Fort Wayne’s Turnstone Center to Host 2023 USABA Goalball Nationals in September
Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 14, 2023) – The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) has announced the 2023 USABA Goalball National Championships are returning to the Turnstone Center in Fort Wayne, Ind., Sept. 21-24. Turnstone Center, a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, is also the training base for the USA Goalball resident program and is supported by a community of goalball enthusiasts and volunteers who will once again bring a high level of excitement to this annual event.
“This is an exciting year for the sport of goalball across the country,” said USABA CEO, Molly Quinn. “Our USA Goalball men’s and women’s teams are in qualification mode for next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris and this year’s National Championships falls between the two big qualification events of the year…the IBSA World Games in August and the Parapan American Games in November.”
Twenty teams took part in last year’s national championships with gold medals awarded to the Michigan OG’s in the men’s A division, the New Jersey Thunder in the men’s B division, and to the New Jersey Honeybees in the women’s division. Individual awards are also given out for the Tom Parrigin men’s most valuable player, the Sharon Gunderman women’s most valuable player, and the Cody Carmicle Spirit of the Game Award.
“Bringing the excitement of goalball to Fort Wayne and Indiana is a highlight of our partnership with USABA as a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site,” said Mike Mushett, Turnstone Center CEO. “The annual Championships are a great opportunity to feature the Paralympic Movement through the intensity of goalball and celebrate the top athletes from throughout the country.”
Registration for the event will open on June 22 and close on August 1, or when registration is full, so club teams are encouraged to register as soon as possible so as not to miss out on the opportunity to compete at this year’s National Championships. A link to register will be available at usaba.org/events when registration opens.