EPISODE · May 21, 2026 · 12 MIN
Goalball emboldens blind athletes on the court and in their lives
from Crosscurrents · host KALW
Every Wednesday night in Berkeley a group of athletes gets ready to practice their sport. The first thing they have to do is line the court with a tactile marker––string taped to the floor around the perimeter––because this game relies on just two senses, hearing and feeling. This is goalball, a sport invented for blind and low vision people which involves hurling a heavy ball filled with bells at each other. It is sort of the opposite of dodge ball because players are trying to block the ball with their bodies. It might sound painful! So KALW's Rachel Longan visited a goalball tournament and later even padded up to play to find out if it is worth the risk.
What this episode covers
Every Wednesday night in Berkeley a group of athletes gets ready to practice their sport. The first thing they have to do is line the court with a tactile marker––string taped to the floor around the perimeter––because this game relies on just two senses, hearing and feeling. This is goalball, a sport invented for blind and low vision people which involves hurling a heavy ball filled with bells at each other. It is sort of the opposite of dodge ball because players are trying to block the ball with their bodies. It might sound painful! So KALW's Rachel Longan visited a goalball tournament and later even padded up to play to find out if it is worth the risk.
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Goalball emboldens blind athletes on the court and in their lives
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