Goalball

Goalball is a game designed especially for visually impaired people, although it can easily be played by sighted individuals – and often is, especially at school level. It is played on an indoor court which is the same size as a volleyball court, 18 metres by 9 metres. Each team, consisting of up to 6 players, has 3 players on court at any one time, with the aim of throwing the 1.25 kgs ball from one end of the court to the other, past the opposing players and into their goal. Rules stipulating where the ball must touch the floor ensure that it is generally skimmed across the surface rather than thrown high into the air. Each half lasts 7 minutes playing time and, naturally, the team that has scored the most goals is declared the winner. To those unfamiliar with goalball, there are 3 unusual factors:

The ball contains bells, in order to make it possible for players to locate it by sound alone. All markings on the court are tactile, created by taping down thin pieces of rope, which allows players to orientate themselves more easily. All players, including blind & visually impaired, must wear blacked-out goggles, known as eyeshades, to ensure that all compete on an equal basis.

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