Goalball!

While searching the internet for an extra innovative activity, I found a website about the sport Goalball. Goalball was invented as a rehabilitation activity for blind veterans following World War II. It was then further introduced to people when it was in the Paralympics in 1978. To play Goalball, you have three players per team and two teams. Each team is on either end of the court and their goal is to protect their goal line while trying to get the ball into the other team’s goal. One player plays in the center and the other two are the wings and play on either side of the center. The game was invented for people with visual impairments, but as part of the rules of the game, each team member is blind folded and needs to rely on their sensory and audio skills. This makes everyone have the same level of visual impairment, despite whatever level of visual impairment they may have as a disability. The game is played with a rubber ball with bells inside for the players to hear. The goal of the game is to pass and roll the ball and eventually put it into the opposing team’s goal. Team members can use their bodies to block passes and feel for the ball. Penalties can be called due to throwing the ball before the official has said start, throwing the ball out of bounds, a team taking more than ten seconds to throw the ball, a team member crossing onto the other team’s side, touching or moving their blindfolds, or unsportsmanship conduct. An official regulatory court is 18m long and 9m wide, but can be adjusted for different age groups or physical abilities. The goal boundary lines are made with either floor tape or string for the players and feel and know the boundaries, but they are not raised so much that they could cause someone to trip or cause an injury. There are two seven minute periods to the game and it is fourteen minutes overall.  Whichever team has the most points by the end of the game wins!

There are some safety measures and precautions to take when playing Goalball. Players have the option to wear knee pads, elbow pads, hip pads, and face masks. If I were to facilitate this activity with a group of people, I think I would make the protection mandatory. Also, since it is a visual impairment game, communication is key to avoid collisions and injury. As the players continue to play the game, they will adjust and develop better skills to listen for the ball, communicate with their team members, and learn where and how to place the ball for their advantage.

                I think this is a very good innovative and adaptive activity because it puts every player on the same page, despite their visual disability. People both with and without visual impairments can play together and share the same skill without segregation. This game also could be adapted for people with other disabilities such as physical or cognitive disabilities. If people were in a wheel chair, they could have wheel chairs that are closer to the ground so they can pick the ball up if needed. They could also have bumpers or padding on their wheel chairs to prevent injury and make it similar to bumper cars. People with cognitive disabilities can also play and work on developing social skills and team work. The balls could even be made bigger to allow easier catching and throwing if necessary.

Here is the website I used to find information on Goalball!http://www.usaba.org/Pages/sportsinformation/adaptations/goalballadapt.html