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Five Athletes Selected to 2023 Goalball Youth World Championship Team

Posted May 25, 2023  Goalball

(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – May 25, 2023) – Five teen athletes have been named to represent the United States at this summer’s 2023 IBSA Goalball Youth World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The competition, taking place July 15-19, is a significant tournament in the development of young goalball athletes, many of whom have gone on to represent Team USA and win medals at the Paralympic Games.

Taking to the court for the U.S. will be Tristan Brennan (Jacksonville, Fla.), Hussam Itani (Jacksonville, Fla), Kenneth Jacques (North Lauderdale, Fla.), Darrius Matthews (Houston, Texas) and Jacob Peterson (Washington, Utah). Khayree Lofton (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Christopher Morgan (Douglasville, Ga.) were selected as alternates for the U.S. team.

Brennan (18), Itani (17), and Jacques (17) were teammates on last year’s Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind squad that won the U.S. National High School Goalball Championships. For both Brennan and Itani, it marked back-to-back titles. Matthews (17) and Peterson (18) joined Brennan and Itani in earning All-American Team honors the past two years.

“It has been six years since Team USA has competed at the IBSA Goalball Youth World Championships when the boys’ team won the gold medal in 2017,” said U.S. Head Coach Keith Young. “This year, we are sending a full team with youth players that had a strong showing at the 2022 U.S. National High School Goalball Championships, and we expect to make the medal podium.”

The U.S. has competed at seven previous IBSA Goalball Youth World Championship events, winning 13 medals (5 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze) among both boys’ and girls’ teams.

In order to help send the U.S. team to the 2023 IBSA Goalball Youth World Championships and provide this life-changing experience for youth who are blind and visually impaired, a fundraising campaign has been established. Contributing to this campaign will help provide an invaluable experience for these young men, both on and off the court, and create memories for them that will last a lifetime. DONATE HERE.

U.S. Boys Goalball Team for the 2023 IBSA Goalball Youth World Championships
Tristan Brennan (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Hussam Itani (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Kenneth Jacques (North Lauderdale, Fla.)
Darrius Matthews (Houston, Texas)
Jacob Peterson (Washington, Utah)
Alternate: Khayree Lofton (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Alternate: Christopher Morgan (Douglasville, Ga.)
Head Coach: Keith Young (Saint Augustine, Fla.)
Assistant Coach: Greg Clark (St. George, Utah)
Team Leader: Hal Simpson (Smyrna, Ga.)
Athletic Trainer: Josh Wolcott (Saint Augustine, Fla.)


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