Marion’s Gillaspie finds game in goalball

MARION - It is pretty common knowledge that Alex Gillaspie, a junior and blind student at Marion High School, overcomes his disability to be on the wrestling team. However, not many people know he has played another sport.

This sport is unlike other sports athletes play - goalball.

Gillaspie was born blind, but does not let this hold him back in wrestling or school, although there are difficulties daily.

'In school it's hard getting things,” he said. 'One thing that's really big is making diagrams, like when they do diagrams up on the board, I don't know what it is.”

The sport of goalball is easier to play for blind players.

The game itself is quite different from common sports, but has some similarities to a few. It involves three players per team passing and rolling a heavy ball with bells. The objective is to get it past the other team to score. It is comparable to soccer.

Gillaspie was not introduced to the sport through Marion.

'I played (goalball) at summer camps, and when I became eligible to go to the tournaments I went,” he said. 'And it's really fun competition-wise.”

These summer camps were the only opportunity to play it with others.

Every year there is a big tournament Gillaspie has attended, and he's had to travel to get to it.

'The first year it was in Wisconsin, then St. Louis for two years, then Indianapolis,” he said. 'This year it's in St. Louis again.”

There is only one tournament per year. It was held earlier this month and Gillaspie did not attend.

There is not much opportunity for him to practice with teammates.

'We practice some, but we don't have a Braille school since Iowa Braille School shut down, and they don't do a residential program anymore,” Gillaspie said. 'We only practice when we can get together at summer camps, and the day before the tournament.”

One thing Gillaspie was pleased with is the sport is tailored to people like him.

'Everybody's blind in goalball because everybody has to wear a blindfold, so it's an even playing field,” he said. 'It's really nice because you can go and play with other people who have your same disability.” Other sports are harder for Gillaspie, but goalball is the same for everyone.

Gillaspie is not the only one who sees this as a positive.

'Alex gets to spend time with his blind peers, (it) keeps the kids active, gives kids a chance to be competitive, and (there is) good use of all their other senses,” said Ann Gillaspie, Alex's mother.

Like many other families, the Gillaspies are supportive of Alex's sports.

'(Goalball is a) great and interesting sport overall for blind and visually impaired athletes,” Ann said.

Gillaspie walks through life and the halls with a major disadvantage, but he has found ways to push past it. He has gotten into activities that spark his interest inside and outside of school, and inspires others as he does it.