Blind soccer set for growth with plans for new soccer field

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Soon, the Kansas State School for the Blind plans to break ground on a new soccer field. The groundbreaking is part of the school’s plans to start a blind soccer league, introducing the sport to a wider audience. The message is to show their students that visual impairment is not a weakness, and they’re capable of anything.

Blind soccer is similar to traditional soccer, with some modifications for the visually impaired. There are four blindfolded players on the field. Some players have better vision than others, so the purpose of the blindfolds is to make the game a level playing field for everyone.

The goalkeepers have vision and help guide their teammates.

“My goal as the AP teacher here is to try to teach them as many different games as they can with the accommodations so they know they can do more later on in life,” said adapted physical education teacher Nicole Drake.

A soccer field is being built on the campus to house soccer games. This would allow the students to travel as a league and compete against other teams.

“No other schools in the Midwest have it. The only schools that currently have a blind soccer field or team are on the East Coast,” said Drake.

The Victory Project is sponsoring $35,000 for this project. So far, the school has purchased blind soccer sidewalls and goals for the pitch.

“That’s pretty cool because we already have a track club, a forensics club, a goal ball club, and a swim team so this will be our fifth extracurricular activity,” said student Brad McCartney.

The field will be ready for kickoff by spring 2024.

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