It's all in the footwork

Now, for clarification, I want to inform you on this sport as an appreciation for the visually impaired. It’s not necessarily a weird idea, though I’m sure it is quite a peculiar sight to see guys playing soccer blind. But, these players are legally blind and have been given an opportunity to engage in physical activity, which I find to be a great opportunity.

So, with that said, I would like to introduce you to blind soccer. Mixing the extreme physical demands of playing soccer with the inability to see the field, players or the ball seems impossible. But blind soccer players have risen to the challenge to do the impossible and prove they are capable of great things.

            Picture from http://euro2009.blindsoccer.org/news.php?d=day1


The goalie is the only player on the field who can be sighted or visually impaired and the other five guys on each team are legally blind. The players wear eye covers to eliminate any competitive edge for those who have limited vision over those who have no vision. Walls surround the field so there’s no way for the ball to be kicked very far out of bounds and there are no throw-ins. The ball has pebbles inside of it for the players to know where it is and communication becomes a key factor in this game.

Players can shout to teammates by name or yell “Yeah!” to get their attention. When a players approaches an opponent to steal the ball, he must yell “Voy!”, which in Spanish means I’m here.
Each team has a person behind their goal shouting directions and instructions to them for aid.

These men have special ability to play a demanding sport while contending without one of the most important sense many take for granted. Their acquired footwork and ability to play as a team, relying primarily on hearing make them top athletes in the world in my book.