Goalball 59 Goalball Goalball is an exciting team sport played at Paralympic level for persons who are visually impaired or blind. Each team has three players on the court at any one time. Competitions may be organised for juniors or seniors, for men or women, or for mixed teams. Playing defense in goalball has been compared to having three people play goalie in soccer. The object for the offensive team is to roll a basketball-sized ball into their opponent's goal. Bells inside the ball make a sound when the ball is rolled. The sound helps to orient the defensive players, and indicates the direction of the on-coming ball. The defensive players react to the sound and try to block or catch the ball before it rolls into their goal area. A goalball match lasts a total of 14 minutes (two 7-minute periods). All players wear blindfolds/masks during the game to ensure equal competition among athletes with varying degrees of vision, as well as athletes who are completely blind. In other words, all players are totally blind while playing. One of the most unique features of goalball is that everyone in the playing hall must be quiet. While play is in progress, all spectators, officials and players must be completely silent so the players on court can hear the bells inside the ball.
Goalball 60 The Player Classification System For the purpose of sport competition, persons with visual impairments usually are classified into one of three categories. Class B1 Totally Blind General Description No light perception in either eye, up to and including light perception. Inability to recognise the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction. B2 Partially Blind From the ability to recognise the shape of a hand, up to and including visual acuity of 2/60 and/or A visual field of 5 degrees or less. B3 Partially Sighted From a visual acuity above 2/60, up to and including visual acuity of 6/60, and/or A visual field of more than 5 degrees, up to and including 20 degrees. Because all players wear blindfolds or masks during the game, all of the players are completely without vision during competition. This allows players from the different classes to compete equally against each other. Some Important Rules to Consider when Learning to Play Goalball 1. The Court a) The court used for goalball is a rectangle, 18m long and 9 m wide. The surface is usually wooden or some other smooth, polished surface onto which players can dive safely when blocking the ball. b) Player orientation lines: Six lines are located in each of the team areas to help the players feel where they are on the court: two wing lines extend 1.5m from the sidelines, and are parallel to the goal line; two centre position lines are 50cm in length one is perpendicular to the throwing line and the other is perpendicular to the goal line; two additional positioning lines extend 15cm from the goal lines, and are perpendicular to the goal line, 1.5m from each of the sidelines.
Goalball 61 Player orientation lines 50cm Goal line Team Area 15cm 50cm 15cm Sideline Landing Area Neutral Area 18m Centre line Neutral Area Landing Area Additional positioning lines Centre position line 3m 1.5m Wing line Centre position line Wing line Team Area Goal line 9m A Goalball Court Note: The triple line indicates where string is put on the floor prior to putting down the tape to mark the lines in the Team Area. The string provides a definite ridge that allows players to feel where the lines area.
Goalball 62 The landing area is 3m x 9m, and lies in between the team area and the neutral area. When players are on offence, they may wind up and throw the ball with an underhand motion from anywhere within the team area or landing area. Players may never go into the neutral area. If they do, a violation is called. 2. Goals c) When players are on defense, they must remain within the team area. The goal posts are 9m wide and 1.3m high and they are round. The cross bar must be rigid. The goal posts are outside the court, but in line with the goal line. There is a net covering the back of the goal like in soccer. 3. Ball An official goalball is a 1.25kg rubber ball with bells inside. The circumference of the ball is approximately 76cm, and has 8 holes approximately 1cm in diameter. It is a special ball that is made specifically for goalball. 4. Eyeshades Eyeshades (blindfolds or masks) must be worn by all players on the court from the first whistle of any half until the end of any half. 5. Team Composition A team consists of 3 players and a maximum of 3 substitutes. 6. The Game 7. Time Out a) Length of the game: A game is 14 minutes in duration, divided into two equal halves of 7 minutes each. An audible warning is issued by the timer 30 seconds before the start of any half. Half-time is 3 minutes in duration. b) Coin toss: Before the start of a game, either a referee or another designated official will conduct a coin toss. The winner may choose either goal to defend or may elect to throw or receive the first throw of the game. The remaining choice subsequently goes to the loser of the coin toss. At the beginning of the second half, ends are alternated. c) Scoring: A goal is scored when the ball crosses the goal line between the goal posts and under the crossbar. The umpire will blow his/her whistle twice to indicate a goal has been scored. a) Team time out: Each team shall be allowed three 45-second time outs during regulation play for the purpose of coaching. Once called, both teams may utilise the time out. Furthermore, each team shall be allowed one 45-second time out during overtime.
