This week saw South African Goalball getting ahead of the game by taking advantage of the fact that everyone would be together at the 2026 Toyota SASAPD National Championships in the Western Cape.

Using this opportunity, a focused Goalball coaching course was hosted at the Sports Hall in Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch, bringing together coaches, officials and administrators ahead of competition.

The course was presented by Alex Bunney from Goalball UK and facilitated by National Goalball Convenor Dr Muya Koloko, creating a strong platform for collaboration between local and international expertise.

The coaching course went very well, highlighting that South Africa already has a solid foundation of knowledge within the sport. At the same time, the collaboration with Goalball UK is proving to be a valuable early relationship, allowing for open knowledge sharing and learning.

The workshop created space for reflection on both strengths and areas for improvement. While many aspects of coaching are being done well, key takeaways included improved game management, stronger tactical awareness and a clearer understanding of the rules.

Beyond the court, the session once again showed how the SASAPD National Championships provide more than just competition, offering opportunities for development, collaboration and long-term planning within the sport.

With this being a strong starting point, South African Goalball continues to move forward on the right track.