Goalball: what is it and how is it played?

Goalball is popularly known as the sport of the blind. It is intended for people who are partially or totally visually impaired, so to find the ball, players have to rely only on their hearing. It is important to mention that it is currently one of the most watched Paralympic Games in the world.

This sport is reminiscent of handball, but above all bowling, because the gesture of throwing the ball can be very similar. In addition, in both activities the waxed courts and the balls that sound as they roll on the ground are used. In the case of Paralympic Goalball, the noise of the ball can help players follow its movements.

Origin of goalball

The story begins with Hans Lorenzen, who was born in Austria in 1904 and at approximately 42 years of age created Goalball. However, he enlisted the help of his German colleague Sepp Reindle, who was researching with Lorenzen during World War II to create an occupational therapy program based on remedial work for ex-soldiers. Many of these suffered serious war injuries, including irreparable damage to their eyesight . So it was that in Europe, in the year 1946, Lorenzen and Reindle created a sport for the blind, which became the main activity of their rehabilitation program.

The spread of goalball

The game of Lorenzen and Reindle spread to other countries during the 1950s and 1960s. Its popularity grew so much that, thirty years after its creation, the sport was adopted by the Olympic movement and included in the official program of the Games. Paralympics of the year 1976, celebrated in Toronto, Canada. Nearly a decade later, at the 1984 New York Paralympic Games , women became eligible to compete

It is important to mention that in 1978 the first World Goalball Competition was held in Austria, which during its inauguration was attended by a large public, so this event has taken place in the same city every 4 years since then. However, both Hans Lorenzen and Sepp Reindle did not enjoy great fame during their lifetime, so little is known about them today.

goalball hair

The classic Goalball ball is made of hard rubber and has 8 holes so that the bells can be heard inside when it is in motion. Size-wise, it is similar in dimensions to basketballs, but Goalballs are denser and do not have an air chamber, so they do not bounce as much. They weigh around 1.25 kg.

What are the rules of Goalball?

Notable among the Goalball rules is the fact that all athletes must wear an eye mask . In this way, the disability of the participants is equalized so that none is in a position of advantage. Likewise, if a player touches his mask, it is necessary to penalize. In case the mask slips during the game, then the participant has to go to the referee for permission to put the mask back in place.

To help players navigate through the defensive zone, the areas have ropes attached to the ground that are used as signage. On the other hand, the Goalball field is the same size as a standard volleyball court, so it is 18 meters long and 9 meters wide. In addition, the goals run the full width of the field at each end and are 1.3m high.

There are two options to win the match. In the first case, players must outnumber their opponents by 10 goals, which causes the game to end and they are immediately awarded victory. The other option is to simply score more goals than the other team in the allotted time. If a tie occurs during the game, then a three-minute overtime begins. If the tie continues, the two teams play a round of penalties to choose the winner.

It is important to mention that a match consists of two 12-minute halves, so it is a relatively short game. For a pitch to count, the ball must bounce once in the pitcher’s court and a second time in one of two neutral zones in the center of the field.

goalball players

Each team is made up of 3 substitutes and 3 active players on the field. Players must alternate between the defender and attacker positions. When defending, all 3 athletes must be in front of the goal, dropping to the ground to stop the ball. In this way, they form a wall with the body, just as a soccer goalkeeper would do to prevent the ball from entering.

If a pitcher makes an unnecessary noise during the act of pitching, he is penalized. In this sense, the attackers must remain silent until the ball hits the opponent. As for the defenders, they have to make an effort to locate the ball by listening only to the attacker’s footsteps, the bells and the natural movement of the ball. They must then spread out across the field to form a wall and effectively defend the goal.

On the other hand, the team that remains on the bench should try to analyze the opponent ‘s attack and defense patterns, helping the development of tactics. Although they are not allowed to talk during the game, they are allowed to pass along information during halftime and time-outs.

To conclude, we can say that the powerful attacks, the elaborate strategies and the determined defenses that are achieved between the players on the field and the support team make Goalball a sport with huge fans all over the world.