Goalball 63 b) Officials time out: A referee may call an officials' time out at any time considered necessary. The coaches shall not be permitted to give instructions to the players on the court during an officials' time out. 8. Violations The following violations are commonly committed by the offensive team (throwing team): a) Premature throw: If a player throws the ball before he/she is allowed to, the throw counts as his/her turn and the ball is turned over to the defending team. No goal can be scored on a premature throw. b) Step over: The throwing player must not step into the neutral area when throwing the ball. If he/she does step over, the throw counts as his/her turn, and the ball is turned over to the defending team. No goal can be scored on a step-over. Some part of the thrower s body must be in contact with either the team area or the landing area as the ball leave s his/her hand. c) Pass out: If the ball goes out of bounds over the side line in the process of passing the ball between team members, the ball is turned over to the defending team. d) Short ball: Anytime the ball comes to rest in the neutral area, after having been thrown, and is beyond the reach of the defending team, the play shall be whistled dead and the ball given to the defending team. The following violations are commonly committed by the defensive team: 9. Penalties a) Dead ball: If a ball stops moving after touching a defending player (without his/her team gaining control of the ball), the ball is turned over to the opposing team. This rule does not apply to free throws or penalty throws. b) Ball over: If a ball is blocked by a defensive player and the ball rebounds over the centre line, the ball is returned to the possession of the team that has thrown the ball. This rule also applies if the ball hits a goal post or cross bar and rolls back over the centre line. This rule does not apply to free throws and penalty throws. There are two types of penalties: personal penalties and team penalties. In both cases, a penalty throw is awarded, and only one player remains on the court to defend the penalty throw. In the case of a personal penalty, the player who committed the penalty shall remain on the court to defend the penalty throw.
Goalball 64 In the case of a team penalty, the player who made the last recorded throw before the penalty was awarded shall remain on the court to defend the penalty throw. In the event that a team penalty is awarded before a throw has been taken, the player to remain on the court to defend the throw shall be at the coach's discretion. Personal penalties a) High ball: The ball must touch the floor at least once in the thrower s team or landing area, after it has left the hand of the throwing player. If not, the throw counts as a turn, but a goal cannot be scored. b) Long ball: The ball must touch the floor at least once in the opponent s neutral area. If not, the throw counts as a throwing turn, but a goal cannot be scored. c) Third time throw: A player can throw a ball only two consecutive times. The third throw before a teammate has thrown the ball is a penalty. d) Illegal defence: The first defensive contact with the ball must be made by a player who has some part of his body touching the team area. e) Delay of game: A delay of game penalty shall be awarded against a player if: That player is reoriented by any person other than a teammate on the court. That player is not prepared to start play on the instruction of a referee. f) Personal unsportsmanlike conduct: Should a referee determine that a player on the court is behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner, a personal penalty shall be awarded against that player. Team penalties a) Eight seconds: A player/team must throw the ball within 8 seconds after defensive control has been gained. b) Team delay of game: A team delay of game penalty shall be awarded against a team if that team is not prepared to start play on the instruction of a referee. c) Team unsportsmanlike conduct: Should a referee determine that any team member in the team bench area is behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner, a team penalty shall be awarded against that team. d) Illegal coaching: No person in the team bench area shall be permitted to coach in any manner except during time-outs and after the expiration of play in any half of play. Should the referee determine that
Goalball 65 10. Free Throws someone was coaching in the team bench area, a penalty shall be assessed against that team. Should the score be tied at the expiration of a game in which a winner is necessary, free throws shall determine the outcome of the game. In all free throw situations, all players must wear eyeshades. a) Number of free throws: The number of free throws shall be determined by the minimum number of players listed on either line-up sheet. b) Free throw coin toss: Before the start of free throws, the choice to throw or receive shall be determined by the toss of a coin. c) Order of free throws: The order of throwing shall be determined by the line-up sheet submitted by the coach prior to the start of the game. The line-up sheet must include all the players on the score sheet. The first person on the line-up sheet of each team shall enter the court area assisted by a referee and each player shall take one throw. This sequence is repeated until all of the minimum number of players have had a chance to throw and defend. The team with the greater number of goals shall be declared the winner. d) Sudden death free throws: Should a tie still exist, the order will be repeated until, with each team having had an equal number of throws, one team has established a lead. Before the sudden death free throws, a new coin toss shall determine who will throw first. After each pair of throws, the team to throw first shall change. e) Penalties on free throws: Free throws shall be taken in accordance with existing rules. However, should and offensive penalty occur, the throw only is nullified. Should a defensive penalty occur, the throw will be repeated unless that throw scored. f) Moving of players: Players will remain in the team bench area until the throws are completed. All assistants, coaches, escorts, etc., will be moved to the opposite side of the court by the referee so that they cannot interact with the players taking the throws.
