In November, four students from Michigan competed in the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) High School Goalball National Championships in Austin, Texas.
Coach and Goalball Paralympian John Kusku said the students came away from the championship with improved teamwork, communication, and goalball skills. They also had an opportunity to be around others who are Blind or Visually Impaired (BVI), which can be a powerful experience.
“They were walking into rooms full of Blind people,” Kusku said. “I don't know that any of them had ever been in a room with 50 other Blind or Visually Impaired people in their lives.”
In late summer, tryouts for the goalball tournament were held at Camp Tuhsmeheta, which is managed by the Michigan Department of Education – Low Incidence Outreach (MDE-LIO). Three girls (Chloe, Riley, and Avery) and one boy (Brody) were able to compete in Texas. Brody joined Kentucky’s team, and an additional girl from Wisconsin was invited to join the Michigan girls’ team.
Each team played five games in the High School Goalball National Championships. The Michigan students faced challenging opponents like Washington and Utah, with varying successes and setbacks. Although they did not place in the tournament, the girls’ team was thrilled to win their final game against Mississippi.
“We were able to win that last game, so it was great for them to walk off the court with that excitement,” Kusku said. “And then the next day we came back together as a team to watch the finals and cheer on the other teams.”
Michigan had some disadvantages in the tournament compared to other states, Kusku said. Because Michigan no longer has a school for the Blind, players were from all over the state and didn’t have a chance to practice together before the tournament. In place of practices, Kusku set up a group chat, gave goalball tips, and shared recordings from his recent goalball games for the players to review.
Looking ahead, Kusku hopes to continue cultivating athletes’ interest in goalball, encouraging them to participate not only in local matches, but also in future tournaments.
“Having that experience competing at a high level, having some success, is absolutely enormous,” he said. “I can't really explain how important that is.”