Goalball is an inclusive Paralympic Sport and has been played across primary and high schools for 12 years in NSW. This year we would like to invite all main stream schools to play this unique sport and experience what it is like to compete without your vision. NSW Goalball for Schools has been nominated as a finalist for event of the year in the Sport NSW 2017 Community Sports Awards. This program is also endorsed through Department of Education and Office of Sport in NSW.

Through the success of this program, NSW won the 2017 Pacific School Games in Adelaide, South Australia supported by School Sport Unit NSW. This program also saw four NSW players become a part of the Australian Youth Girls Goalball team which won the International Blind Sports Association Goalball Youth World Cup in Budapest, Hungary in July 2017.

There are five categories you can sign up for:

Category 1 - Year 1 & 2

Category 2 - Year 3 & 4

Category 3 - Year 5 & 6

Category 4 - Year 7, 8 & 9

Category 5 - Year 10, 11 & 12

When you sign up you will receive a 1 to 2 hour Goalball for Schools introduction lesson from a qualified NSW Goalball for Schools instructor. Here are the basic parts of this lesson the instructor will cover at your school:

• Overview of Goalball as an inclusive sport
• Pathways for playing Goalball in NSW at local, state and national level
• Essentials for playing Goalball including equipment
• Offensive throwing styles
• Defensive blocking styles
• Team communication
• Court orientation
• Actual game play (Your instructor will referee while you have one coach at either end to assist you learn the game)
• The instructor will leave your school a kit which you can then use to practice and compete in your regional and state championships. (This is a loan kit and must be returned to NSW Goalball, it consists of the following equipment)

Goalball kit contents: (Value of kit is $50 for Year 1 to 6 and $150 for Year 7 to 12) Please note failure to return kit to NSW Goalball at end of the season will result in an invoice being generated for the value of the kit to the school.

• 1 x age appropriate Goalball
• 6 x blindfolds

Goalball is a fast growing sport in NSW and it is becoming more and more popular within schools across the state.

To view the official overview of the 2018 Goalball for Schools program, please click here.

If you would like to book in a lesson at your school, follow the registration link and complete the online booking form.

For further information or if you have any questions, feel free to contact Murray Elbourn on 0427 186 734.