Stephen Kearney

Coach – Goalball
Inducted 2010

Stephen Kearney was part of the team that established the United States Association of Blind Athletes in 1976. He was also the first goalball coach for USABA as well as the first goalball chairman. As a coach, Kearney took his team to each of the Games for the Disabled and Paralympic Games, 1976 – 2008. At the 1982 World Goalball Championships, the U.S. Men’s Team won gold and in 1984, the team also took home gold at the International Games of the Disabled. After the 1982 Games, Kearney was selected to serve on the first International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) committee for goalball where he was a member until 2012. He also served four years as the Chairman. Along with being the U.S. Men’s Goalball Head Coach, Kearney served multiple roles with USABA: Paralympic Assistant Team Leader, Team Leader, Chef de Mission, Board Member, and Sports Technical Officer. On the international level, Kearney served as Assistant Technical Delegate for goalball at four World Championships Games and three Paralympic Games. During the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, he held the position of Goalball Competition Manager and had the opportunity to work in the communications department for Badminton during the 1996 Olympic Games. Kearney is now retired after serving 38 years at the Oklahoma School for the Blind where he was a teacher, wrestling coach and athletic director.