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<p class="MsoNormal">FYI.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Goal Ball.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_MailEndCompose"><o:p> </o:p></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose"></span>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Naim Abu-ElHawa [mailto:nmabuelhawa@gmail.com] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 17, 2018 5:54 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Quiera Alvarez <qcalvarez@gmail.com>; Cat Anthony <cat@sportable.org>; Naim Abu-El Hawa <nma20342@email.vccs.edu>; Naim Abu-El Hawa <nmabuelhawa@gmail.com>; Kimberly R Avila <kavila@gmu.edu>; John Bailey <john_bailey17@hotmail.com>; amcarr1@verizon.net;
blindlion@verizon.net; Joy <jrelton@verizon.net>; robertac058@gmail.com; sharonmjose101@gmail.com; jsorozco@gmail.com; David Bartling <dbartling714@gmail.com>; Wenzi Bobowiec <wenzitb@gmail.com>; Marc Canamaso <marc.canamaso@gmail.com>; Alexander Castillo
<alexandera.castillo@gmail.com>; Dusten Cather <cather.dustin@gmail.com>; Greg Chittum <greg.chittum@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Omar James Crockett <omarjames27@gmail.com>; Ms. Krystal Edmead <krystal.edmead@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Mr. Michael Fish <michael.fish@dbvi.virginia.gov>;
Jonell Floyd <jonellfloyd1998@icloud.com>; Mrs. Kristine Foley <kristine.foley@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Jeremy Grandstaff <Jwg@sgendeavors.com>; John Halverson <jwh100@outlook.com>; John Halverson <johnh50@verizon.net>; Ms. Buffa Hanse <buffa.hanse@dbvi.virginia.gov>;
Joshua Helmich <joshuahelmich@yahoo.com>; Becky Keller <beckykeller16@gmail.com>; Jihad Khatib <jou-jou4@hotmail.com>; Ms. Domonique Lawless <domonique.lawless@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Brad J. Miles <brad.miles@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Dr. Brian R. Miller <brianrmiller88@gmail.com>;
Oscar Montiel <oscarjmontiel37@gmail.com>; Michael Munn <michaelrbms@gmail.com>; Mrs. Tracey O'Malley <teomalley@fcps.edu>; Robert Parsons <rob.parso3389@gmail.com>; Andrea Perry <afperry01@aol.com>; Ms. Amy Phelps <amy.phelps@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Marielle
Rando <marielle@sportable.org>; reila1981matsut@gmail.com; Mark W. Roane <markwroane@gmail.com>; Melody Roane <melody.roane@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Brook Rogers <brooke.rogers@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Fredric Schroeder <fschroeder@sks.com>; Olga Skorackyj <olga.skorackyj@dbvi.virginia.gov>;
Tracy Soforenko <Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com>; Michael E. Triplett <Michael.triplett@dbvi.virginia.gov>; Michael Villafane <Michael.Villafane@DBVI.Virginia.gov>; President Kathryn Webster <nfbprojectrise@gmail.com>; Joanne Wiggins <joanne.wiggins@dbvi.virginia.gov>;
Mrs. Nancy Yeager <nancyyeager542@comcast.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Fwd: Goalball League Interest<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear All:<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good Day!! Please distribute as you see fit. Inform as many interested parties as possible, please.<br>
Many Thanks And Much Respect.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Naim Muawia Abu-El Hawa<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Student: Northern Virginia Community College<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Vice President: Virginia Association of Blind Students<o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Association of Blind Students<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Email: <a href="mailto:nmabuelhawa@gmail.com">nmabuelhawa@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cell: (202) 848-8932<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">"It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow."<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Robert H. Goddard<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>
Begin forwarded message:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b>From:</b> James Patterson <<a href="mailto:james.patterson.703@gmail.com">james.patterson.703@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Date:</b> August 16, 2018 at 10:19:33 PM EDT<br>
<b>To:</b> Adam Forbes <<a href="mailto:aforbes1@fcps.edu">aforbes1@fcps.edu</a>>, "Davis, Rebecca" <<a href="mailto:rbdavis@fcps.edu">rbdavis@fcps.edu</a>>, Kathryn Cornell Webster <<a href="mailto:nabs.president@gmail.com">nabs.president@gmail.com</a>>, Naim
Muawia Abu-El Hawa <<a href="mailto:nmabuelhawa@gmail.com">nmabuelhawa@gmail.com</a>>, Marc Canamaso <<a href="mailto:marc.canamaso@gmail.com">marc.canamaso@gmail.com</a>>, Teia Westbrook-Johnson <<a href="mailto:tswestbrookj@fcps.edu">tswestbrookj@fcps.edu</a>>,
"Slone, Christy" <<a href="mailto:clslone@fcps.edu">clslone@fcps.edu</a>>, Sara Rolander <<a href="mailto:ssrolander@fcps.edu">ssrolander@fcps.edu</a>>, "Wiersholm, Eileen L" <<a href="mailto:eileen.minihan@gmail.com">eileen.minihan@gmail.com</a>>, Melanie
Erler <<a href="mailto:merler1917@gmail.com">merler1917@gmail.com</a>>, Audrey Goldberg <<a href="mailto:asgoldberg@fcps.edu">asgoldberg@fcps.edu</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Jen Blum <<a href="mailto:jjblum@gmail.com">jjblum@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> <b>Goalball League Interest</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
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<div>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Hi all,</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">I’m reaching out to you in the hope that you can help get this out to the families you know. Feel free to take the information in this email
and send it to folks in any way that you feel comfortable, short of posting it publicly. I appreciate any help you can provide in getting the word out to the blind and visually impaired community in Northern Virginia.</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Regards,</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545"> James</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">______________________________________________________________</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Hello everyone,</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">My name is James Patterson and I am volunteering with Virginia’s Department of the Blind and Visually Impaired to help establish a statewide
