Goal Ball

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Goal Ball

• History The game of goal ball was invented in
  1946 by Austrian Hanz Lorenzen. The first idea
  for the sport was a rehabilitation activity for
  blind veterans of WWII. It was first introduced
  to the world during the Paralympics held in
  Toronto in 1978. Since this time the sport of
  goal ball has grown throughout the world.

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Overview

• There are three members of each team on each end
  protecting the goal line. There is one center and
  two wings on each team. The game is 14 minutes
  long, comprising two seven minute halves. A
  rubber ball with bells inside for auditory
  tracking is used. Each player must wear a
  blindfold regardless of the degree of visual
  impairment. Each player has the option to wear
  elbow pads, kneepads, hip pads and face
  protection.

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Benefits of Playing Goal Ball

• Participation in an aggressive sport that
  combines strategy, power, and quickness.
• Participation in a team sport.
• Increased cardiovascular endurance.
• Increased upper body strength.
• Increased mobility skills.
• Increased agility.
• Improved auditory awareness and tracking.
• Improved self-confidence and self-efficacy.

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Participation Requirements

• Players who want to compete in a sanctioned
  international tournament, national tournament, or
  dual match must be legally blind. However, in
  community play there are no classifications and
  everyone can play the game.

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Classifications of Goal Ball

• Athletes with Blindness (IBSA)
• Class B1 Total absence of perception of light in
  both eyes, or some perception of light but with
  the inability to recognize the form of a hand at
  any distance and in any direction.
• Class B2 From the ability to recognize the form
  of a hand to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or
  visual field of less than 5 degrees.
• Class B3 From a visual acuity above 2/60 to a
  visual acuity of 6/60 and/or a visual field or
  more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees.
• All classifications must be made by measuring the
  best eye and to the highest possible correction.

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General Rules

• The game starts by flipping a coin to determine
  possession and preferred sides. The team that
  starts play will roll the ball offensively to the
  other team Coaches are not permitted to
  communicate with players at any time during play
  (exceptions being timeouts and half time) Ball
  must be rolled to the opposing end and must first
  land in the landing zone (See figure 1) The
  offensive team has 8 seconds to either throw the
  ball, pass to a teammate or call a time out If
  the ball is not thrown in 8 seconds a penalty
  will follow and that team will lose position
  Whistles are used to communicate time left on the
  clock to the players.

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The Goal Ball Court

• The Official Court dimensions are 18m in length
  and 9 m width. The court is then divided into six
  different sections. (See Figure 1) Each team area
  has position lines that let the players know
  their position on the court. (See Figure 2). All
  lines are made with at least 1/4 inch diameter
  rope taped to the playing surface. The court
  dimensions are outlined by a raised rope 1/4-1
  inch in diameter applied to the playing surface.
  The rope serves as a tactile guide so the
  participants know where the boundaries and
  positions are located. Alternative court sites
  are Tennis Court with out net Auxiliary Gym
  Level Grass area (with rope staked to ground)
  Soccer Field.

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Teaching the Sport

• The players should get on their hands and knees
  and feel their way around the court so that they
  become familiar with the court.
• Teach the three basic positions Ready Stance,
  Stop Position and Throw Position.
• Have the players start getting comfortable with
  slide stepping to the right and left in their
  ready stance.
• Next, have the players slowly fall to their stop
  position. Make sure that their arms and legs are
  only 6 inches apart. Any more then that then the
  ball has a chance to go through their legs.
• Make sure the player angles his/her upper body
  toward the ball so they do not act like a ramp
  for the ball to jump over.
• If players are having a hard time falling onto a
  hard gym floor, introduce elbow and knee pads and
  or a matted floor to help ease the fears of the
  player.
• As the players gain confidence, start rolling a
  live ball at them, making sure that their
  technique is staying consistent.

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Equipment Suppliers

• Goal Balls Sportime Equipment Company,
  [phone]
• USABA, (719)630-042233 North InstituteColorado
  Springs, CO 80903E-mail usainfo_at_iex.net

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Goal Ball in Action
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Olympic Goal Ball
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Pads and Other Equipment

• Volleyball or rollerblading knee pads can be
  obtained at any local sporting goods company.
• Blindfolds must allow the player to easily
  breathe through the nose and mouth. They can be
  made from blackened ski goggles, blackened swim
  goggles, strips of opaque cloth, commercially
  available sleep shades, or even Halloween masks
  with tape over the eye holes.

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Additional Resources

• Lieberman, L.J., Cowart, J.F. (1996). Games for
  people with sensory impairments. Champaign, IL
  Human Kinetics Publishers.
• Paciorek, M.J., Jones, J.A. (2001). Sports and
  recreation for the disabled. Carmel, IN Cooper
  Publishing Group.
• Winnick, J.P. (2000). Adapted physical education
  and sport. Champaign, IL Human Kinetics
  Publishers.
• Additional information may also be available in
  the NCPAD database. Try searching using keywords
  goal ball. You can also check the United States
  Association for Blind Athletes.

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Organizations

• Blind Sport New Zealand Newmarket , Auckland
• International Blind Sports Federation Madrid ,
  
• D's Goalball Links , California
• U.S. Paralympics - United States Olympic
  Committee Colorado Springs , Colorado
• United States Association of Blind Athletes
  Colorado Springs , Colorado

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More Action!!!