Australia women's national goalball team

Goalball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment. Australia commenced its involvement in the sport in 1980.[1] Its women's team has completed in trans-Tasman competitions, the IBSA World Goalball Championships, and the Paralympic Games.

Australian national women's goalball team
Association: Goalball Australia
Nickname(s): Aussie Belles
Coach: Peter Corr
Captain:
Most caps:
Top scorer:
Ranking:
Paralympic Games appearances: 3
Paralympic medals: : : :
World Championship appearances:
World Championship medals: : : :

About 2015, the women's squad adopted the name 'Aussie Belles', whilst the men's squad became 'Aussie Storm'.

Training

In 1998 and 1999, the University of Western Sydney's Macarthur Department of Sport Studies was active in helping the team develop and implement a training program. This training was implemented around Geoff Pearce and Oatsy Tremayne's book Psychological and Physical Training Programs of Goalballers.[2]

Paralympic Games competition

1996 Atlanta
Sarah Kennedy (Qld) defending (1996 Games.
Raelene Bock (NSW) throwing (1996 Games).

The women's Australian team did not have as much experience as other teams in the 1996 Paralympics. European teams had competed against each other in the lead up to the games. This gave them an advantage as they knew their opponents strengths and weaknesses.[3] The Australian women had several injuries during the Paralympics. Sarah Kennedy injured herself in training, which limited her mobility.[3] Australia lost all but one match in 1996. They lost to Spain 0–1, to Sweden 0–4, to Denmark 1–5, to Germany 0–2 and to the USA 0–3. Australia's sole victory came against Korea, where they won 2–0. Australia finished as the last team in the competition based on goals for and against as they had a record of 3–16. The 0–1 loss to Finland was considered impressive by goalball followers because Finland won a silver medal.[3]

2000 Sydney

Paralympian athletes: Penny Bennett, Kerrie-ann King, Jo Ruba, Robyn Stephens.
Officials: Terry Kenaghan (head coach).

The women's team finished eighth.[4][5][6]

2004 Athens

Australia did not qualify.

2008 Beijing

Australia did not qualify.

2012 London
Main article: 2011–12 Australia women's national goalball team

Paralympian athletes: Jennifer Blow, Meica Christensen (Captain), Tyan Taylor, Nicole Esdaile, Rachel Henderson, Michelle Rzepecki.
Officials: Peter Corr (section manager), Georgina Kenaghan (coach), Eliza Kwan (physiotherapist).[7]

The team went into the Games ranked eighth in the world and was the first Australian goalball team to qualify for the Paralympic sport since Atlanta in 1996.[8] It competed in Group B against China, United States, Sweden, Japan and Canada. The Australian men's team did not qualify after losing the Africa Oceania Goalball Regional Championships 5–4 against Algeria.[9]

Results
Group play
Qualified for the quarterfinals
Eliminated
Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Canada 430163+39
 Japan 421153+27
 Sweden 4211111107
 United States 420294+56
 Australia 4004717−100
31 August 2012
09:00
Australia  1 – 3  Japan Copper Box, London
Referees: Hooshang Shariati (IRI), Yasser Omar (EGY)
Esdaile 1 Report Adacho 2
Komiya 1
2 September 2012
10:15
Australia  1 – 3  Canada Copper Box, London
Referees: Juha Vuokila (FIN), Dina Murdie (GBR)
Christensen 1 Report Kneebone 2
Morin 1
3 September 2012
18:30
United States  3 – 0  Australia Copper Box, London
Referees: Thomas Baerz (GER), Bulent Kimyon (TUR)
Armbruster 3 Report
4 September 2012
12:30
Sweden  8 – 5  Australia Copper Box, London
Referees: Hooshang Shariati (IRI), Janne Ahokas (FIN)
Gustavsson 5
Naesström 2
Jälmestål 1		 Report Esdaile 3
Christensen 2

2016 Rio
Main article: Goalball at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Paralympian athletes:Jennifer Blow, Nicole Esdaile, Meica Horsburgh, Raissa Martin (d), Michelle Rzepecki, Tyan Taylor.
Officials: Peter Corr (coach), Robert Vogt (team leader).