Goalball 66 The Basic Skills Needed to Enjoy Goalball In goalball, there are two positions on a team: one centre and two wingers (one to the right of the centre and one to his/her left). The centre and wingers have both defensive and offensive responsibilities. 1. Defensive skills a) Positioning or orientation to his/her area on the court. b) Lying down to block the ball or diving to block the ball. c) Catching or trapping to get possession of the ball. d) Overlapping (coordinating the blocking efforts of the centre and the wingers. The Wingers The wingers main responsibility is to defend the space around the 1.5m wing lines that extend in from the sidelines. The wingers are also responsible for backing-up the centre player when he/she dives to block or catch the ball. The winger first orients himself/herself to his/her wing line and additional positioning line. This is usually done by running the hands along the floor until the line markings are felt. Once oriented, the winger stands in a crouched or squatting position, with his/her feet at the end of the wing line. When the winger hears the oncoming ball, and has determined it is coming is his/her direction, he/she should lie down or dive in order to block the path of the ball. It is important that the winger s body remains close and parallel to the wing line when he/she lies down. The arms and legs should be fully extended in order to protect the largest part of the goal line possible. When the ball makes contact with the player s body, it is necessary to either catch or trap it in order to get the ball under control. It is also important when extending the arms that they are straight, but in front of the player s face. The player s head should be tilted back slightly to protect the player s face from any contact with the ball. His/her body must also be angled slightly forward so the body does not act like a ramp for the ball to hit, roll over and then into the goal.
Goalball 67 The Centre The centre s main responsibility is to defend the centre or middle third of the goal area. The centre first orients himself/herself to the two centre positioning line, one on the goal line and the other on the boundary of the team area. This is usually done by running the hands along the floor until the line markings are felt. This orientation should allow the centre to align his/her position in the middle of the playing area, facing the opponents goal. The centre uses the same techniques the wingers do for lying down/diving to the floor to block an on-coming ball. The centre either lies down or dives to the left or right, with his/her body parallel to the front line, in order to block or catch an oncoming ball. The same technique is also used to get control of the ball once it has hit his/her body. Overlapping An overlapping pattern is created in the team area to increase the chances of preventing a goal from being scores. Defence in the middle of the court relies on an overlapping pattern where the centre is the first line of defence, and the wingers can back him/her up by setting their blocks behind the centre. The centre remains close and parallel to the front line when lying down or diving, and the two wingers remain close and parallel to the wing line. Because all players are blindfolded, this overlapping can only work if the players all stay in their channels when they lay down/dive.
Goalball 68 Additional positioning line Centre positioning line Additional positioning line Wing line Centre position line Wing line Team Area Goal line L Left Winger s area CCCentre s area Right Winger s area A Sketch of Players Responsibilities on Defense 2. Offensive skills (throwing at goal) a) The underhand throw. b) The pass or hand the ball to a teammate so he/she can take the throw. In order to score a goal, a player on the offensive team must throw the ball so that it passes over the opponents goal line (under the crossbar). The ball must be thrown with an underhand motion. When throwing the ball, players must first feel the floor markings to ensure that they are squarely facing the direction in which they want to throw. Once they are aware of their position on the court, they are ready to throw. They can take a step or two as a run-up, then roll the ball along the floor in the direction of their opponents goal.
