A German sports programme is using innovative portable goals from Packaworld to grow participation in the Paralympic sport of goalball – following the recent launch of Packaworld’s online store in Europe.

The Association for Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports (VBRS) is using the unique inflatable Goalball Packagoals for their project “Die Aufklärer (The Scout)”, which brings goalball to school students in the north-east German state of Mecklenburg—Western Pomerania.

Youth Goalball Coach Heiko Prinz says the inflatable Packagoals have allowed VBRS to introduce the sport to more people with and without vision impairments. The portability of the new goals makes the easy to take to new communities and schools, unlike standard metal goals which are difficult to move due to their width and bulk.

Students of Jardon Vocational School in Michigan are having a ball with Packaworld’s Competition Packabocce courts.

As well as putting smiles on faces, the portable bocce ball courts are helping students’ cognitive, physical, social and emotional development and contributing to educational outcomes – such as learning how to make a game plan, analyse it, and plan for improvement.

​“On the bocce ball court there is no physical contact, but a lot of friendly competition,” says Nanette Renkiewicz, Jardon’s psychologist and bocce ball coach. “We’re seeing individual growth and team growth, as well as learning about sportsmanship: how to give and take ‘smack talk’ and compliments.”

Jenny Blow is an international goalball star who has competed in three Paralympic Games. A key player for the Aussie Belles Australian women’s team, she is currently undergoing her final preparations for the Tokyo Paralympics later this year.

We caught up with Jenny ahead of one of the team’s training camps to gather her thoughts on the team’s preparations, their chances for the upcoming campaign, and why she loves goalball.

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

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.