U.S. Assoc. of Blind Athletes

Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer was mentioned by the co-chair of the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, Rodney Barreto, in a recent interview by the @nytimes and @theathletichq ! 🗞️ Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer is a community effort, supported by the Children’s Trust, community leaders, and most recently the FIFA World Cup Miami host committee, a new partnership that we celebrated last month at the One Game, One Future Blind Soccer Clinic, a grant activation that took place at Miami Lighthouse on our on-campus blind soccer mini-pitch. 🕶️⚽ Here's an excerpt from the New York Times article- “If you were there, you would have tears in your eyes to see the kids,” Barreto said, having attended the session. “The technology is (very clever), the way the ball makes a noise so they can hear the ball. Then, if it goes out of bounds, it makes a different noise. That’s going to be a legacy so that they can pursue an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy playing soccer.” 🗞️ To read the full article, visit - /athletic/7260086/2026/05/07/world-cup-ice-rubio-stadium-trump-fifa/ We thank @fifafoundation , @thechildrenstrust , @usaba1 , @fwc26miami , @rodmiami15 , @abrahamfoundation , as well as @miamischools and @educationfl , for supporting our blind soccer program. 🙏 Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #BlindSoccer To contribute to Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer, visit ➜ /Support-Blind-Soccer-at-Miami-Lighthouse.asp #CommunityLeaders #MiamiLeaders #Inclusivity

Beginning May 21st at @roughandtumblepub featuring participants: - Kelyn Rowe, former Seattle Sounders player - Sydney Andrews, U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team - Charles Catherine, U.S. Men’s Blind National Team - Jen Barnes, Founder and CEO, Rough & Tumble - Amy Griffin, former Head Coach, U.S. Women’s National Deaf Team - Jorge Polanco, Head Coach, U.S. Men’s Blind Soccer Team - Vinnie Donati, Strategic Initiatives, Business Management CELA Accessibility, Microsoft - Peter Tomozawa, CEO, SeattleFWC26 Local Organizing Committee - Michael Holmes, President, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes - Simon Dey, Finance and Strategy Director, OneCourt

Mark your calendars for May 21–24 ⚽ ️ We’re bringing together athletes, coaches, and community leaders for a first-of-its-kind weekend spotlighting blind and deaf soccer and the future of inclusive sport in the Pacific Northwest. 📍 May 21 — Redefining the Game: Blind & Deaf Soccer on the World Stage at @roughandtumblepub 📍 May 23–24 — Blind Soccer International Tournament at Interbay Stadium with @usaba1 , @goballardfc and @salmonbayfc From conversation to competition, this is about expanding access, celebrating elite adaptive athletes, and building lasting impact ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Learn more at the link in bio. #WeAreSeattle #AdaptiveSports #SeattleFWC26

Day 2 & 3 recap from Malmö for the USA Goalball Women’s National Team: Team USA closed out pool play in dominant fashion with a 12–2 win over Ukraine on Saturday. • Lisa Czechowski: 4 goals • Amanda Dennis: 5 goals • Asya Miller: 1 goal • Eliana Mason: 1 goal • Hailey Andress: 1 goal In the quarterfinals, also on Saturday, Team USA faced a tough matchup against Brazil, falling 4–0. On Sunday, bouncing back in the 5th–6th place game, the squad finished strong with a 5–3 win over South Korea • Asya Miller: 3 goals • Amanda Dennis: 2 goals Team USA finishes 5th at the Malmö Lady Intercup. #Goalball #TeamUSA #MalmöIntercup Alt Text: Image 1: Team Photo Five members of the USA Women's National Goalball Team stand together for a group photo in front of a building with glass doors. The athletes are arranged in two rows, all smiling and wearing matching blue athletic jerseys with red sleeves and white accents. Each jersey features a circular "USA Goalball" logo on the left chest. The women in the front row are dressed in black athletic pants, and several team members wear glasses. Image 2: May 2nd Game Recap A digital graphic titled "USA Goalball Women’s National Team Game Recap" for the Malmö Lady Intercup on May 2, 2026. The background features a dark, starry space theme with vibrant red light streaks. The graphic displays two game results: in Game 3, the USA defeated Ukraine (UKR) with a score of 12 to 2; in the Quarterfinal match, the USA defeated Brazil (BRA) with a score of 4 to 0. National flags for each country are shown alongside their respective scores, and the hashtag #USAGOALBALL is at the bottom. Image 3: May 3rd Game Recap A digital graphic titled "USA Goalball Women’s National Team Game Recap" for the Malmö Lady Intercup on May 3, 2026. Set against a starry galaxy background with red light effects, the graphic highlights a "5-6 Place" ranking match. The final score shows the USA defeating South Korea (KOR) 5 to 3. The American and South Korean flags are displayed prominently above their scores, and the hashtag #USAGOALBALL is centered at the base of the image.