Goalball 69 A teammate can pass the ball to another teammate before a throw is taken. The passer usually will slap the ball several times so his/her teammates knows it is coming. Then the ball is handed or passed to the teammate who will take the throw. However, goalball is a fast-moving game. There are only 8 seconds allowed from the time a player on the defensive team blocks or catches a ball to the time some member of the team stands up and throws the ball back at the opponents goal. This quick conversion from defensive to offensive responsibilities requires agility and a good sense of court position. No player can throw the ball for his/her team more that two times consecutively. 3. Safety considerations As defensive players become more skilful, they dive to catch or block the ball, rather than simply lying down to block it. In addition to using their hands and arms to protect their faces, the must make sure to dive on a path parallel to the goal line. The centre must stay forward and the wingers slightly behind so that the overlapping pattern can be performed safely. If any player dives outside of his/her channel, the players can collide and a serious injury can result. Players do wear some padding under their goalball uniforms. Hip pads and elbow pads are worn to make it less dangerous when players hit the floor when diving to make a block. The playing surface itself must be smooth and somewhat slippery or polished so that when players do dive, they will slide on the floor. This will also help absorb force and reduce the chance of injury. General Guidelines for Designing Practice Sessions Goalball is physically a very demanding game. Upper body strength, agility, balance and physical courage must be developed in practice sessions. For beginners, a one-hour practice session may be enough, but advanced players should be able to practice for two full hours (with water breaks). The following guidelines should be followed: 1. Design the practice session to begin with a warm-up. Stretching exercises can follow the warm-up activity. 2. Fitness activities. Goalball demands strength and agility as well as muscle endurance. A part of practice should be spent building these qualities.
Goalball 70 3. Working on individual techniques. Because all players wear eyeshades (blindfolds or masks) while playing, they will need practice orienting themselves to the court. Let them get on their hands and knees at the beginning of every practice session so that they can feel the markings on the floor. It is recommended that tape be used for the markings and that is it sufficiently thick for the players to feel where the lines are marked. Defensive skills include blocking and diving to stop a rolling ball. When practicing defense, have the players practice taking a slide step to the right and to the left from the stance (ready position). Then, have them practice slowly falling to a blocking position on the floor following the slide step. When in the blocking position, make sure the arms/hands and legs/feet are no more than 10cm apart. If the space is larger, the ball will be able to roll between the arms or legs and into the goal. Let beginners work with a soft sponge ball. As they gain skill and courage, they can work with a basketball. Once they have confidence, they can work with the heavy goalball. When practicing offensive skills, provide time for individual practice of throwing skills. Players should practice throwing from different positions in the throwing area, aiming at different places in the opponents goal. Throwing faster and slower should also be practiced as a way to confuse the defense. The technique for throwing is not easy to master. It is a powerful technique, and the ball must not be thrown out of bounds.
Goalball 71 4. Drills and mini-games Practice drills or modified goalball-type games that allow the players to practice the entire basic sequence of actions as they occur in the game: a) Orientation to court position. b) Stance. c) Drop or dive to block an oncoming ball. d) Picking up the ball, then throwing the ball. e) Re-orientation to position on court. This sequence should be practiced without a ball until the player can perform it smoothly and keep his/her balance. Develop drills to help players develop their listening skills so that they can predict the pathway and speed of the ball. Their agility and mental toughness must be particularly good, since the ball comes very quickly and, despite the padding the wear, it does hurt when it hits their bodies. 5. Game play Scrimmages and practice games should be included toward the end of practices sessions. 6. End with a warm-down. Remember that goalball is a team sport. It is important that all players learn how to cooperate with teammates, coaches, referees and even opponents. A positive attitude will promote both the learning skills and the enjoyment of competition.