Twelve teams converged on Phoenix, Arizona, Jan. 20-22, for the USABA Southwest Regional Goalball Tournament hosted by Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center. The competition was divided evenly with six men’s teams and six women’s teams taking to the court for the three-day event. In the women’s division, the Maryland Minks went undefeated for the weekend, capping off their solid play with a convincing 10-1 victory over Code Blue in the gold medal match. Led by coach Kelvin Atkinson, the Minks roster consisted of Tori Bounds, Bridget Cassidy, Makalia Lama, Rebecca Levasseur, Shavon Lockhardt and Breanna Pumphrey. Silver-medal-winning Code Blue…
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With a combined 22 Paralympic Games appearances and 15 Paralympic medals to their credit, an experienced roster of 12 athletes has been selected to represent the U.S. at the 2022 IBSA Goalball World Championships in Matosinhos, Portugal, Dec. 7-16. This year’s tournament provides the first chance for countries to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, with the top two teams in the men’s and women’s competitions punching their ticket to Paris. “We are proud to be sending such a talented roster to next month’s world championships as we attempt to secure berths in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games,” said…
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The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) today announced the 10 athletes chosen for the first-ever USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team that will begin international competition in 2023, the first step on the journey to competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. The team was selected after a four-day selection camp held Oct. 27-30 in Chula Vista, Calif. The roster features eight athletes with visual impairments along with two sighted goalkeepers. The sport of blind soccer has been part of the Paralympic Games since 2004, but the U.S. has never fielded a team. That will all change in…
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(October 26, 2022) – The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is holding a team selection camp, Oct. 27-30, in Chula Vista, Calif., with 13 players with visual impairments and three sighted goalkeepers vying to earn a spot on the first-ever USA Blind Soccer National Team. From that pool of athletes, eight players will join two goalkeepers to form the U.S. team that will begin international competition in 2023, the first step on the journey to competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. “By naming this first-ever national team, it allows USABA to continue building blind soccer across the country,”…
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The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is supporting the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department (LA RAP) to launch the first visually impaired & blind soccer clinics as part of the PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program. The free clinics are designed for blind and visually impaired youth ages 5-11 and 12-17, with all skill levels welcome to participate. Clinic participants will be taught blind soccer fundamentals, drills, game play and communication. The dates for the clinics are October 8, 15 & 22 and November 12. They will be held at the Algin Sutton Recreation Center in Los…
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