Goalball
GOALBALL is a three-a-side game which was invented in 1946 to help rehabilitate blinded war veterans. Since that time, goalball has increased in popularity and is now a Paralympic sport that is played all over the world. Although the game was designed for blind and vision impaired people, fully sighted people can play too as all players are blindfolded.
The game itself is played on a volleyball sized court marked out with taped down string and a goal at each end covering the full width of the court.
Two teams of up to six players, 3 of each on the court at a time, try to defend their goal from throws of a ball from the other end of the court. After either blocking a goal or a score, the team then returns the ball to the opposition rolling the ball as fast as they can down to the other end of the court, in an attempt to score. The ball itself is the size and weight of a basketball, weighs around 1kg, is flat and so does not bounce and has a bell inside it so that the blindfolded players can only hear and move in response to its sound and try to stop the ball entering their goal.
Mick Etheridge started coaching the Brighton and Hove City Goalball Team in 2002 after playing the game for a year. The team has a wide range of players including men and women with an age range from six to forty-six. Mick would like to recruit both new players, and volunteers.
If you or someone you know would like to know more, please visit the goalball websites:
or contact Mick on 07952 346667
