Base Goalball tournament keeps rolling for second year
By Nathan Stone,
Trident staff
The clang of bells and the energy of competition filled the Stadacona Fitness and Sports Centre on May 29 as teams from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax and 12 Wing Shearwater faced off in the second annual base Goalball tournament.
Organized by the Defence Advisory Group for Persons with Disabilities (DAGPWD) during National AccessAbility Week (May 25-31), the tournament showcases Goalball as an accessible sport for individuals who are blind or have low vision.
The objective of the game is for teams of three players to throw a ball embedded with bells into the opposing team’s goal. Possession alternates between teams, who must try to score while also defending their own goal.
To ensure fairness at the tournament, all players wore blindfolds. Referees called for silence before every play, so participants could hear the ball clearly as it was thrown.
“What’s cool is that Goalball is one of two Paralympic sports that is not an adaptation. It was a sport created for the impaired,” said Lieutenant (N) Rick Mamye, the Halifax region DAGPWD Deputy Military Co-Chair. “It’s not like we’re playing a different version of basketball or hockey. This is a whole new game and a whole new experience.”
Lt(N) Mamye was involved in organizing the tournament and served as the head referee throughout. He became interested in the sport several years ago when his son, who lives with vision loss, began playing.
He was joined by volunteers from the organization Blind Sports Nova Scotia, who introduced new players to the sport before the tournament and assisted in officiating.
Five teams competed in four round-robin games each, followed by a pair of semifinals and a championship match to close out the day, with the team representing His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Halifax coming out on top.
Lt(N) Mamye noted that many who signed up for last year’s inaugural competition returned to play again.
“We heard from people that last year was a lot of fun, and there were a lot of people excited to come back. The reason we decided to bring it back for a second year is that it was a very well-attended and successful event.”
He added that he hopes the competition inspires more people to get involved in the sport locally.
“We have a strong Goalball community here in Nova Scotia, and we’re always looking for volunteers and people who want to get involved, because the community is very passionate, very caring, very empathetic – and a lot of fun.”
