article courtesy of International Blind Sports Federation Josh Welborn throws the goalball at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games. Photo by Mark Reis At the tender age of 22, Josh Welborn has seen his fair share of success on the goalball court. Having been part of the silver medal-winning team at last year’s Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, where he led the U.S. team with 19 goals, Welborn is now one of the team's hopefuls heading to next year’s Paralympic Games. As a finance student at the University of Utah, Welborn’s love and passion for the sport bodes well for the…
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by Bill Kellick The date August 25, 2020, was circled on all the calendars of Paralympic hopefuls across the U.S. and around the world. As the day on which the Paralympic torch would be lit during the opening ceremony for the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, it represented a goal. For athletes in the sport of goalball – a Paralympic sport played by athletes with visual impairments using a ball with bells inside -- the goal signifies everything. During a game, they cannot see the goal, but they know it’s there…right across from them at the other end of the court. Sure,…
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February 5th is National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a day set aside to celebrate and encourage the involvement of females in sports, so more women can emerge as leaders in sports and life. Sports are much more than just a game or just a competition. Sports are an opportunity to learn more about yourself and develop skills that will benefit you in and out of competition. In celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we asked members of our women’s goalball team to share their experiences in sports and how they use their love for sports…
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by Sierra Romero Goalball has been a sport for 73 years, each year bringing more talent and excitement to the court. As goalball continues to grow, there is also the need for more goalball officials. A goalball official is the same as a referee in any other sport. Their job is to uphold the rules and maintain the flow of the game. Goalball officials are usually volunteers who have received training or certification to ensure high-quality officiating. To gain a better understanding of what this position looks like, Linda Welborn, a goalball official, provided a peek into her life and…
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by Bill Kellick The three big summer holidays of 2019 appear like mile markers on Josh Welborn’s goalball roadmap. Memorial Day weekend saw Welborn’s team take gold at the United States Association of Blind Athletes’ National Championships. Over the Fourth of July week, he led Team USA as the top goal scorer during the International Blind Sports Federation’s Goalball Qualifier. Soon, the summer will come to a close just before Labor Day with the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, where the U.S. men’s team is looking to secure its quota spot for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Flashback to…
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