BLIND FOOTBALL THE WORLD GAME IS THE GAME FOR EVERYONE SMA WAS INVITED TO Generally speaking, the rules of blind and the game of football. In fact, last year football are very similar to the rules took a trip to the hallowed ground that A RECENT NATIONAL of futsal. There are, however, some is Anfi eld Stadium to see his beloved BLIND FOOTBALL important exceptions; Players are Reds thrashed Arsenal. required to say “voy”, “go”, or something TRAINING CAMP AND similar when going for the ball; this alerts Having played football all his life, from GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY the other players about their position. the age of four, football has become A guide, positioned outside the fi eld of almost second nature to Ned. Towards TO SPEAK WITH PLAYERS. play, provides instructions to the players. the latter stages of age group football, he began to lose his sight. “Right around Blind Football is variation of Vision impaired/partially sighted football the time I was learning to drive, I began futsal designed for players who are (B2/B3) is played by athletes who are to lose my vision rapidly, over roughly blind or visually impaired. It is currently vision impaired and is played to futsal a two-month period.” Ned described this a Paralympic sport. There are two rules with minor modifi cations. (http:// as a scary time due to the fact he thought formats of the game, blind football (B1) www.thefa.com/get-involved) he was going to have to give up sports. and vision impaired/partially sighted However, he became involved with blind football (B2/B3). Sport Health was invited to the view the football, more specifi cally B2, through National Training Camp for Blind Football people that were associated with blind Blind Football (B1) is an internationally held at the Essendon Football Club’s HQ, cricket and goalball. Ned’s sporting recognised sport played at the The Hangar. We were invited along by exploits extend beyond football. He Paralympics. Blind and visually impaired David Connolly the Australian Blind has played blind cricket for Australia players play on an outdoor pitch for the Football Coordinator and for many at a number of world cups. simple fact it allows for natural sound players the fi rst port of call for becoming reverberation. The pitch is set up with involved with Blind Football. (http:// There are a number of obstacles side kickboards and an audible ball that www.footballfedvic.com.au/access-all- and challenges with playing football contains a bell. There are two teams abilities/blind-football/) and being vision impaired. of fi ve; four outfi eld players and “Obviously our sight is one. a goalkeeper. The outfi eld players Some of the players were able to chat Everyone has a story and wear eye-shades to equal their sight to us after an intense two camp. One the things they can and and the goalkeeper can be fully of the players was a mad Liverpool fan can’t see.” The key for or partially sighted. in Ned. Ned hasn’t stopped his vision the team is simple, impairment partial his love for Liverpool communicate. “We have to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses because our vision really dictates how 30 VOLUME 36 • JUNE ISSUE 2018