Three Nova Scotia men's goalball athletes have been named to the Canadian Men's National Goalball team to compete at the Americas Goalball Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil from July 26 to August 6.

Harry Nickerson, 16, Mason Smith, 25, and Peter Parsons, 49, have all been named to the team making up half of the six player roster.

Parsons is the oldest player on the team by 14 years and Nickerson is the youngest player ever to make the men's national goalball team at just 16 years of age. 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 Nova Scotia Junior men's team, who recently won the junior national title at home in Halifax. 

Nickerson is also Parsons's teammate on the Nova Scotia men's team, who earned the silver medal at Senior Nationals in Saskatoon in May. 

Mason Smith, the 2024 Senior Goalball Nationals MVP last competed internationally at the 2023 Para Panam games where he helped secure bronze for Canada. "It is really special for me to be named to the team with Harry and Mason, having recruited and coached them from young ages", says Parsons, Chair of Blind Sports Nova Scotia.

The Americas Goalball Championships is a qualifying tournament for the World Championships in China in 2026. Canada must finish in a top four spot to qualify for world championships, something they have a great chance of achieving as they’ve historically finished top three in the Americas region, along with World Champions Brazil and the United States.

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

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