Goalball.

This past Thursday, I took the metro down to the south side of Paris, followed the smiles and mint green uniforms of the Olympic volunteers through security, through the line to get my now-customary hot dog and crips, and into Paris Arena Sur 6.

Goalball.

The first time I heard of the sport was in an email from the olympic committee telling me there were still tickets available. A quick search told me it was a sport played only in the Paralympics, and only by folks with visual impairments - and I knew I wanted in. I intentionally didn’t do more research than that, wanting to experience the sport fresh, without expectations or preconceptions of what it would be like.

What I found was astounding.
For twenty-four minutes in a silent arena, three players for each team spent their time guarding a goal the width of a court, and throwing a ball filled with bells towards the opposing goal. Players used their entire bodies to block shots, and spun like discus throwers to release the ball. It was the grace and power and skill of field athletics mixed with the tactics and reaction of basketball or handball. The matches were tense, closely fought, edge-of-your-seat watching.

But the most incredible thing was, across two matches, I only saw one moment that reminded me that the players - wearing both eye patches for protection and blindfolds - couldn’t see. Reactions were immediate and confident. The players moved in space, aimed the ball, worked with teammates in ways that my brain told me was only possible with the use of sight.

But there, right in front of me, were a dozen incredible human beings passing, running, settings screens and misdirections around each other saying, "nah. I mean sight is great, but you don’t need it to play fast-paced, precision-focused sports. Open your mind."

And so I did. Let the brilliant athletes show me a new sport that I will absolutely be following from here on out (Go Japan!) - but even more, give me a little glimpse of another way of perceiving, of being, of living and playing as a fellow human in our world.

Quiet, please. Play!

With lots of love, -Steven

p.s. The best thing I saw this week was pretty clearly the Paralypics. But the best thing I can link to on the internet is this short, five-minute film of skateboarder Andy Anderson. It is poetry in motion.