Goalball
A Beautiful Game that Moves, Moves, Moves
Photo at left: Jessie Lorenz dives to render a difficult save merely routine.
Jessie, a Paralympian (Silver Medal 2004) and World Champion (2002),
is maddeningly difficult to get the ball past.
At right: Mike Finn follows through with perfect form after a power shot.
It's Big in Europe ...
World War II veterans created goalball as a sport for the blind and visually impaired. The game has no direct antecedent-it is an original sport. Goalball is played avidly in Germany, France, Denmark, and England, to name just a few of the 104 countries that now nourish the sport.
At left, Lucy Greco, a Paralympian for Canada, stays low as she winds up to shoot.
At right, Paralympian Scott Blanks (Sydney 2000) struggles to make a save.
At 6 feet 3 inches, and cat-quick, Scott covers a lot of court.
Goalball Basics
Here's how the game works. All players wear eye coverings, creating visual equality. Boundaries are marked on a volleyball court with taped-down rope so that players can feel the boundaries with their feet and hands. Three team members on each side bowl or hurl a ball the size of a basketball, but heavier, in an effort to get it past the other team. The ball contains bells so that defenders can hear it coming. The goal runs the entire width of the court. You score a goal when the ball crosses your opponents' end line.
Bill Johnson lays out to make a clutch save while Josh Miele, also flat out, backs him up.
BORP's Recreational Program
Come out and try BORP's friendly Wednesday night program. We practice each week, and take part in local competitions, and whenever possible travel regionally and out of state. If you are just curious and looking for a little exercise and excitement, please join us. If you are a serious player, we can accommodate you as well; you'll have the opportunity to learn from and play with three Paralympians.
Two hand-and-ball close-ups demonstrate two styles of shooting.
The hand at left, with fingers extended, is putting spin on the ball.
At right, a power shot, the hand directly behind the ball.
BORP Welcomes all Skill Levels
Whether you're fit or not, competitive or not, goalball is a terrific opportunity to add movement and fun to your life. We play at all levels-from the competitive to the pure fun-- in an atmosphere of cooperation and support. If you are sighted and want to try Goalball, come out one Wednesday evening. You'll be amazed.
Team photos. At left, the 2001 Bay Area champs savor their victory at the BORP
Goalball Invitational Tournament: Marco Zepeda, Bill Johnson, and Roger Acuna.
At right, the Lighthouse Lightning's 1999 entry to the BORP Invitational:
Shen Kuan, Paul Heidhues, B.J. Sexton, Marco Zepeda, and Tony Fletcher.
A Beautiful Game to Watch and Hear
Goalball is also a great spectator sport: fast, graceful, dramatic. Cunning, fitness, power, and grit are equally rewarded. The crowd hushes for each shot so the players can hear, and the sounds tell a beautiful tale: defensive players calling out the position of the shooter, "right, right ... " feet moving into position, the shooter's expiration of breath, the shot whipping onto the court, the ball skittering, rolling, bells tinkling, three bodies gracefully sliding into defensive postures, the ball hitting hands, legs, or rolling across the goal line. Players' movements are quick and fluid. Goalball is a beautiful game that moves, moves, moves.
Denmark squares off against Lithuania at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney
A Game of Speed and Deception
Offensive players attempt to fool their opponents by changing speed, angles, bounce, timing, spin, and release points. At an advanced level, players propel the goalball at speeds up to 40 miles an hour--don't worry if you're a recreational player like most of us, no one is going to pelt you with one of these boulders. If, however, you want to compete at an international level, we can talk about protective equipment.
At left, head coach and BORP's goalball program director, Jonathan Newman.
At right, Jessie Lorenz in Brazil with the 2002 Women's World Championship Trophy.
Adrenaline and Concentration
Like any sport, you have to experience goalball on the court to understand just how intense, how pulse pounding the game is. You play in a cocoon of concentration. Let us stress here once again that you do not have to be an elite athlete to experience and appreciate just how engrossing and enriching this game can be.
The U.S. women: world goalball champions for 2002
Don't Sit At Home
If you are blind or visually impaired and you haven't tried goalball, you are missing an opportunity to get fit, make friends, stretch yourself in new ways, and maybe do a bit of traveling. We practice every Wednesday from 7pm to 9pm at the Berkeley Adult School, located at 1222 University Avenue, at Bonar Street. If you need transportation advice, please contact us.
Want to play? Call Jonathan at 510-849-4663 or email him at jonathan@borp.org
For detailed information about rules, history, and international competitions, please visit the International Blind Sport Association's website
United States Association of Blind Athletes,
International Blind Sports Federation.
A goalball handbook is available in Adobe Acrobat format.
You can download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe's website.