Day 1 recap from Malmö for the USA Goalball Women’s National Team: Team USA opened strong with a 5–2 win over Great Britain • Amanda Dennis: 3 goals • Eliana Mason: 1 goal • Asya Miller: 1 goal Game 2 brought a tight battle, falling just short to Japan 6–5 • Amanda Dennis: 4 goals • Eliana Mason: 1 goal Next up: Team USA takes on Ukraine tomorrow at 6:20 AM EST, with pool placement and Saturday evening matchups on the line. For more tournament information or to watch the event live visit: /start Alt Text: A promotional game recap graphic for the USA Goalball Women's National Team at the Malmö Lady Intercup, dated May 1, 2026. Set against a celestial dark blue background with red and white light streaks, the top of the image features the USA National Goalball Team logo and text announcing the event. The middle section displays results for two games: in Game 1, the USA defeated Great Britain (GBR) with a score of 5 to 2; in Game 2, the USA was narrowly defeated by Japan (JPN) with a final score of 5 to 6. Each matchup is illustrated with the respective national flags, and the hashtag #USAGOALBALL is positioned at the bottom center.

The biggest sporting event in the world is coming to Los Angeles in July/August 2028! I interviewed Charles Catherine about his journey to LA! https://youtu.be/Moa4BUax2wE (Get the link to the playlist in my bio or check my stories for a link to the interview) THE JOURNEY TO LA has begun. In this series, I am releasing weekly interviews/features with elite athletes who are hopefuls to compete in LA. Look for new content every Monday in THE JOURNEY TO LA playlist. /playlist?list=PLjb4Csi9PhI5ahAFZ9NCFCzB58qJau2oW Are you an athlete on the Journey to LA? I would love to interview you. Feel free to reach out to me! @charles.daddio @usaba1 @usablindsoccer #thejourneytola #journeytola #charlescatherine #blindsoccer #blindathletes

Celebrating World Blind Sports Day Today, USABA joins the global movement led by @ibsablindsports to honor the athletes, coaches, and communities who power blind and visually impaired sport. From the training ground to the world stage, our athletes represent more than competition—they represent resilience, determination, and the belief that anything is possible. Every practice, every match, every moment is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Behind every athlete is a team: coaches, volunteers, officials, and supporters who make success possible. Together, we’re not just building champions—we’re building a more inclusive future through sport. Today, we celebrate the impact of blind sports across the United States and around the world—and we look ahead to even greater opportunities to grow the game. #TeamUSA #WorldBlindSportsDay #AdaptiveSport #Inclusion #ParalympicMovement Alt text: A group of female athletes wearing red and blue uniforms with names like "MILLER" and "COOK" on their backs are huddling and cheering together. They are wearing black eye masks or blue headbands, and one athlete has a blue padded glove. The image has a purple background with the text "WORLD BLIND SPORTS DAY" in large white and red letters, and a message celebrating the resilience and determination of blind and visually impaired athletes. A 50th anniversary logo for USABA (U.S. Association of Blind Athletes) is in the top right corner.

🕶️⚽ Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer launched in 2025 with funding from a Children's Trust Innovation Grant to create the first and only blind soccer curriculum for early learners ages 1 to 4. Today, we are proud to have taught the skills of blind soccer to over 100 children and young adults! 👏 Miami Lighthouse Academy students and our USABA-credentialed blind soccer coaches had a blast demonstrating blind soccer at the One Game, One Future Clinic sponsored by The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee, that took place on our campus blind soccer mini pitch. At the event, community leaders and members of the Host Committee gathered to support blind soccer at Miami Lighthouse. Blind soccer is a Paralympic sport where players wear blinders so they all cannot see equally, and the ball, which rattles, is located by sound 👂, we call it "ear-foot coordination". 🙏 We thank The Children's Trust and the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee for supporting our venerable mission. Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse @FWC26Miami 🙏 @usaba1 @abrahamfoundation @elcmdm @thechildrenstrust Contribute to Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer here ➜ /Support-Blind-Soccer-at-Miami-Lighthouse.asp #CommunityLeaders #MiamiLeaders #Inclusivity #BlindSoccer

