NS men’s Goalball team wins nationals

By Jordan Parker

Members of Nova Scotia's championship team include, left, Griffin Hiltz, Mason Smith, Peter Parsons, Hayden Denouden, and coaches Linda MacRae Triff and Matt Bartley. (Contributed)
Members of Nova Scotia’s championship team include, left, Griffin Hiltz, Mason Smith, Peter Parsons, Hayden Denouden, and coaches Linda MacRae Triff and Matt Bartley. (Contributed)

The Nova Scotia men’s Goalball team battled it out on home turf, winning the Senior National Championships in Halifax during the May 3 weekend.

With a crowd cheering them on at the Citadel Community Centre, player Peter Parsons and his teammates managed to take the top honours.

“We hadn’t won the Nationals since 2016, and we only ever won that year and 2015. To win here in 2024 on our home court was amazing with this group of guys,” he said.

“It was great to host the men’s and women’s tournament, and we had many volunteers to make this weekend happen. We had referees come across the country, and the event went really well,” he said.

There were two Nova Scotia teams, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and two British Columbia teams for men’s respectively. There were also teams from Quebec, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia squads for the women’s competitors.

The team included 24-year-old tournament MVP Mason Smith, and Parsons is proud of the entire group.

“In the semifinals we played Alberta and beat them 6-2. In the gold-medal game, we played B.C., and I didn’t realize this was their tenth straight national final. We were tied 2-2 after regulation, and then we were still tied after overtime,” he said.

“We went to extra throws and we actually were tied after the four throwers. Things went to sudden death, and MVP Mason scored, which gave us the win. We rushed the court, and it was quite the way to win.”

Goalball has grown in Nova Scotia a great deal in the last few years.

“It’s been amazing to see it grow. I work with the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority, and through my day job I’ve met a lot of kids who I have gotten involved with Goalball,” he said.

“I’m able to recruit kids to play Goalball and it’s been life-changing for some to travel the country, meet friends and play a team sport. On the court, because everyone wears eye shades, no matter what level of vision, you’re on an equal playing field.”

Goalball is an inclusive sport that affords an opportunity in the province for those with visual impairments to play.

“I always knew I’d be better at the sports I played if I had more than 10 per cent vision. Playing Goalball, it was the first sport where I realized I wouldn’t be any better at it if my vision was better,” said Parsons.

The Paralympics are coming up in Paris, and the Women’s team has qualified. There are only eight who have qualified for Goalball in the Paralympics.

“There are five of us who are part of the national team program, which is more than any other province,” he said. “It’s just great to see a sport that equals the playing field, and to play with athletes from around the country and the world is pretty incredible.”

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