University Recreation Holds Inaugural Goalball Tournament

Last Friday, University Recreation held a Goalball tournament, where participants wore blindfolds and kneepads during games. On Courts 5 and 8 in the Carmichael Gymnasium, 10 teams competed to be Goalball champions. The games were 30 minutes long, and were divided into 12 minute halves.

A team sport that was designed specifically for blind athletes, Goalball was created in 1946 by Hanz Lorenzen and Sepp Reindle as a means of assisting the rehabilitation of visually impaired World War II veterans. This sport uses a ball containing bells on the inside, and participants must block or throw the balls for points. A point is scored when the a team allows the ball to cross the goal line.

The championship game was between “Bretty Wap” and “A Team With No Name.” After a close game through the first half, “A Team With No Name” was able to pull ahead for a 8 – 15 win.

Competitive Sports Program Assistant, Justin Hall, said, “With the event being new, we were fairly pleased with participation turnout. Not a lot of people knew what the sport was, but those who played really seemed to enjoy it.”

University Recreation hopes to continue this sport in the future. For The Technician article on the event, please click here.