Goalball: Team Sport For Visually Impaired Students

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Baseball, basketball, and soccer are just three of the popular sports that help teach valuable life lessons to kids.

For visually impaired children, the opportunity to be a part of a team wasn't possible until a new program was created in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Goalball is played with a ball that has bells inside and allows players to use their senses. Players can listen for the bells and touch the string covered with tape to help them know where they are.

"You throw it back and forth, try to get it past each other into the goal," explained Coach Dan Galvin.

Sophomore Michael Guskey is visually impaired and says he loves playing goalball.

In goalball, all of the players wear goggles to completely block their vision, leveling the playing field.

"It's really fun," said Michael.  "[The game] really focuses on teammates and form."

Michael's mom brought goalball to Palatine School District 15 recently. She decided to become a vision teacher after her son was born.

"They're so excited to come and make friends," said Gianna Guskey. "They're really breaking out of their shells."

It is similar to reverse dodgeball with a mix of soccer, describes Coach Galvin, who believes being on a team means so much to the visually impaired.

"Seclusion is a big part of their life, there aren't a lot of team sports," Galvin stated. "But when they come to team sports, it's not just about a game, it's about life skills."

Yahir Rodriguez, a goalball player, said, "You get to communicate with friends and try new things."

As for Michael, he's hoping to take goalball all the way to the gold.

"It's a Paralympic sport," said Michael. "I hope someday to get good enough to get there."

While some advocacy groups that work with the visually impaired have offered goalball in the past, it's believed that District 15 is the only public school system in the area to offer the sport to students.