LA Galaxy, USABA & Partners Host Blind Soccer Experience
October 27, 2023
MLS's LA Galaxy, in partnership with the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), Dignity Health and Anthem Blue Cross, hosted the "Blind Soccer Experience" at Galaxy Park on October 12. Played in more than 60 countries globally, blind soccer is a fast-paced technical game that is also the world’s fastest-growing Paralympic sport.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "everyone, if they live long enough, will experience at least one eye disease or disorder in their lifetime." With grassroots efforts to introduce the sport to children, teens and adults across America, USABA is working to bring play equity and accessibility to the adaptation of the world's most popular sport. Held during October's World Blind Awareness Month, the event featured the USA Blind Soccer Men's National Team's (BSMNT) first-ever public demonstration in Southern California. Attendees had the opportunity to meet the BSMNT players and view drills, penalty kicks and more.
Blind soccer is the only sport in which a US team has never competed. However, Team USA is set to make its Paralympic debut at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles through an automatic bid as the host nation. In collaboration with U.S. Soccer, USABA has launched seven building blind soccer sites across the country to help grow the sport in preparation for LA 2028.
Blind soccer players exemplify speed, strength, stamina, agility and excellent spatial awareness. USABA's mission is to empower Americans who are blind or visually impaired to experience life-changing opportunities in sports, recreation and physical activities, thereby educating and inspiring the nation.
"It is very important for us at the Galaxy to promote inclusivity..," said Gabe Osollo, Senior Manager of Community Relations for the LA Galaxy. "The USA Blind Soccer team shows that regardless of ability, anyone can thrive while playing sports."
Free soccer clinics are also being held for youth aged 5-17 as part of the PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports program, a key legacy project of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. The clinics intend to bridge the accessibility gap of the sport in the country and help develop blind youths' soccer skills and personal growth.
“It was a really good experience, it was very fun and we learned a lot. I think we’ve all seen clips of this sport before, but until you actually put on the [goggles] on and you can’t see anything then you completely have a new perspective and a new appreciation for how difficult it is. It was very fun to get know some of the basics and then watching the experts… you realize they’re making it look a lot easier than what it is,” said LA Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond who joined midfielder Diego Fagundez to participate in the event and experience what blind soccer feels like.