Goalball UK is the national governing body for the Paralympic sport of goalball in the United Kingdom. We are proud to be a registered charity, where our mission is to develop and promote the sport of goalball, creating opportunities for people with visual impairments to participate and compete at all levels. Goalball UK also provides support and guidance to players, coaches, officials, and clubs across the country, with a focus on promoting inclusivity and equality in sport. We work closely with schools and community groups to introduce goalball to new players and raise awareness of the sport’s benefits. Through our partnerships with other organisations, Goalball UK strives to increase the visibility and accessibility of goalball, both nationally and internationally. We hosts events and three levels of competition throughout the year as well as running a high performance programme. As a sport, goalball offers a unique and exciting experience for players and spectators alike. With its emphasis on teamwork, communication, and skill, goalball is a sport that is accessible to all. The sport was originally devised in 1946 to help rehabilitate soldiers who had lost their sight during the war. It has been played throughout the world ever since, at the highest level, by people who are blind or partially sighted. The idea of the game is to score goals by bowling the ball along the floor, past the opposing team. Goalball is a truly inclusive sport in that fully sighted players can also play domestically. This is because everybody is required to wear eyeshades so that nobody can see. Players, therefore, have to rely entirely on their other senses. The ball used in the game has internal bells that make noise, enabling players to track its movement. Meanwhile, the court has tactile lines, which allows players to feel where they are. To win the game, players must throw the ball (along the floor) into the opposing team’s goal while protecting their own goal. The team with the most goals at the end of the game is the winner. At the elite level, the game consists of two halves of 12 minutes each, following the stop clock. To find your nearest Goalball club, please visit the club teams section of the Goalball UK website. Link: https://goalballuk.com/the-sport/clubs/ or register your interest by calling 0114 2235670 or emailing [email protected].
