When The Goal Moves, How Do Goalball Athletes Adjust?

by Bill Kellick The date August 25, 2020, was circled on all the calendars of Paralympic hopefuls across the U.S. and around the world. As the day on which the Paralympic torch would be lit during the opening ceremony for the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, it represented a goal. For athletes in the sport of goalball – a Paralympic sport played by athletes with visual impairments using a ball with bells inside -- the goal signifies everything. During a game, they cannot see the goal, but they know it’s there…right across from them at the other end of the court. Sure,…  Read More

With Semifinal Win In Qualifier, U.S. Women’s Goalball Team Earns Paralympic Quota Spot

FORT WAYNE, Indiana (July 9, 2019) -- A day after earning a quota spot at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, the U.S. women’s goalball team fell just shy of a gold medal at the International Blind Sports Association qualifier in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The American squad lost Tuesday’s gold-medal match 5-3 to China, who won all nine of their contests in the tournament. For the U.S. it was their first loss of event to go along with one tie. A back-and-forth first half of action saw the U.S. counter each China goal, with five-time Paralympians Asya Miller (Portland, Ore.) and…  Read More

Competition Pools and Livestream Plans Announced for 2019 IBSA Goalball Qualifier in Fort Wayne

Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 29, 2019) – The competition pools for goalball have been assigned for the upcoming 2019 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) International Qualifier to be held July 2-9 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In addition, a robust livestream coverage plan for the goalball and judo competitions has been finalized, with Alan March Sport, Ltd., providing unprecedented coverage of this important qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. The 27 goalball teams vying to secure their spot in next year’s Paralympic Games include 14 men’s and 13 women’s squads. Each gender has been divided into two pools as…  Read More

Countries Announced for Goalball Competition at 2019 IBSA Qualifier in Fort Wayne

Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 13, 2019) – The 27 goalball teams vying to secure a place in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games at this summer’s International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) International Qualifier in Fort Wayne, Indiana, have been finalized. The announcement comes with 50 days remaining before the July 2-9 competition at Turnstone Center and Indiana Tech. The 27 teams include 14 men’s and 13 women’s squads. The top two teams in each gender at the conclusion of the tournament will earn berths at next year’s Paralympic Games, provided they have not already qualified. “The level of competition in this…  Read More

Nine Paralympic Medalists Headline U.S. Goalball Teams Selected for Tokyo 2020 Qualifier in Fort Wayne

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 25, 2019) – The U.S. men’s and women’s goalball teams will put experienced squads on the floor this July as they attempt to qualify for next year’s Paralympic Games during the IBSA International Qualifier in Fort Wayne, Ind. A total of nine Paralympic medalists – four on the men’s team and five on the women’s squad – will do battle with an international field during the July 2-9 event held at the Turnstone Center and the Indiana Institute of Technology. Three-time Paralympic goalball medalists Asya Miller (Portland, Ore.) and Lisa Czechowski (Boonton, N.J) lead the women’s…  Read More