Goalball

Last week, we mentioned that the Adkins half of our team was out of town for a Goalball tournament. This week, Anita explains Goalball for those of us who have never played. So, put on your blindfolds and listen up.

*****

Willa lightly touched the horizontal line beneath her fingers. Her left knee on the wooden gym floor, her right knee in the air.

"Rolanda?"

Tap, tap, tap. "Over here."

Willa heard the bells jingle as the ball moved from the center to the right wing.

Good news! Rolanda rolled faster than some of the boys, but she also tended to throw out all of the time. Why would Gwana, Virginia's center, Willa's worst enemy on the court, yet her best friend off the court, pass the ball to Rolanda?

Willa heard the ball jingle. She dived toward the left, her outstretched hands cupped perfectly to embrace the ball.

"Man!" Gravity jerked her to the floor, but she fought it with all her might. Gwana had tricked her.

"Willa Catchum! You need to listen."

Willa groaned. "Sorry, Miss Ballinger." she muttered as she pushed herself up.

The sound of a shrill whistle echoed in the large room.

"Illegal coaching. Penalty, West Virginia."

Miss Ballinger snapped her fingers, like she did at practices when she was about to assign them suicide drills. Willa hated those running exercises more than she hated defending the entire court all by herself. 

"Fine. 4 can defend."

Willa sucked in a breath and slammed her fist into the floor. 4! Flora Sleep couldn't catch a ball if it was handed to her.

"But..." she began.

Snap, snap. "I said 4 will defend, Willa. I need a player who can listen."

The referee's deep voice boomed through the gym. "3 and 7 off the court."

Willa stood up and turned toward the goal. She stomped to it, nearly ramming it through her chest. They might as well just skip this penalty and give Virginia the point, with Flora defending.

*****

Goalball is a competitive sport played by players with visual impairments in grade school through adulthood. Players wear blindfolds and are situated on a tactile court with the center player slightly in front of the two wing players, forming a triangular-shaped pattern. Defense means keeping the ball from entering the goal area, a rectangular area behind the players. The goalball, shaped like a basketball, is equipped with bells so as to be heard by the players. Offense means throwing the ball across the court in an attempt to land a goal. The ball must touch the court before it reaches the highball line, or it is considered a penalty. Penalties can also be given for other reasons, such as making too much noise and touching one's blindfold. 

As a coach, I feel very helpless during a meet or the tournament. I played goalball as a youngster, and at that time, I could do something, or at least feel like I was doing something to prevent a goal. But as a coach, I cannot dive out there and catch the ball or tell a player to line up so that they do not throw out or permit a ball to roll along their angled body into the goalbox. I've written the little excerpt above to entertain you, but also to show you how the game is played and to demonstrate how a player quivers with excitement and nervousness during game play. I have been telling my students, "Listen, move, lay down."

But will they listen to that advice at tournament this weekend? Or, will they get stage fright and forget everything we've ben working on all season long?

Goalball is a fun sport that enables kids and adults with visual impairments to stay fit and to meet other people with visual impairments, and sometimes, to develop lifelong friends. Other sports, such as beep baseball, swimming, and skiing, are also playable by players who are blind or visually impaired. I would love to be actively involved in a recreational activity, but I cannot walk to the Wellness Center. There is not an adult goalball team in the small town in which I live. Coaching goalball is one way I am able to exercise. I also walk to and from work. I plan to begin participating in aerobics in our school pool after goalball ends.

Good luck to those playing in upcoming tournaments, and we’ll see you all back here next Thursday for another edition of Interviews to Empower.