Students play sports with blind

Wharton 101 students didn't think they could lose a game of goal ball Sunday afternoon to students from The Overbrook School for the Blind. That was before they were forced to put on blindfolds. "We have super-confident players here," said the director of Pennsylvania Blind Athletes Pam McGonigle responding in jest to the Wharton students' hopes for an easy Quaker victory. The final score was Overbrook 19, Wharton 12. Goal ball, a sport designed for blind people, consists of two teams trying to get a ball past the opposition. Unlike traditional ball games, goal ball is played with specially made balls containing bells that allow the blind to sense them. "We suck, but we had fun," said Wharton freshman Victor Cai. Overbrook student Yuki Hashimoto said she enjoyed herself as well. "In Japan I play volleyball, but this was very exciting," she said. The sports day, organized entirely by the freshmen students in the Wharton 101 class, was the culmination of a 10-week course in basic communication skills and group dynamics. "Planning the project made them think about what it means to work in groups," said Wharton junior Maalika Rastogi, the teaching assistant for the section that organized the sports day. The Wharton students said the program helped them improve skills they will need when entering the work force. "The course provides practical experience for Wharton students in organizing a large group of people," said College and Wharton freshman Sharon Young, the leader of the coordinating arm of the group. Wharton freshman Danny Ross said one of the reasons Wharton is "rated so highly is that we take classes that help with communication and leadership skills." "Working with other people is infinitely more important than working with numbers, which anyone can do," Ross said.