Boys Goalball Development Camp Signals Bright Future for the Sport
A Toyota Development Grant allowed the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) to host a recent youth development camp in the sport of goalball. Nine youth athletes from Florida, Texas, Georgia, New York and Michigan participated in the junior development camp with USA Goalball coaching staff, personal coaches and parents.
The development camp was hosted at the Turnstone Center for Adults and Children with Disabilities, a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site in Fort Wayne, Ind., January 26-28. Participants learned about offensive and defensive systems, tactics and penalty executions along with team building sessions, goal setting and sportsmanship. They also received instruction from Paralympians and Paralympic hopefuls preparing for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, many of whom got their start in the sport on local youth teams.
Camp participants included Jaren Barber (Albany, N.Y.), Hussam Itani (Jacksonville, Fla.), Kenneth Jacques (North Lauderdale, Fla.), Khayree Lofton (Jacksonville, Fla.), Darrius Matthews (Houston, Texas), Christopher Morgan (Douglasville, Ga.), Damian Palacios (Miami, Fla.), Brody Rawlinson (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and Chris Zamacona (Austin, Texas).