Staten Island man, who was blinded after Iraq bombing, named to first-ever USA blind soccer national team

The U.S. Affiliation of Blind Athletes (USABA) introduced the 10-man roster for its inaugural blind soccer males’s nationwide workforce — and one Staten Islander is among the many chosen. Ahmed Shareef, initially from Iraq, misplaced his sight throughout a bombing in his hometown of Baghdad in 2004.

Now, his dream of taking part in excessive degree soccer is coming true.

Shareef, an Arrochar resident and graduate of Curtis HS, was caught within the wake of an explosion when he was simply seven-years-old — rendering him blind and ensuing within the amputation of his proper arm. Now 25, he was first delivered to the U.S. by the World Medical Reduction Fund charity. He attended his first USABA blind soccer camp in 2019 and it has rekindled his aspirations of taking part in soccer as soon as once more.

Shareef and firm will start worldwide competitors in 2023, step one on the journey to competing on the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Video games. The workforce was chosen after a four-day choice camp held Oct. 27-30 in Chula Vista, Calif. The roster options eight athletes with visible impairments together with two sighted goalkeepers.

The game of blind soccer has been a part of the Paralympic Video games since 2004, however the U.S. has by no means fielded a workforce. That can change in 2028 when Los Angeles performs host to the Olympic and Paralympic Video games and the U.S. will obtain an computerized entry into the blind soccer competitors because the host nation.

“Within the subsequent six years, the world’s two largest sporting occasions will occur on American soil,” mentioned USABA CEO Molly Quinn. ““In 2026, the FIFA World Cup will probably be performed all through the U.S. for the primary time in three many years. In 2028, the Summer time Olympic and Paralympic Video games will happen in Los Angeles. It’ll mark the primary time that L.A. has performed host to the Paralympic Video games.”

The eight athletes with visible impairments named to the workforce are Noah Beckman (Columbus, Ohio), Cody Kirchner (Columbia, S.C.), Ahmed Shareef (Staten Island, N.Y.), Ricardo Castaneda (Fort Price, Texas), Kevin Brown (Falls Church, Va.), Antoine Craig (Richmond, Va.), David Brown (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Alvaro Mora Arellano (Phoenix, Ariz.). The 2 sighted goalkeepers chosen are Brandt Herron (Palm Coast, Fla.) and Kyle Knott (Brevard, N.C.).

“We’re so excited to call the primary ever USA Blind Soccer Males’s Nationwide Staff,” mentioned head coach Katie Smith. “It was unbelievable to see the expansion of the athletes at this primary nationwide choice camp. It’s actually unbelievable being part of this revolutionary workforce and to have one other Paralympic sport for blind athletes everywhere in the nation to aspire towards. I look ahead to seeing how this Nationwide Staff progresses towards our objective of the 2028 Paralympics.”

Alternates for the USA Blind Soccer Males’s Nationwide Staff are John Marquez (Fort Price, Texas) and Charles Catherine (Brooklyn, N.Y.). The workforce will start competing in worldwide friendlies in 2023.