Update

RSVP for a Tandem Bike Pilot Workshop Mon June 8

Come to the Blindness 101 & Tandem Bike Pilot Workshop and help us spread the word! We are urgently seeking new volunteer pilots.

Text reads: Tandem Bike Pilot Workshop Volunteer pilots urgently needed! Monday, June 8, 6 to 7:30 PM St Andrews Community Centre  3380 Barnstead Lane, Halifax RSVP today! Email BlindSportsNS@gmail.com Call or text Jennie at 902 449 0320 Learn Blindness 101 and become a trusted tandem bike pilot volunteer for cyclists who are blind. Poster background is a group photo of about 20 people outdoors a sunny day, many wearing helmets, and many bikes around including tandem bikes. Also include are Blind Sports Nova Scotia logo with line drawing of a person throwing a goal ball in eyeshades, navy blue and white theme and Blind Beginnings logo featuring a butterfly and image of braille Colour scheme is navy blue, bright yellow, and bright blue.
Blind Sports Nova Scotia’s free tandem biking program has been putting butts on bikes for over a decade and continues to grow!
Pilots make it possible for people who are blind and have low vision to access the joys and benefits of cycling through our free recreational tandem biking program.
If you’re a confident and experienced cyclist interested in volunteering your spare time to a fun and meaningful program, please RSVP to our next volunteer workshop.
Monday, June 8
6 to 7:30 PM
St Andrews Community Centre
3380 Barnstead Lane, Halifax
RSVP today! Email BlindSportsNS@gmail.com, text or call Jennie at 902 449 0320.
Our workshop includes Blindness 101, how to confidently assist people who are blind, and the chance to test drive a tandem bike – on the front and the back seat.
We can’t wait to hear from you!
Update

Nova Scotia Athletes Make Up Two-Thirds Canadian Men’s National Goalball Team Going to World Championships

Four Nova Scotia men’s goalball athletes have been named to the Canadian Men’s National Goalball team to compete at the World Goalball Championships in Hangzhou, China from June 6 to 16.

Canadian Mens Goalball team 2026 IBSA World Championships. Graphic showing 6 athletes in sports jerseys. Text beneath them reads Raki Karim, Blair Nesbitt, Nick Gentleman, Harry Nickerson, Mason Smith, Peter Parsons. Canadian Blind Sports Association logo. Red & white, maple leaf, scheme.
Graphic courtesy of Canadian Blind Sports Association

Harry Nickerson, 17, Nick Gentleman, 23, Mason Smith, 26, and Peter Parsons, 50, have all been named to the team making up two-thirds of the six player roster.

Parsons is the oldest player to ever make the men’s goalball national team and Nickerson is the youngest player ever to make the men’s national goalball team. 

Their connection in sport is unique. “I have been coaching Harry since he was ten years old,”  Parsons proudly says.  

Nickerson is coached by Parsons on the junior men’s national team who won bronze at the Youth Parapan Ams in Santiago, Chile in November. 

Nickerson is also Parsons’s teammate on the Nova Scotia men’s team, who in May won gold at the 2026 Senior National Goalball Championships goalball in Richmond, BC. Harry was awarded tournament MVP. 

Mason Smith, the 2024 Senior Goalball Nationals MVP last competed internationally at the 2023 Para Panam games where he helped secure bronze for Canada.

Nick Gentleman is making his international debut for Canada. 

“It is really special for me to be named to the team with Harry, Nick and Mason, having recruited and coached them from young ages”, says Parsons, President of Blind Sports Nova Scotia.

The top two teams at the world championships will automatically qualify for the LA28 Paralympics.

Goalball is a Paralympic sport, played by athletes who are blind and visually impaired. 

For interviews with the athletes, contact Peter Parsons at 902 229 8246 or parsons.pete@gmail.com

Update

Success for Nova Scotia at 2026 Senior National Goalball Championships

Congratulations to the Nova Scotia men’s goalball team, who earned first place again this year at the Senior National Goalball Championships!
Our women’s team placed 4th at the competition, after succumbing to Quebec in a close 5-3 bronze medal game.
Six people in a row in a gym wearing sports jerseys and gold medals
Team Nova Scotia men: Linda MacRae Triff (coach, Peter Parsons, Mason Smith, Nick Gentleman, Harry Nickerson, Matt Bartley (coach).
At just seventeen years old, Nova Scotia’s Harry Nickerson was also named MVP of the tournament.
Join us in celebrating every athlete, coach, and volunteer who make the sport of goalball great all year long!
Update

Watch us on Postcards From, a travel show for the senses

Looking for something to watch? Postcards From is a travel show for the senses, and in this season’s premiere episode, we got to give host Christa a taste of freedom – on a tandem bike ride. 

You’ll meet Yves Wermelinger, who has been the lead volunteer pilot and technician for Blind Sports Nova Scotia’s tandem bike program since 2013. He puts countless butts of all abilities on tandem bikes with great care and expertise. 

Yvon Clement, an enthusiastic stoker, and Kevin Sullivan, another reliable volunteer pilot, are also featured. 

Stream for free at www.AMIplus.ca!

The episode is a heartfelt and entertaining look at Halifax and the meaning of freedom.

Update

Double Bronze and An All-Star Award at 2026 Junior Goalball National Championships

Congratulations to all on spectacular weekend of goalball and community, at the Canadian Junior Goalball Nationals Championships! 

