Ability360 to Host Invitational Goalball Tournament January 17-19
Phoenix, Ariz. (January 15, 2020) – Teams nationwide will compete for bragging rights at Ability360 Invitational Goalball Tournament this weekend.
What:
- 11 teams with men and women from seven (7) states and the District of Columbia will compete in the Ability360 Invitational Goalball Tournament Friday through Sunday.
- Goalball is a Paralympic level highly competitive, fast-paced sport originally created to help rehabilitate soldiers with visual impairments returning from World War II.
- Round-robin and single elimination championship play begins Friday, Jan. 17.
- Goalball’s 3-person teams wear blackout eye shades on a volleyball-sized court listening for bells inside a basketball-sized ball that moves up to 40 miles an hour. Once they get a read on the ball, they use their bodies to block the balls from getting into 9-meter wide goals at each end of the court.
- The players play very close to the ground on a tactile court with string stretched out under tape.
- During game action, fans can’t cheer so the players can hear the bells. But the place erupts at goals, at halftime, during time outs and after each game.
- The tournament is free.
Note: Ability360 can provide b-roll of the tournament. If interested, please contact Steve Carr, The Kur Carr Group, Inc., (602) 317-3040 or scarr51@gmail.com.
Who:
- Teams from Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Maryland, Washington and Washington DC.
- Men’s Division:
- Arizona Sting, FBC Daredevils (Arizona), New Jersey Thunder, New York Empire, Maryland Raptors, Seattle King Cobras, Spittin’ Llamas (Illinois)
- Women’s Division:
- New Jersey Honeybees, Maryland Minks, DC Corruption
- Arizona teams are coached by Jake Czechowski, who coaches the USA National Women’s Team. Jake’s wife, Lisa, is a member of Team USA.
When:
- Action begins on Friday, January 17 at 4 p.m. 8 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Where:
Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center
5031 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
About Ability360:
Ability360, formerly Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL), continues a 35-year tradition of empowering programs for people with all disabilities. Ability360 offers and promotes programs to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so that they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community. The independent living philosophy states that people with disabilities should have the same civil rights, options, and control over choices in their own lives as do people without disabilities. Ability360 is located at 5025 E. Washington St. Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85034, www.ability360.org, 602-256-2245.
About the Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center:
The Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center is a 45,000-square foot, state-of-the-art facility located in Phoenix, Arizona. Owned and operated by Ability360, the Sports & Fitness Center offers a wide variety of amenities to help you achieve your health and fitness goals including a fitness center with wheelchair accessible weight machines, an aquatic area equipped with lifts and elevators, accessible locker rooms, and more.
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Contacts:
Loren Worthington, Ability360, LorenW@ability360.org
Steve Carr, The Kur Carr Group, Inc., (602) 317-3040