One Game, One Future Clinic 🕶️⚽ The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee grant activation event took place on our campus mini pitch with community leaders celebrating and observing the team sport of blind soccer. The event began with special presentations by community leaders and members of the Host Committee, followed by a Miami Lighthouse Academy student march out to the pitch singing “This Little Light of Mine”, culminating in a blind soccer skill demonstration by Academy early learners and early elementary students. It was an impressive display of talent with our USABA-credentialed blind soccer coaches leading our Academy students to demonstrate their blind soccer skills, all using "ear-foot coordination". Blind soccer is a Paralympic sport, where players wear blinders so they all cannot see equally, and the ball, which rattles, is located by sound 👂. Miami Lighthouse Blind Soccer launched in 2025 with funding from a Children's Trust Innovation Grant to create the first and only blind soccer curriculum for early learners ages 1 to 4. Today, we are proud to have taught the skills of blind soccer to over 100 children and young adults. Our Senior Technology instructor Oseas De Leon, started playing soccer when he was blinded at age three, and now he is a member of the USABA Blind Soccer national team, currently preparing for their upcoming game in England. It warms our hearts knowing that some day, these children too could be competing in the Paralympics, following Oseas's example. We thank The Children's Trust, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee, as well as special guests such as Rodney Barreto, Scott Richey, James Haj, Thomas Abraham, and Commissioner Rolando Escalona for supporting our venerable mission. Together, we prove it's possible to see without sight!™ 💙 #MiamiLighthouse #BlindSoccer @usaba1 @thechildrenstrust @fwc26miami @fifaworldcup @jim.haj @miamikidsmagazine @teamescalona @abrahamfoundation #CommunityLeaders #MiamiLeaders #Inclusivity #SupporttheBlind

Sport doesn't just build athletes—it builds leaders. 💪 For 50 years, USABA has helped blind individuals discover their strength, their voice, and their potential. This is more than competition. This is transformation. #USABA50 Alt Text: A graphic celebrates the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). The image features two blind soccer players in mid-action against a light gray background accented with faded red diagonal stripes. On the left, a player in a yellow Romania national team jersey with the number 9 and a black knee brace holds his ground, while on the right, a player in a red Team USA jersey with the number 7 leans forward in a dynamic sprint. Both athletes wear blackout eye shades for fair competition. At the top left is a gold and red circular logo marking the 50th Anniversary of USABA, noting its establishment in 1976. To the right, bold text in red and dark blue reads, "Sport doesn't just build athletes—IT BUILDS LEADERS." At the bottom, the hashtag #USABA50 is displayed in large, white block letters.

Join us in cheering on the USA Goalball Women’s National Team as they head to Malmö, Sweden, for the Ladies Intercup from May 1–3! Our elite athletes are ready to represent the red, white, and blue on the international stage, and we want you along for the ride. Stay up to date with the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) tournament results as our team competes against some of the best. Let’s show them the strength of our community, go Team USA! 🇺🇸 Alt Text: A promotional graphic featuring a female USA Goalball player wearing a white and navy jersey with the number 7 and a U.S. flag patch. She is wearing blacked-out goalball goggles and is lunging on a court to block a large blue ball with her hand. Large white text on the left reads "CHEEER ON OUR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM," and the bottom text reads "MAY 1-3 MALMÖ LADIES INTERCUP." The bottom right corner features the USABA logo (U.S. Association of Blind Athletes).

Guiding our golden era. 🌟 USABA's leadership—including board member and Hall of Famer Cody Colchado—continues to steer our organization toward an even brighter future. Experience. Vision. Commitment. #USABA50 #Leadership Alt Text: graphic celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). The design features a dark, sophisticated background filled with glowing gold bokeh lights and a large, shimmering gold laurel wreath centered in the frame. In the top-left corner, a gold hexagonal emblem marks the "50th Anniversary" and notes the organization's establishment in 1976. The central white text reads, "Celebrating 50 Years of Leadership," specifically honoring Cody Colchado, a Board Member and Hall of Famer. The bottom of the graphic includes the organization's core values—Experience, Vision, and Commitment—alongside the tagline, "Building a bright future for blind athletes," and the hashtags #USABA50 and #Leadership.