The National Headquarters for Goalball Are in Colorado – What is GoalBall?

With the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, and even the Colorado Rockies seeming to steal the spotlight for sports in Colorado, we often forget about the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs.

In 2025, a state-of-the-art training facility opened at the center for the sport of Goalball. I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of it until the news of the facility came out.

Goalball Gymnasium Opens at U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center

Goalball originated back in 1946, which adds to my shame of not knowing about it. It's not like I haven't heard of the Paralympics, It's just that I haven't heard of this particular sport for para-athletes.

What is Goalball?

Goalball is a team sport designed for athletes who are blind or have impaired vision; it became a Paralympics event in 1976, after being around for 30 years. It was started to help rehabilitate veterans who had lost their vision in World War II.

How Does Goalball Work?

Teams are made up of six people, all of which wear special eyeshades to make sure everyone is playing at the same level. Three players from each of two teams compete at one time.

The object of the game is to throw a ball past the opponents and into their net to score points. Players stay on their hands and knees to defend their net and score against their opponents.

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A goalball court measures 18 meters long and nine meters wide. It has goals at each end covering the entire nine-meter back-line. String is taped to the markings on the court to allow players to feel the lines and orientate themselves.

When the Goalball gym U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center opened, it became the headquarters for the USA Goalball team. The 2028 Paralympic Games will feature Goalball athletes who have been training here in Colorado.