We are here
today hosting a blind soccer clinic and we're really excited to be out here today with Challenged
Athletes Foundation. This is going to be fun. Blind soccer is a sport that's played
in a smaller pitch. The goalies are sighted and then the other players have blocked out
eye shades on in order to make the sport fair. The ball has a rattle in it. They can't see
the ball, they have to be able to hear the ball. There's at least five to six rattles
that are in here, they're flat, that doesn't hinder the ball from rolling around. One of
the big skills we're trying to teach is "voy". Voy voy throughout the entire game they say voy
if they are within 10 feet of the ball or so, and that way people know that there's another person
there and they're not getting caught off guard. Some of the skills we'll be learning
is how to control the ball. You hit your toe tap and then you can still roll it across. How
to keep the ball close to your feet. This is how you sweep for your ball to find where
it's at. How to attack a defender. Attack them, attack them, take that ball from him.
And how to shoot a ball into the goal. The United States has never fielded a blind soccer
team and our organization just recently received certification from the United States Olympic
and Paralympic committee to be able to govern this new sport. My hope is to raise awareness
of this very competitive sport and of course down the line be on Team USA when competing
in Los Angeles and bring home that gold medal.