A Return to the Vermont Slopes for Blind Skiers

For the first time in three years, the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) and Vermont Adaptive Sports teamed up to host the 14th USABA Winter Festival at Pico Mountain in Mendon, Vermont. Nineteen athletes with varying visual impairments came from across the country to participate in the post-pandemic return to fun on the snow. “After the pandemic, everyone has been so excited to get back to programming, to get back to in-person, and I think the importance of in-person connection is really highlighted at these events,” said USABA Sports Program Coordinator Marybai Huking. “Within the blind community, people are…  Read More

Champions Crowned at Northwest Regional Goalball

The second regional goalball event of the year took place February 3-5 as the Washington State School for the Blind played host to the USABA Northwest Regional Goalball Tournament in Vancouver, Washington. Seven men's teams and four women's teams took part in the three-day event that was live-streamed on the USABA Facebook page. In the men's division, the Texas Rattlesnakes went 4-0 on the weekend, including a 13-4 triumph over the NWABA Avalanche in the final. The Rattlesnakes' roster was made up of Grej Pesjaka, Will Lopez, Richie Flores and Ronald Acuna. The Avalanche finished second with a lineup of…  Read More

Southwest Regional Goalball Tournament Kicks Off 2023 Season

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…  Read More

U.S. Women Take Paralympic Champion Turkey to Overtime at Goalball Worlds

U.S. Women's Coach Jake Czechowski In a rematch of last summer’s gold medal final at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, the USA Women’s Goalball Team squared off with Turkey on Dec. 15 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 IBSA Goalball World Championships held in Matosinhos, Portugal. Unlike the Paralympic final in Tokyo, when Turkey took advantage of a short-handed American team playing with injuries and went on to a 9-2 victory, the U.S. squad was at full strength in this game. The starting lineup of Amanda Dennis (Peachtree City, Ga.), Asya Miller (Portland, Ore.) and Eliana Mason (Beaverton, Ore.) packed a…  Read More