“You Become More Confident”: Doug Goist’s Unbelievable Journey into the Thriving World of Visually Impaired Ice Hockey

Nothing is impossible—a sentiment that has helped many attain greatness from the cusp of desperation. However, some things might seem impossible to be true. For instance, visually impaired athletes are moving around at high speeds with metal sticks in hand inside an ice rink! Impossible? Well, that’s what we thought. Doug Goist, too, laughed off the idea of visually impaired ice hockey, as no plausible justification seemed to be there for the same.

However, much to the surprise of everyone, including Goist, blind ice hockey has gone on to become one of the most popular para-sports in the United States of America. And guess what? Doug Goist is a very crucial part of it! So how did this seemingly impossible prospect become a reality? What exactly is the role of Doug Goist? Let’s dive deeper to find all the answers in detail.

Doug Goist’s miracle transition to the ice hockey realm

Doug Goist is an ardent fan of hockey. He loved to watch all forms of the game, from the Olympics to pro hockey. However, destiny was not on his side when he was shocked to discover that he had lost his vision at the age of 30! The genetic disease that was the culprit was untreatable, and thus, Goist sort of gave up on life. This was until 2016 when one of the members of the Washington Blind Hockey Club proposed to him the idea of visually impaired ice hockey.

Goist, utterly skeptical, rubbished the idea instantly. However, the personnel insisted that Goist give it a “try.” As most life-changing things happen unexpectedly, so did Goist’s transition. The “try” that he took casually ended up transforming him into a full-fledged athlete for the club. At present, the Alexandria native is vested with the responsibility of guarding the goal for his club. Goist now cannot imagine spending a day without hitting the rink.

Speaking about the incredible success of the club in being able to change the dynamics of visually impaired sports, President Kevin Brown shared his two cents. The club was established in 2016, 150 members have been a part of the sport, while at present, the club boasts 15 active members. He stated, “We’ve had players as young as five and as old as 70… Some of them played the game and had a vision before but lost it over time. Others were born totally blind.”

However, it’s not just Brown and Goist’s club that have benefited. The sport as a whole is flourishing in the USA at the moment.

A sneak peek into the emergence of blind hockey in the USA

The concept of blind hockey was initiated in the 1970s in Canada. However, 2014 was the year that saw the sport come to the USA, with the very first team being based in New York. Gradually, as days went by, the sport slowly began to gain traction, and at present, the sport witnesses more than a dozen clubs that include reputed names like the Hartford Braillers and the Maine Blind Bears.

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For the convenience of the athletes, some of the rules have been amended, including the prohibition of white jerseys for better visibility. However, most of the rules are similar to the sighted version of the game. Shedding light on the same, Kevin Brown implied that such similarities with the normal version of the game boost the confidence of the athletes and inspire them to strive harder towards success.

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