Massive shout outs are in order for our Nova Scotia athletes and coaches! Two teams from Nova Scotia left it all on the court and both earned bronze medals.
Way to go, Division 2 NS team! Lucas Kenny, Alexis Butler, Carter Ryan, Leo White, Linda Macrae Triff and Peter Parsons (coaches).
6 people with bronze medals in front of a goalball net
Division 2 team Nova Scotia and coaches
Great job, Division 1 NS team! Griffin Hiltz, Caelin Lloyd, Edward Laba, Matt Gentleman, Linda MacRae Triff and Peter Parsons (coaches).
6 people wearing bronze medals standing in front of a goalball net
Division 1 Nova Scotia team and coaches
A special congrats to Griffin Hiltz, for being recognized as one of three All-Star Athletes of the tournament.
Three young people wearing sunglasses and holding plaques with gifts in front of a goalball net
All-Star Athlete award recipients.

Nova Scotia loves goalball!

Update

2026 Charity Auction for Blind Sports Nova Scotia

Join us for everyone’s favourite annual fundraiser!

Empower athletes who are blind, support local business, and find amazing deals.

Live Auctioneer and just $5 to bid.
Saturday, June 20, 6 to 9 PM.
Freeman’s Fairview Dutch Village Rd. HalifaxEvent poster. Text reads: Blind Sports Nova Scotia Charity Auction. Sat June 20 6 to 9 PM. Freeman’s Fairview Dutch Village Rd. Halifax. Live Auctioneer. Just $5 to bid. Empower athletes who are blind, support local business, and find amazing deals! The poster has a light blue background, with a navy blue and red colour scheme, and Blind Sports Nova Scotia logo in the top right corner. A high-contrast cartoon image features an auctioneer, happy bidders with numbered paddles, and various auction items, like artwork and gift certificates.2026 BSNS auction poster description     2026 BSNS auction poster description

Are you a local business, service provider, or artist who would like to donate to an item to the auction? We’d love to hear from you! 

Supporting this fundraiser furthers our mission: Creating competitive & recreational opportunities in sport for Nova Scotians who are blind, of all ages and experience, even representing Nova Scotia at national & international competition.

To arrange a donation: 

Email or call coach Linda at: 902 448 6235    MactLinda@gmail.com

Donations big & small are welcome, and can include anything from gift certificates to merchandise to artwork, plus everything in between. We love to support & promote our favourite local businesses through this exciting fundraising event!

Your donated auction item will help grow programs & activities across the province, such as competitive & recreational goalball, tandem biking, and Blind Sports Nova Scotia’s community partnerships in awareness & access.

Official donation request letter:

2026 BSNS Auction Letter contact Linda

2026 BSNS Auction Letter contact Linda

 

 

Update

NS wins Gold and Bronze at 24th Montreal Open Goalball Tournament

A winter storm may have left the Nova Scotia goalball teams stuck in Montreal a couple extra days in January, but they had gold and bronze medals to keep them warm!
On the final day of the Tournoi invitation de goalball de Montréal – 24e Édition (24th Montreal Open Goalball Tournament), the Nova Scotia men’s team earned first place over Alberta in the final, with an impressive 10 to 4 score.
The Nova Scotia B women’s team take home the bronze medal, with a slick 4 to 3 overtime win over the Jawnettes (Philadelphia).
Nova Scotia A women’s team secured 6th place, following a riveting match with Quebec.
A group photo of 2 poeple in a gymnasium, some are wearing sports jerseys, some wear gold medals, and some wear bronze medals. They are in front of a long and tall net and smiling.
Included is a photo of the men’s and women’s teams after the medal ceremony. From left to right in the top row is Mason Smith, Matt Bartley (coach), Harry Nickerson, Peter Parsons, Griffin Hiltz, Nick Gentleman. In the bottom row from left to right is Tarah Sawler, Shams Hamad, Alexis Butler, Jennie Bovard, Linda MacRae Triff (player/coach), Alexis Nickerson. Missing from photo – Contessa Scott and Ruby SOliman.
Update

The Results Are In! PNL 9th NS Open Goalball Tournament

Blind Sports Nova Scotia is sending gratitude to every athlete, coach, referee, volunteer, organizer, sponsor, fan & supporter who made the PNL 9th NS Open Goalball Tournament one to remember.

Final Standings:

1st place North American J-Force
2nd place Canadian Juniors
3rd place Nova Scotia
4th place Ontario
5th place Quebec
Congratulations, everyone!
Medal Games Results:
Gold Medal Game
North American J-Force vs. Canadian Juniors
Result -12 to 2 win North American J-Force
Bronze Medal Game
Nova Scotia vs. Ontario
Result – 5 to 4 win Nova Scotia
Semifinal Games Results:
Semifinal 1st place North American J-Force vs. 4th place Nova Scotia
Result – 8 to 3 win North American J-Force
Semifinal 2nd place Ontario vs. 3rd place Canadian Juniors
Result – 4 to 5 win Canadian Juniors
In a gymnasium four men stand shoulder to shoulder holding an oversized cheque for $3,000. They are smiling and wearing gold medals around their necks.
Gold medalists, North American J-Force, with their winnings!
Four young men and one woman stand with arms around each other in a gymnasium. The four men are wearing red sports jerseys. All wear silver medals around their necks and are smiling.
Silver medalists, Canadian Juniors.
A group of 4 men with bronze medals around their necks stand smiling in a gymnasium. Two are wearing blue & white sports jerseys and the man second from the left is holding a small baby in his arms.
Bronze medalists, team Nova Scotia, including the tiniest athlete on the roster.
A group of 12 people in a gymnasium, some wearing matching pink t shirts, some collared uniform shirts. Many are smiling and one person to the left is holding a large golden puppy in their arms.
Some of our incredible volunteers, dedicated referees, and goalball family members.

Promoting community, sports, active and healthy lifestyles for visually impaired Nova Scotians.