April 7, 2010

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 4/7/10

Goalball (or FliegendeKatzeSpielzeug or Dodgeball for the Blind).

Used in a sentence: "Although I can remember my Phys Ed teacher getting creative to combine kickball with basketball (if I remember right, after you kicked the ball, the other team had to make a basket before you completed the bases) when gym class got too boring (or when we weren't in the midst of co-ed square dancing week and I have to wonder if that still goes on in my hometown high school?), it doesn't even begin to have the pedigree of one Goalball, as designed in the 40s to rehabilitate blinded war veterans."

The gist -- all participants are blinded (wearing black-out shades) and the offense throws the ball (which jingles like a cat toy) as hard as he or she can against a line of defense (who are lying on the floor with senses attuned to the flying object coming at them at speeds of 30MPH or more) who must block it from going in the goal! Bruises are all but guaranteed. My only complaint -- that it doesn't have a snazzier name. A literal translation to German would have it be TorBall ... but I offer up FliegendeKatzeSpielzeug (flying cat toy) because it sounds a little closer to that classic Fahrvergnugen. Regardless of what is it called, I do think it is a clever idea as a sport that allows those with disabilities to be "equalized" (and not in the Edward Woodward sense). I have to recognzie that one's first instinct is to think that "dodgeball for the blind" is a stepping stone on the way to some kind of an inappropriate comment, but how nice that it turns out to be just the opposite! See more at the links below (including the second one which features a clip from a competition).

http://www.goalballnetwork.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69hV4pMSzpc&feature=related

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