Peter Corr is the head coach of the Australian Women’s Goalball Team. The team will be travelling to the Paralympics in Tokyo later this year and has its sights set on a first ever Paralympic medal.

We caught up with him ahead of a training camp in Victoria to hear his thoughts on the Aussie Belles preparations, their chances at the Paralympics, and the future of goalball in Australia.

The training camp was held in Victoria and featured one of the team’s secret weapons – Goalball Packagoals. Created by Packaworld International, these full-sized inflatable goalball goals have helped the team continue training from new locations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and hold considerable potential for helping to grow the sport of goalball across Australia.

If you could play water polo anywhere in the world, where would you choose? Would it be near an island, in a lake deep in the forest, or in tropical waters with one of the grandest natural wonders of the world as a backdrop?

All of these are possible thanks to inflatable water polo equipment that allows players bring the game to new environments.

Water polo is no longer confined to swimming pools. Portable water polo goals and fields have made it easy for players to add a sense of adventure to the game by taking it to spectacular open-water settings. So, what are some of the most scenic and breath-taking locations the game has been taken to?

The Australian women’s goalball team isn’t the best-known national team in the country, but they may just be one of the most interesting. Not only do they play a sport that requires participants to dive onto a wooden floor blindfolded to stop a 1.25kg ball thrown at up to 60 km/h, but they are also a realistic contender to pick up Australia’s first ever goalball Paralympic medal.

Known as the Aussie Belles, the team is going through their final preparations for the Tokyo Paralympics. They are currently ranked ninth in the world and the Tokyo campaign in August and September this year will be their third consecutive Paralympics appearance.

​Head Coach Peter Corr said the team was confident and looking forward to making waves in the international goalball scene.

Packaworld has launched its online Europe store, making it easier and more affordable for European customers to purchase its innovative portable bocce courts, goalball goals and water polo nets.

Shoppers in Europe can now buy the high-quality inflatable courts and goals in their local currency, with quicker delivery times and lower shipping costs. 

Orders are shipped from Packaworld’s warehouse in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, operated by Strong in Logistics Solutions (SILS).

​Packaworld chief executive Peter Roberts said the company’s move into Europe would help sports organisers, clubs and schools bring the joy of sport to their communities. 

The start of 2021 has been a time of new beginnings in the USA. Joe Biden has been inaugurated as the new president, NASA’s Perseverance rover will soon touchdown on Mars, and for those who love bocce ball – the first major American Bocce Company event of the year has been held in the shape of the Winter Ball Championship.

This year’s event was proudly supported by Packaworld, which supplies the portable bocce courts used in American Bocce Company​  leagues across the USA. Thirty-two teams duked it out across five days, competing in pairs at Bridge 410 in Chicago.

“Our Winter Ball Championship has been the perfect way to get bocce rolling for 2021, says American Bocce Company president Alex Gara.

Packaworld and Bocce Australia have teamed up to support their shared goal of getting more people engaged in bocce.

As part of the collaboration, Packaworld’s portable bocce courts are available at a special price to league organisers, event coordinators and players in Australia.

Bocce Australia, which marked its 50th anniversary this year, organises bocce events Australia-wide to introduce the game to as many Australians as possible.  

Frank Funari, Bocce Australia’s president, welcomed the new partnership, which he said would make the game more accessible and allow game organisers to take bocce to new locations, including schools and communities without existing courts.

The tide is turning for water polo players in the Middle East as they gear up for a tournament in Dubai on Saturday 19 December.

After a quiet year for water polo in the United Arab Emirates due to Covid-19 restrictions, the fast-paced beach water polo event, to be hosted by Dubai Camels Water Polo Club, is a chance for players to get back into the game.

The tournament venue – at Breeze Bar and Grill on the Palm Jumeirah artificial offshore island that resembles a stylised palm tree – will transform into a water polo dream with the help of Packaworld’s portable field and Packagoals.

A goalball coaching session held in Auckland, New Zealand last weekend used innovative portable goals from Packaworld to introduce blind and low-vision athletes to the sport.

And the success of the session, hosted in Spinal Support NZ’s gymnasium, has renewed hopes of starting a New Zealand team.

Goalball NZ committee member Troy Ramsay, who coached the players at the event, was happy with the turnout. Six beginners and 10 experienced players dived into the introduction and training event.

“In New Zealand, goalball numbers have dropped off a bit, and Covid-19 has not helped, so this was an event to get things moving again."