Goalball League. (Not familiar with Goalball? A brief explanation of the game and a link to a video can be found at the end of this e-mail.)</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Initially, we hope to get at least one team established in each of DBVI’s six regions, although regions can have more than one team if there
is enough interest. Ours is the Northern Region, covering Northern Virginia west through Winchester.</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Having a team in the Northern Region will require at least six athletes and three coaches/helpers. I’m hoping we have more interest than
that so that we can have a few teams within the Northern Region that could play each other during the season.</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Here are some of the “nuts and bolts” details that I can provide at this time:</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545"> </span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Season commitment</span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">: The first “season” will be fairly basic and will largely focus on teaching players the fundamentals of
Goalball. Our unofficial plan is to have a weekly practice that will run between 60 and 90 minutes. The season will conclude with a tournament between regional teams. The details are all a little fuzzy since this is the first year we are trying to get this
off the ground. We’d like practices to begin in late September or early-October, but aren’t sure when the tournament would be held. We also don’t have any firm details on how many teams there will be overall. In addition to the weekly practices and the
end-of-season tournament, we may try to play a few games against other nearby regional teams, but anything like that will be determined with input from our team’s players and families. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Athlete age</span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">: The desired age-range for the first season is not firmly defined. We have many potential players from a variety
of age groups. If we have a lot of interest, I will help set up teams for different age groups, like most other sports in our area do. Before any of those details can be worked out, we need to identify interested athletes in our Northern Region.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Geographic location</span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">: The formal definition of DBVI’s Northern Region includes Arlington, Clarke, Culpepper, Fairfax, Fauquier,
Frederick, Loudon, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Stafford, and Warren Counties. Please don’t let the large geographical area prevent you from indicating your interest. Since the teams can be fairly small (six or so athletes) and we have
such a large geographic area, there is a good chance that we can establish a team near you. For example, I live in Reston, am organizing a team, and am planning for our practices to be somewhere within a reasonable drive from here. If we get enough folks
in Winchester or Springfield that can form another Northern Region team, they can hold their practices closer to them.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Registration Fees</span></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">: The fees will be approximately $60 per athlete. The cost of the initial equipment will be a combination
of registration fees, DBVI support, and grants. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Action is needed by August 31st!
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545"> If you know a blind or visually-impaired athlete who would enjoy trying Goalball, I’d appreciate your help! Please indicate the interest of your athlete and any available
adult helpers by filling out the form at this link</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><a href="https://goo.gl/forms/bnCCN0wgOmxaeoRu1"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545;text-decoration:none">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#E4AF0A">https://goo.gl/forms/bnCCN0wgOmxaeoRu1</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#E4AF0A">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">. This is
<u>not</u> a registration, only a way to gauge the level of interest across the community so that we can determine what teams we can put together -- and where -- as we get this league started. There will be a separate form to actually register for a team once
we iron out a few more details.</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">The folks at DBVI and I are excited to get this league started in order to help our blind and visually-impaired athletes access a sport that
was created just for them! Please feel free to email me directly at </span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#E4AF0A"><a href="mailto:james.patterson.703@gmail.com">james.patterson.703@gmail.com</a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">
if you have any questions or comments.</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">Regards,</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545"> James Patterson, Parent Volunteer / Coordinator for the Northern DBVI Region</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><br>
<br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">What’s Goalball?</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545"> Goalball is a Paralympic sport that was developed specifically for blind
and visually-impaired athletes. The game is played on a volleyball-sized court with goals that stretch across each end line. The three players on each team roll a bell-laden ball from their side, trying to get it past the opposing team and into their goal.
The players wear blinders and orient themselves with a rope grid that is taped to the floor. The team with the most goals at the end wins. A video from the Paralympics describes the sport nicely:
</span><span style="font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif"><a href="https://youtu.be/0bZ51jzmbAQ"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#365899;text-decoration:none">https://youtu.be/0bZ51jzmbAQ</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#454545">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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