Packagoals pump up passion for goalball at University of Minnesota

The Paralympic sport of goalball has rolled into the University of Minnesota’s sports facilities in a big way, with two new inflatable Goalball Packagoals helping to ignite a passion for the sport on campus.

“It’s still in its infancy but the participation and excitement from the visually impaired community here on campus has been fantastic,” said Jaime Medina, the university’s Assistant Director of Intramural Sports.

“Goalball this year has really taken off."

Medina says goalball fever began to take hold on campus in October 2022, when the university began open gym goalball sessions on Saturday afternoons roughly every other weekend, attracting up to 30 participants each time.

Those sessions were run using cones for goals, so the new portable goalball goals were purchased and put into use for the first time at three open-gym sessions on 10-12 March

Medina said the buzz around goalball and strong participation at the sessions has inspired organizers to keep the ball rolling by running regular sessions that would provide further opportunities for more students to give the sport a try.

“Goalball is such a fantastic sport that brings communities together.”

Goalball is a Paralympic sport designed for people with vision impairments but can be played by
anyone because all players wear blackout goggles. Medina said it was easy sport to learn and was an ideal way to promote inclusion and physical activity.

He said the university had been looking for high-quality goalball equipment to launch its new goalball program and the ease of transporting and storing the Packagoals was a big bonus.

“The Goalball Packagoals had solid reviews from peer institutions after our first hands-on review, the goals checked all the boxes. The reviews from the participants were all positive.”

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts said the University of Minnesota was doing a fantastic job of introducing goalball to its community.

“They really are creating a space where visually impaired athletes can thrive and compete. We are proud to be a part of their effort and excited to see where this initiative will take them.

“The versatility and portability of Packagoals make them an excellent choice for any organization looking to promote inclusive sports."
 
What is goalball?

Goalball is a sport for people with vision impairments, invented in 1946 initially to rehabilitate veterans who returned from World War II with a visual impairment. It is played by two teams of three, with each aiming to roll a 44 oz rubber ball into the opposition’s 9-metre-wide net to score goals.

The ball contains a bell, allowing players to identify its position as it rolls across the court, and players all wear blackout masks to put them on a level playing field.

>> Visit the Goalball Packagoal product page for more information about how portable goalball can grow participation in your goalball program.