Calahan Young

Started: He began playing goalball at age 12. "When I was younger, I was able to play most sports - baseball, basketball - but as my vision got worse I started to attend blind summer camps. And they had a goalball team, and it was awesome. I started playing there, joined a team. From there it really stuck." (teamusa.com, 23 Aug 2023; Athlete, 01 Apr 2016) Reason: "The reason I love goalball is because it is a team sport that offers an equal playing field, in terms of vision, to all those that compete, which is all I could have asked for in a sport. Goalball and all other Paralympic sports give so many people the opportunity to compete in something they love, against the best athletes in the world." (Instagram profile, 07 Jun 2022) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 07 Jun 2022) Additional Info: HEIGHT BONUS He is nearly two metres tall, which he says can be an advantage in goalball. "When you dive out, you're in a Superman position where you're fully flexed outward. When you're taller, you have more opportunity to get to that blocking position. If I do mess up, I still end up snagging the ball with my feet or my hands just because I'm so tall. It's an extra bonus." (eyesfreesports.podbean.com, 02 Mar 2024; teamusa.org, 05 Sep 2020) LEADER He has served as captain of the men's US goalball team. (ibsasport.org, 25 Nov 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES He has served as a United States Association of Blind Athletes [USABA] sport ambassador and as an athlete representative on the USABA Board of Directors. (usaba.org, 02 May 2024; LinkedIn profile, 01 Apr 2024; nextpittsburgh.com, 22 May 2023) OCCUPATION He works as a consultant at a firm based in Chicago, IL, United States of America. The business helps minority groups and small companies. (ibsasport.org, 25 Nov 2023) FURTHER EDUCATION Between 2019 and 2021 he studied for a master's degree in healthcare administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, United States of America. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Apr 2024)

Sporting Relatives: His partner Eliana Mason has represented the US women's team in goalball. She was part of the squads that won silver at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 13 Dec 2023; ibsasport.org, 25 Nov 2023)