Australian women's team originally failed to qualify after finishing third at the IBSA Goalball Asia Pacific Championships in Hangzhou, China.[15] Australian men's team failed to qualify after finishing fifth at the IBSA Goalball Asia Pacific Championships in Hangzhou, China.[16] Following the re-allocation of Russia's spot, Australia's women found themselves getting a last minute invite to Rio. Australia's women enter the tournament ranked ninth in the world.[17]

Results
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Turkey 4 4 0 0 37 11 +26 12 Quarter-finals
2  China 4 3 0 1 21 14 +7 9
3  Canada 4 2 0 2 16 22 −6 6
4  Ukraine 4 0 1 3 9 17 −8 1
5  Australia 4 0 1 3 6 25 −19 1
Source: Paralympic.org
8 September 2016
18:45
Australia  2–5  China Future Arena, Rio de Janeiro
Referees: Vilma Basinkaite (LTU), Yoshinori Nii (JPN)
Horsburgh 1
Esdaile 1		 Report Zhang W. 4
Chen 1
10 September 2016
10:15
Ukraine  2–2  Australia Future Arena, Rio de Janeiro
Referees: Bülent Kimyon (TUR), Daniel Voltan (BRA)
Rud 2 Report Horsburgh 1
Esdaile 1
11 September 2016
18:45
Australia  2–12  Turkey Future Arena, Rio de Janeiro
Referees: Joelle Boulet (CAN), Raili Sipura (FIN)
Horsburgh 2 Report Özcan 5
Mercan 5
Yıldız 1
Altınoluk 1
13 September 2016
15:30
Canada  6–0  Australia Future Arena, Rio de Janeiro
Referees: Daniel Voltan (BRA), Raili Sipura (FIN)
Burk 6 Report

World championships competitions

The team has also competed at the 2006 IBSA World Goalball Championships in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States, and in 2014 at Espoo, Finland.

1986 Roermond

The 1986 IBSA World Goalball Championships were held in Roermond, the Netherlands. The team was one of ten teams participating, and they finished eighth overall.[10] The 1998 World Championships were held in Madrid, Spain. The team was one of eleven teams participating, and they finished tenth overall.[10]

1998 Madrid

The national team finished tenth at the 1998 IBSA World Goalball Championships held in Madrid, Spain.[2]

2010 Sheffield

The Australian women's national goalball team had a top eight finish at the 2010 World Championships in Sheffield, England. The national team had not played in an international competition for two years starting around 2008 until the 2010 Championships.

2018 Malmö

Athletes for the event are: Jennifer Blow, Meica Christensen, Nikita Grosser (South Australia), Alison Jones (Queensland), Michelle Rzepecki, and Brodie Smith (New South Wales). Head coach is Peter Corr (Victoria), assistant coach and manager Simon Smith (New South Wales), and sports masseuse Kerri Caruso.[11]

Goal scoring by competition
Player Goals Competition Notes Ref
Ness Murby 7 2007 IBSA World Championships and Games [12]
Meica Christensen 4 2007 IBSA World Championships and Games [12]
Erin Conyard 1 2007 IBSA World Championships and Games [12]

Competitive history

At the 2017 IBSA Goalball Asia-Pacific Regional Championships, held in Thailand, 21–26 August 2017, the Belles returned to Australia with the bronze medal.[13]

The table below contains individual game results for the team in international matches and competitions.

YearEventOpponentDateVenueTeamTeamWinnerRef
2007IBSA World Championships and Games Ukraine31 JulyBrazil14 Australia[12]
2007IBSA World Championships and Games Brazil1 AugustBrazil80 Brazil[12]
2007IBSA World Championships and Games Spain2 AugustBrazil51 Spain[12]
2007IBSA World Championships and Games Japan3 AugustBrazil41 Japan[12]
2007IBSA World Championships and Games South Korea4 AugustBrazil93 Australia[12]

See also

References
  1. "History". Goalball Australia. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  2. Australian Paralympic Committee 1999, p. 22.
  3. Australian Paralympic Federation 1996, p. 32.
  4. Australian Media Guide : 2000 Paralympic Games. Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2000.
  5. Annual Report 2000 (PDF). Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2000.
  6. "Australian 2000 Paralympic Team". Pandora WSebsite. Archived from the original on 19 October 2000. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  7. Media Guide : London 2012 Paralympic Games (PDF). Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  8. "Australia's Goalball Team Returns After 12 Years". International Paralympic Committee Media Centre. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  9. "Australian Women and Algerian Men Qualify for Goalball at London 2012". International Paralympic Committee Media Centre. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  10. "Final Ranking in Paralympic Games". Madrid, Spain: International Blind Sports Association. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  11. "Australian Teams for 2018 IBSA Goalball World Championships". Goalball Australia. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  12. "IBSA World Games Brazil 2007 (Paralympic Qualifying tournament)". Madrid, Spain: International Blind Sports Association. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  13. "Aussies in Thailand". Goalball Australia. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.

Bibliography
  • Australian Paralympic Committee (September 1999). "Goalball – Women". Annual Report – 1999. Sydney, Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee.
  • Australian Paralympic Federation (1996). "Golden days of Atlanta : Xth Paralympic Games Atlanta, Georgia, August 15–25, 1996". Sydney. OCLC 222120061. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Wake, Rebekka (September 2010). "Goalball Comeback". Australian Paralympian. Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2.
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