Hal Simpson Named 2023 Ronald W. Plassman Gold Standard Award Honoree

The U.S. Association for Blind Athletes (USABA) and Turnstone Center are pleased to announce Hal Simpson has been named the recipient of the 2023 Ronald W. Plassman Gold Standard Award. Established in 2021, this prestigious award is presented annually to deserving athletes, coaches and program supporters who demonstrate the gold standard values lived out by the actions and support of Ron Plassman (1940-2022). These include excellence on the field of play, sportsmanship, leadership, and championing the sport of goalball. Simpson, of Smyrna, Ga., formed Georgia Blind Sports in 2011 and his leadership has enabled hundreds of people who are blind…  Read More

Experienced USA Goalball Roster Set for 2023 Parapan American Games

(October 3, 2023) — With the 2023 Parapan American Games representing the final chance for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualification, the United States will send an experienced roster of athletes to the November event in Santiago, Chile. Nine Paralympians are among the 12 athletes selected for the U.S. teams, including seven Paralympic medalists. The U.S. teams will need first-place finishes in Santiago to secure their respective berths at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. The U.S. men’s team can also qualify by finishing second to Brazil as the Brazil men’s team already achieved qualification for Paris by winning the 2022 IBSA…  Read More

Turnstone Center to Host USABA Goalball National Championships Sept. 22-24

More than 130 athletes representing 23 teams from across the United States will converge on Fort Wayne’s Turnstone Center September 22-24 for the 2023 U.S. Association of Blind Athletes’ Goalball National Championships. Competitors include nine members of the 2020 USA Paralympic Goalball Team, many of whom trained at Turnstone Center as part of the USA Goalball National Team Resident Athlete Program. The participating Paralympic athletes boast a combined 31 Paralympic Games appearances and 19 Paralympic medals. Members of the silver-medal-winning USA women’s team from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games who will be taking to the court at Turnstone Center include…  Read More

USA Goalball Teams Wrap Up Competition at IBSA World Games

The USA Goalball women’s and men’s teams wrapped up play at the 2023 IBSA World Games in Birmingham, England, on Aug. 27, with the U.S. women’s team placing fifth and the U.S. men’s team finishing eighth. The women’s team went 6-2 overall, including 4-1 in the group stage to advance to the quarterfinals. Facing eventual silver medalist Japan in the quarterfinal round, the two teams went toe-to-toe in an epic battle that saw the score tied 0-0 through two overtime periods. After the first round of shootouts, the teams remained locked in a 2-2 tie before Japan prevailed in the…  Read More