Goalball One-on-One Penalty Shootout
A goalball penalty shootout where a blindfolded goalie defends the whole goal alone against a blindfolded partner rolling the ball. Students practice locating the ball by sound, the side-lying block, and respecting game silence.
How to play
- Set up 4 mini courts, 12 feet wide and 30 feet long. Use tape over a thin cord so it can be felt to mark the goal line and the throwing line 20 feet away; cones mark the posts (3 min).
- Groups of 6 per court with these roles: thrower, goalie, referee (calls "Quiet" and "Play"), and retriever behind the goal; the other two wait seated and silent.
- The goalie kneels in the middle touching the line. After the signal, the thrower rolls the ball hard so it crosses the goal line; the goalie drops to one side with arms and legs stretched to block it.
- Goal = 1 point for the thrower; block = 1 point for the goalie. Rotate roles every 3 throws (14 min).
- Group share (3 min): which sound best gave away the ball's direction.
Rules
- All active players wear blindfolds; nobody lifts theirs without the referee's OK.
- Total silence from "Quiet" until the ball stops.
- The ball is rolled or bounced once before the 10-foot line, never thrown in the air at the goalie.
- Safety: the goalie blocks lying on their side, never diving headfirst.
Variations
Easier
A 10-foot goal and a soft roll from 12 feet with no blindfold for the thrower.
Standard
Both blindfolded, a 12-foot goal, and throws from 20 feet.
Harder
The thrower quietly tells the referee which side they will aim for, and a goal there counts double.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: plays goalie seated on the floor with the goal narrowed to 6 feet.
- Students with visual impairments: this is their sport; they can coach the group on using the lines to orient.
- Anxiety or autism: may play with eyes closed instead of a blindfold and open them whenever needed.
Learning goals
- Locate the ball by sound to block it.
- Use the side-lying block position safely.
- Appreciate goalball as an adapted sport and respect game silence.
Equipment for a class of 25
- sound balls (bell balls): 4
- blindfolds: 12
- rolls of tape: 2
- cones: 8
Teacher tip
If you don't have sound balls, put an old basketball in a bag with jingle bells or use a ball filled with rice. Set the courts side by side and well apart so one court's sound doesn't confuse another.
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