teacher
Todd Taylor.
"Even though
they pull a string or push a button- it just gives them control
and it was just touching," says Eiland.
Eiland ((Island))
says instead of marketing his idea .. he'll put it on the internet
so it can help other handicapped athletes.
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