NSW Goalball has a number of different programmes that help expand goalball in our Schools and Community Regions throughout NSW.
In 2008 we started our Goalball for Schools programme, working with Dept of Education and vision support teachers within Public and Private school networks NSW Goalball gave exposure to over 2,000 students with many schools having at least one vision impaired or blind student play for their school. This gave sighted students awareness of vision impaired student which made integration through participation possible.
The newest programme is called “Vision Goal” and is based on 6 major regions within NSW including Newcastle, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, North Eastern Coast, Western NSW & Sydney Metro. NSW Goalball Association will partner with Dept of Education, Dept of Communities, Australian Paralympic Committee & PCYC Clubs of NSW on this initiative and will focus on community groups who don't have the same opportunity to participate in sighted sports within a team environment.
Creating an awareness among fellow sighted students to play a team sport based on sensory perception rather than vision is key to building confidence in both vision impaired and sighted students. Goalball is able to create a team atmosphere that is different from a lot of other sports due to its team building communication key points.
Some of our other programmes will include a Referee Blow Up initiative to increase the number of referee and officials in the state. We will be partnering again with dept of Communities and Australian Paralympic Committee to market our unique sport to Universities and Community Groups such as Rotary, Lions & Volunteer groups.
Coaching Clipboard is a strategic plan to bring in coaches from other professional sports into our state training camps to increase the ability to be an innovative force in Australian and World Goalball. Key sports in this initiative are Field events like Discuss, Hammer Throw & Javelin, Ten Pin Bowling, Handball, Futsal & Softball/baseball.