We were delighted to be invited to deliver a couple of sessions as part of the Loughborough University ParaSport Takeover Week. Goalball and sitting netball were chosen and over a dozen volunteers signed up for each session.
We started with goalball, taking the volunteers through a training version of the game to a limited version of the full game, all within an hour.
The training session, which we use when we deliver our Games2Inspire in schools, uses a bench as a goal, a blindfold for all players and the special balls with bells inside. We pair people so one acts as the player, sitting cross-legged in front of the bench, the other as their eyes, giving, hopefully clear, instructions to the player, from behind the bench.
In this instance we added a mat for the players to sit and lie on, which has the advantage of allowing a dive to be practical, and the disadvantage of creating a lip for the ball to leap from! We start with players practising without blindfolds before sliding them into position.
The key is to encourage the ‘instructors’ to give helpful comments, such as “Right knee”, “Far left”, rather than others heard: “It’s there” pointing, or “Oh, it was left”, after it has smacked the bench.
We progressed to harder rolling of the ball until everyone had had a good go and we had moved the benches together, so it was three against three.
We showed – thanks to my nephew Tom Roper, who was helping and in charge of technology – a video of a Paralympic match to give the players a chance to see how the best play the game. They stand up and deliver the shot by bouncing or rolling the ball as fast as possible at a wider than normal 5-a-side football goal.
We gave the volunteers an opportunity to play using a 5-a-side goal but with sighted helpers stood behind. In the real game there is total silence and no help! But they are allowed to put tape and/or string on the floor to help position themselves (a step we didn’t have time to add). I was pleased this version allowed an experienced player with a visual impairment to play with some who had never played any visually impaired sports before. The response was very favourable and I hope a number will start playing the game.
We are proposing a Festival of Inclusive Goalball with teams of 4 (three playing) to help develop the game. Do contact us if you would like to hear more!
As I claim to have invented Sitting Netball, the rules I choose are the official ones! We try to flex them to make the game as inclusive as possible.
The basic rules are simple:
- Your bottom must be attached to the floor at all times
- If you have the ball, you cannot move
- If you do not have the ball, you can move – in fact you are encouraged to move
- The hoops we use are low ones
- The balls are foam footballs
- We create a circle around each hoop with cones/flat markers, which designate an area that no player can enter. The size of this circle can be changed to reflect the abilities of the players.
- No snatching or tackling – this is a non-combat sport
- To start the referee rolls the ball into the middle of the court and players ‘scoot’ from an agreed line
- Most goals wins.
We played three games of 5 v 5 and then a larger one of 8 v 8. As the visual impaired goalball player had stayed on and finds it hard to see the ball to catch it, we allowed him to go into the ‘exclusion’ zone and be the designated shooter for his team. That meant I was co-opted to play for the other side also sitting in the exclusion zone. It was great fun and wonderful to play it as a full game. It is remarkably tiring, excellent for the core muscles, and for an appreciation of space.
It was a joyful evening so a big thank you to Loughborough Sport and Parasport, to Nik Diaper and Anna Martin. We look forward to returning to deliver a PowerHouseGames with local schools, including special needs students, sportsmen and women from across the university and hopefully the university executive, so they can experience inclusion in action.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
