This youth-focused sports activity welcomes participants aged 9-17 with a diagnosed vision impairment. This is a 10-week group. Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers staff will go over the concept of gym acclamation, physical fitness, wellness exercise with peers, and a basic introduction to goalball. This class is held in an all-purpose gym well-suited for the visually impaired. Weekly lesson plans are designed to be supported and challenging allowing each participant to safely build new sports and team skills. The physical fitness activities and team building activities will bolster self-esteem and provide comradery allowing for the introduction to the paralympic sport of Goalball.
Goalball is a sport exclusive to folks with visual impairments and is played by all genders. The objective of this court-based game is to get the ball into the opponent's net while the opposing players try to block the ball with their bodies. The ball in this sport is about the size of a basketball and has noise bells, which help orient the players. The shape and size of the net can be felt by the defense players allowing them to defend their goals and if possible, stop the ball.
Salem State Occupational Therapy (OT) students will have the opportunity to come and volunteer under the supervision of SASC Staff.