A Blast In Breaking Barriers With Blind Soccer

Authors: Hector Lara, 2018 Alumnus, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, TSBVI

Blind Soccer Beginnings

According to the International Blind Soccer Association (IBSA), the history of blind soccer extends back 100 years, but this sport has had international competitions since the 90’s. The term “VOY”, used when seeking possession of the ball, is Spanish, reflecting that the sport began its development in Spain. Blind soccer officially joined the Paralympics in 2004 and continues to grow in popularity. One of the most intense and technical sports for the blind is now developing in the United States as the USA soccer team prepares for its very first Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

How Blind Soccer Is Played

This rapidly growing sport, also known as “blind futbol” or “5-a-side”, is the newest sensation in the blind community. Each team has a sighted goalkeeper and four (4) blindfolded outfielders. You may wonder, how do these athletes orient themselves running around the field? The unique soccer balls contain six discs with ball bearings inside to provide constant sound during movement, and they also have a bit of additional weight. The outdoor field is a 20×40 meter pitch with kickboards on the sidelines to help keep the ball in play. The athletes orient themselves through a multitude of continuous audible sounds and signals yelled out by the guides, listening for the ball, distinguishing the voices of their teammates, and maneuvering through players yelling “VOY” as they run towards you. Athletes running across the pitch must yell “VOY”, meaning “going” in Spanish, as they try to steal possession of the ball to cue opponents that they are attacking. Players are assisted by guides yelling verbal cues, with the goalkeeper alerting the defense. There is also a guide for offense set in an outer box behind the opponent’s goal shouting, “SHOOT!” With training, athletes learn to move swiftly, using their keen senses of spatial awareness, auditory tracking, and proprioceptive skills to navigate the field with their team. While these skills attract orientation and mobility specialists, the growth of this sport also demonstrates many other skills, such as coordination and teamwork, that carry over into the real world.

Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect if you are thinking about participating in one of Texas’ teams.

How To Join a Blind Soccer Team

Texas is excited to be one of the most active states in programming for blind soccer, and recruitment is growing fast. Various associations are taking the lead in the development of this sport as they seek to empower the blind and visually impaired community. Those interested in this sport should consider contacting one of the programs below.

Here are some of the current cities in Texas with existing blind soccer programs: 

• San Antonio, led by Texas Adaptive Play Initiative (TAPI), has a program that can be reached at [email protected].
• Fort Worth, led by Metro Blaze Blind Athletes of Texas, is a leading program with USA Blind Soccer Paralympians. Contact them at [email protected]
• Dallas, led by Texas Blind Soccer, which hosted the only adult tournaments in the country during the past 2 years, is back in action and can be reached at [email protected].

As development continues throughout Texas, opportunities flourish in growing programs, clinics, conferences, and exhibits at events. Are you curious about being part of this new adventure? Learn about the programs near you by contacting TAPI Sports. Email them @ [email protected] or contact the TAPI Facebook social media page.

For more information on blind soccer, please see two previous articles in TX SenseAbilities: Superintendent Emily Coleman’s article, Big Soccer (Football) Dreams in the Spring 2025 issue, and the article by Mark Slavin, the Director of Texas Blind Soccer, 5-a-Side Blind Soccer Has Arrived, in the Spring 2024 issue. His article has links to additional information as well as two videos of young children learning to play soccer.

Finally, listen to the Sense of Texas Podcast episode from Sunday, December 15, 2024, when Superintendent Emily Coleman interviewed Ricky Castaneda, a member of the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team who will take part in the Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and is a TSBVI alumnus. Blind soccer will continue to break barriers and shatter misconceptions for many generations to come.

Official image of Ricky Castaneda as a member of the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team