BLIND NSW October 2018 Edition

BLIND SPORTS NSW LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

Blind Sports NSW is very pleased to announce the launch of our new website with improved inclusive features, easier to use tabs, button formats to get you to where you need to be faster and an updated multi calendar with member registration section.

Look through our improved player profiles, match results, photo/video libraries and shop for merchandise or adaptive equipment in our new online shop. The new and improved Blind Sports NSW website is the place to go for everything Blind Sports in NSW.

Visit it today at www.blindsportsnsw.com.au and review our exclusive resources page where you will see all of our past newsletters, easy to use information about how to access and plan for the NDIS including how to work with planners around utilising sport and active recreation within your plan to benefit your mental and physical wellbeing, and to make new friends and increase your social network interactions.

BLIND SPORTS NSW INDOOR SKYDIVING WEEKEND November 10, 11:30am to 1:30pm will be our next High 5 4 FUN! Weekend in Sydney. On Saturday you will be able to experience indoor sky diving at Penrith Panthers iFLY. Register now on our new website www.blindsportsnsw.com.au or call Murray on 0427 186 734 to ask any questions. Cost is $50 for members or $80 for non-members.

On Sunday it will be the final game of the Blind Cricket NSW Youth Cup with teams from Sixes and Thunder doing battle to win the Gordon Cooper Variety Shield at Bankstown Oval from 10:30am to 1:30pm on Sunday November 11th Page 2 October 2018 Edition BLIND FOOTBALL PLAYS FRIENDLIES

Blind conducted their first ever tour for both our B1 5 a side team who travelled to India and our B2/3 Fut- sal team that went to Malaysia. Both teams were competitive in their first International competition after the program kicked off this year with a National Training Camp in May followed by one in July. David and his team have done a remarkable job to get this program off the ground so quickly. Both India and Malaysia have played together for a long time and been able to firm up strong playing combinations within their teams, however Australia were not looking for excuses with a

strong showing and narrow defeat to India in the B1 5 a side game with the score being 2-0. In Malaysia, Austral- ia narrowly lost the first game after leading in the first half but came back to win the second game marking our first ever international win in the B2/3 competition before losing the last game to Malaysia 0-3.

These teams will now take a break until March next year where the 2019 season will begin with National Train- ing Camps and International trips planned for Asia and Europe for both squads respectfully. 2019 Calendar will be out end of October. Page 4 October 2018 Edition NSW Goalball win 3 of 4 divisions at Australian National Championships The 2018 Australian Goalball Championships held in Perth, WA was certainly an eventful one with some very strong competition, especially in the mixed Junior and Youth divisions. Tough competition across both the Women’s and Men’s senior finals provided much entertainment for the packed stands at the Perth Modern School.

NSW was the only state to field a team in each of the 4 categories and won gold in the mixed Jun- iors under 15’s, mixed Youth under 19’s and Women’s senior teams.

Complimenting our great performances from the teams was our hard working staff including 6 coaches, team manager and team physiothera- pist. The staff worked extremely well with the players to produce the second best result ever in NSW Goalball History, which resulted in our state yet again winning the Goalball Australia overall points shield for the fourth time in 6 years.

NSW players were named to each All Star team announced at the presentation ceremony after the finals on Sunday, October 7th. Congratulations to Robbie Vogt from the NSW Men, Amy and Ethan from the NSW Youth, Jessica and Alice from the NSW Women , Molly Smith and Makayla Reilly in the junior division.

