FAQs

About Goalball & SGC

  • Goalball is a Paralympic team sport which was designed back in 1946 to help rehabilitate blinded war veterans. Now it’s played by thousands of blind, visually impaired, and sighted people around the world, both recreationally and competitively. It’s been an official Paralympic sport since 1976, and is an incredibly dynamic and exhilarating game.

    To find out more and to see how the game works, visit our What Is Goalball? page, where you'll also see a link to watch a full match from Paris 2024.

  • Nope. You can be blind, visually impaired, or sighted.

  • That’s the plan! Once we get on our feet, we’ll be sending teams to Goalball UK league competitions, starting with Regional level, and any cups, friendlies, or other events.

  • It’s an indoor sport, played in a sports hall. So thankfully little chance of getting wet :)

Joining the Club

  • Of course! Everyone has to start somewhere.

  • The club is open to anyone of any age. We suggest a minimum age of 8yrs for our regular sessions, but may offer special Junior sessions for younger children in the future. Contact us to see whether it’d be suitable for your child.

    As per our Safeguarding Policies, all children age 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent/carer.

    There is no maximum age; we encourage everyone to get involved. As long as you can get up and down and move around reasonably easily, you’ll be fine.

  • No, not at all. Goalball is a great way to improve your fitness and health though.

Sessions & Training

  • We are hoping to be based at Woking High School (Morton Road, Horsell, GU21 4TJ). Our sessions will likely be happening on weekends; stay tuned for more details

  • Membership for players, volunteers, and supporters is completely free. 

    Sessions cost £5 each. Every new player gets their first session free.

  • Yes, we do! During taster sessions, you’ll have a chance to learn the basics of the game and have a go at it yourself. There’ll be experienced players and coaches there to help you find your feet, and everyone’ll be in the same boat.

  • Yes, of course! Just please remember to stay quiet while the game is being played as players rely on being able to hear the ball and their teammates.

  • Answer coming soon

  • Woking High School (GU21 4BD) is located in Horsell Village, about a mile away from Woking Town Centre. There will be parking at the school via entrances on Morton Road or Horsell Rise (we recommend the entrances on Horsell Rise). If arriving via public transport or on foot, we recommend going to the main entrance on Morton Road.

    White Bus service 73 operates routes to and from the school, with routes to Woking and Chobham. The Woking route connects to Woking Railway Station, where services operated by South Western Railway run across the South (including to and from London and Portsmouth).

    It may be possible for a volunteer to meet you at the train station. Please let us know if this would be helpful and we'll see what we can do.

  • As you arrive, our friendly volunteers will be there to say hello and guide you in. There'll be a place for you to put your stuff and an opportunity to put on any padding you have whilst we're busy setting up for the court. 

    Once we're all set, we'll do a warm-up and pulse raiser before diving in. 

    Each session will look slightly different depending on what we want to work on. It might be drills-based or more game-based. You'll have a chance to have a say on what you'd like to do or work on and we will do our best to work that into the session. 

    If you're new, at some point in the session we might pull you to the side to go through the membership form if you have not done it already, or to go over any details with you. 

    At the end of the session, we'll go through a cool-down to relax our muscles, preventing injuries, and will reflect on the session. 

    • A water bottle

    • Eyeshades and pads if you own your own

    • A snack if you want one

    • Suitable clothing

    • Any medication you need

  • Hopefully this won't happen, but if it does, we will notify you as soon as we can.

  • Answer coming soon.

  • Yes, any volunteer who is in regular contact with players will be subject to a DBS check. As well as this, at every session, there will be at least one (ideally two) Designated First Aider(s) who have received relevant training.

Equipment & Clothing

  • We can lend you the equipment you need to get started (i.e. eyeshades and perhaps elbow/knee pads). However, eventually you will need to get your own as we have limited spares.

    We also suggest additional protection for more sensitive areas of the body. This may include either a groin guard (such as a cricket box) and/or chest protection (such as a padded sports bra or chest guard).

  • Something suitable for sport: non-marking trainers, tracksuit bottoms or leggings, and a t-shirt (long or short sleeve) will do.

  • We don’t see equipment, no. However, you can borrow some from us at sessions. These must be returned to us before the end of the session. 

Accessibility & Inclusion

  • We have volunteers to help out with guiding and any other support you may need during sessions.

    In terms of getting to and from the venue, many of our members come via bus or train, so we might be able to have someone meet you at the bus stop or train station. Let us know if this would be useful.

  • Yes! Your guide or service dog is welcome at our sessions. We’ll make sure there’s a safe, comfortable space for them to rest during the session, with water available if needed. If you let us know in advance, we can help arrange a spot for them.

  • We may be able to make accommodations for different disabilities. Of course, there are some disabilities where it may be incredibly difficult or impossible to participate in a meaningful and safe way. We’ll work with you to make adjustments as needed.

  • Unfortunately, our venue is not entirely step-free. There is one very small step into the main entrance and another small step into the sports hall. We understand this is a problem for accessibility. Please let us know if there is any way we can support you accessing the venue.

  • Yes, you can wear a hearing aid (at your own risk) during any club training session or (subject to any change to their policy) at any Goalball UK competition. Please inform us if this will be the case.

  • Not much. All domestic goalball leagues in the UK are completely unisex, and our club’s sessions reflect that.

    Some things to consider:

    • We will of course use your correct name and pronouns.

    • Goalball UK do give out “top male/female goal scorer” awards at competitions, however you are free to choose which gender you are counted as, and could ask to opt out.

    • Our venue has male and female changing rooms and bathrooms, with unfortunately no  gender neutral toilets available. We will be discussing this with the venue and aim to make the facilities more inclusive. As far as we’re concerned, you’re welcome to use whichever changing or bathroom facilities you feel most comfortable with, and will be seeking clarification that the venue agrees with that stance.

Volunteering

  • You can get involved in loads of different ways, whether that be as a coach, sighted guide, session assistant, fundraiser, social media officer, or working on administrative duties. We’re always looking for more skills, so if you think you could help out, send an email to Enquiries@surreygoalball.com. You can learn more about the ways you could support on the Get Involved page.

  • No, not at all! Any experience is valuable, but we can provide training and support, and signpost to other resources.

  • Any volunteer who is in regular contact with players will be subject to a DBS Check through our national governing body, Goalball UK, in line with their Minimum Standards Framework and the SGC Safeguarding Policy. This is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone in the sport and at sessions/events. Surrey Goalball Club will fund this, so there will be no additional cost to yourself.

  • Yes, definitely. You can fulfil the Volunteering requirement with us. We'd be more than happy to be your assessor and write the report you'll need to show as evidence.

Support & Fundraising

  • Answer coming soon.

  • Answer coming soon.