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Goalball

Goalball

What Is Goalball?

Two teams of three blindfolded athletes attempt to throw a ball with bells inside into their opponent's goal net. This fast-paced game requires strength to throw the 2.75-pound ball and speed to defend the goal. Athletes play both offense and defense.

Competitive goalball is open to athletes with visual impairments. Goalball can also be played recreationally with athletes of all abilities.

Goalball at Turnstone

In 2015, Turnstone partnered with the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), the National Governing Body for the Paralympic sport of goalball, to establish the first-ever USA Goalball Men’s Resident Program. The program allows athletes to train together full-time and live within walking distance of the Goalball Center of Excellence housed at Turnstone.

In 2017, a USA Women’s Resident Program was added, allowing both teams to adequately prepare to represent the U.S. at international competitions including world championships and the Paralympic Games, which are held every four years the month after the Olympic Games and utilizing the same venues of the Olympic host city.

Since the first Paralympic Games in 1976, the USA Women’s and Men’s Goalball Teams have dominated the world stage with the largest combined total of 23 world championships and Paralympic Games medals. Following the creation of the USA Goalball Resident Program at Turnstone, the U.S. was the only nation to have both of its goalball teams medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, with the men’s team winning the silver medal and the women’s team capturing the bronze. At the most recent Paralympic Games in Tokyo, held in the summer of 2021, the U.S. women’s team took home the silver medal while the men’s team finished fourth after reaching the bronze-medal match.

In 2021, Turnstone and the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes jointly established the Ronald W. Plassman Gold Standard Award to be presented annually to deserving athletes, coaches, and program supporters who demonstrate gold standard values lived out by the actions and support of Ronald W. Plassman (1940-2022).

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Questions? Contact Kevin
Contact Turnstone
Kevin Hughes, CARSS II
Manager of Sports

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