Amy Ridley was also awarded the Dimitrios Tska- lidis Best and Fairest player for her amazing role within the NSW Mixed Youth Team over the tour- nament in just her second ever Australian Goal- ball Championships. This award was in honour of our recently passed referee who after passing left NSW Goalball $50,000 to assist referees and our young players with their international travel. Page 5 October 2018 Edition

BLIND NSW INVADE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ROME, ITALY

Michele Watts has won the ISPS Handa World Blind Golf Championships in ROME, Italy after an outstanding performance. Michele Watts has been a golfer for a long time, but the game has changed dramatically for her in the three years since she first suffered the effects of an optic nerve disorder that left her legally blind. Watts, 59, noticed the world growing “foggy” through one eye in 2015 and then the other in 2016. Diagnosed with a mitochondrial genetic condition known as LHON (Leber’s Hereditary Otpic Neu- ropathy), she has lost most of her central vision, meaning that she cannot make out people’s faces unless they are within a metre of her. But it did not stop her from play- ing her beloved game of golf.

Mother-of-two Watts had been a 20-year club golfer at Monash Country Club and Chatswood Golf Club in northern Sydney, and she quickly found the New South Wales chapter of Blind Golf Australia, which helps the sight-impaired to remain in the game or start it afresh. Last year at Royal Sydney, she won her first Australian championship in the B3 division, dodging the 200-plus bunkers adroitly with the help of caddie Bob Grant. Jenny McCullum from WA was runner up to cap off a great tournament for the ladies in Rome. The men unfortunately couldn’t come to terms with the challenging Rome Course and didn’t play up to their full potential during the event. If you would like to play Blind or Vision Impaired Golf email [email protected].

The NSW Open will be held at lovely Twin Creeks golf course from November 8 through 11 this year and Blind Golf NSW are going to be in attendance promoting Blind Golf and looking for new sighted caddies to get involved in next seasons play.

Michele pictured left, carted an outstanding 139 Net Score during the tournament and caps off an amazing 2 years after winning the at Royal Sydney in 2017. Page 3 October 2018 Edition BAILY COMPTON JOINS GOALBALL AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME AS NUMBER 10 Baily Compton was inducted to the Goalball Aus- tralia Hall of Fame as number 10 in Perth, WA on October 7th, 2018 by fellow Hall of Famer and now National Youth Boys head coach Troy King.

Baily has been a main stay across administration for Goalball Australia in its original form ANGA from 1991 through 1999. Baily has also represent- ed Australia in the game he loves on a number of occasions and his state of NSW winning multiple National Championships.

Murray Elbourn, new President of Goalball Aus- tralia said “ Baily is a rare champion of the sport, who was perhaps known as much for being an out- standing administrator of the sport as he was a player”.

Baily also represented Australia in both cricket and athletics during the 1980’s, holding National records in athletics and being named best B1 player on a number of occasions for cricket.

On behalf of the Goalball Australia Family, it is an honour to welcome Baily Compton in the Goal- ball Australia 2018 HOF class. BLIND CRICKET AND GOALBALL TO FEATURE AT CUMBERLAND COUNCIL IDPWD EVENT

On Monday 3rd December 2018, Blind Sports NSW and Cumberland Council will be celebrating International Day of People with Disability by hosting a fun filled day of activities, including games of blind cricket and goalball, out of the heat at PCYC Auburn.

We invite people of all abilities and ages in the community to participate, watch this space for more information and stay up to date on the Blind Sports NSW website:

www.blindsportsnsw.com.au MEMO FROM THE CEO

January Sports Camp is here, join us from January 14 to 18 and ex- perience a number of really fun activities ranging from Go Karting, Paintball, Sailing, Indoor Sky diving to our famous disco, trivia or games nights. Destination still to be confirmed. This camp will be in two separate parts, Monday to Wednesday (16 and under) and then Wednesday to Friday (17 to 25).

(CEO) Murray Elbourn The camp will also feature some fun sports and active recreation Blind Sports NSW pieces that will build strong new friendship groups while increasing your confidence and most of all having a lot of fun!

CONTACT US Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Web: www.blindsportsnsw.com.au (membership form & event registrations)

Phone: Sophie Milton, Program Manager 0414 767 724 (MON, WED & THUR ONLY)

Phone: Graham Heard, Sports Coordinator 0405 366 605

Social Media: Search BlindsportsNSW THANK YOU SPONSORS & PARTNERS