ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 4, 2025—When Doug Goist, 56, was invited to check out the Washington Blind Hockey Club in 2016, he thought it was a joke – despite knowing full well the capabilities of people who are blind.
Goist is the program manager for workforce development at NSITE, the talent management division of National Industries for the Blind (NIB). He recognizes the challenges people who are blind face – unemployment for people who are blind is twice that of the rest of the population – because he himself is blind. Having lost his vision at 30 to a genetic disease, Goist spent a long time searching for employment. To make his life easier, he became fascinated by the latest assistive technologies and adaptive devices, and he now prides himself on being an expert for NIB and NSITE, both for employees he is helping to place and for employers.
“Many people who are blind have undergraduate degrees and higher,” he explained. “Often, highly qualified people who are blind are overlooked for jobs that perfectly match their interests, skills and capabilities.”
An avid ice hockey follower, when Goist was approached by one of the founders of the Washington Blind Hockey Club, it was just starting up. The founder invited Goist to a special event they were holding where he could try playing ice hockey. Goist went out of curiosity, but then he became hooked. He quickly became the goalie for the club that meets on weekends at Medstar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington.
Blind ice hockey has been played in Canada since the 1970s, and it was first played in the U.S in 2014. Interest has grown substantially, and there are now 17 clubs nationwide.
Goist is also a member of the newly formed Blind Hockey League (BHL), which consists of the top blind hockey players from across the world as chosen by an independent selection committee. They play in a league against one another in the highest level of blind hockey, similar to the National Hockey League. In December, Goist competed in the BHL 2024 Carnegie Cup series in Ottawa, Ontario.
This April, Goist will play for Team USA in the 2025 International Blind Ice Hockey Series, Team USA vs. Team Canada, in Montreal.
The action on the ice is fast and furious. When Goist first tried the sport, he couldn’t believe it.
“You’ve got people on skates at high speed with boards all around.” The sport is played much like regular ice hockey, with some exceptions – the adapted puck is about twice the size of a standard hard rubber puck, welded from two sheets of 22-gauge steel and hand-painted black. The hollow puck also contains eight ball bearings that make noise; white jerseys are prohibited; teams must complete one pass after crossing the blue line prior to being able to score; slap shots are banned and nets are a foot shorter, helping keep the puck low so players can hear it.
“Since the puck is metal, it often gets dented and can have sharp edges. You can certainly feel it if it hits you in lesser padded areas at 50 or 60 miles per hour,” Goist explained.
The hope is that blind hockey will be recognized and included as a paralympic sport. Goist would like nothing more than to be a part of that, and to dispel misconceptions about the abilities of people who are blind. He enjoys helping others learn that people who are blind like him can excel in any arena, whether it’s in an office environment or while playing a high-action sport.
He said people often come up to him in the airport when he’s traveling with his hockey stick and bag while navigating with his white cane: “They’re incredulous – or, perhaps more accurately – are confused to learn that it’s my equipment.”
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About National Industries for the Blind
Incorporated in 1938, NIB is the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, and through its network of associated nonprofit agencies, the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S. NIB creates opportunities for people who are blind to become wage earners and taxpayers, reducing their reliance on government support and increasing engagement in their communities. The organization offers career training and assists employers and employees in developing mutually beneficial workplaces. NIB’s vision is that blindness is not a barrier to employment. In 2021, NIB launched a national talent management enterprise known as NSITE. NSITE provides a continuum of employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind or visually impaired, including veterans. For more information, visit www.nib.org or www.nsite.org.
About NSITE
NSITE provides a continuum of employment readiness and career skills training as well as employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind or visually impaired to meet their workforce needs. NSITE’s services are also available to veterans. NSITE works with job candidates and employers equally to ensure that finding the right employee-employer match is as smooth and seamless as possible. With a range of offerings that include talent development and job placement services through the proprietary NSITE CONNECT job board, NSITE is the go-to consultancy for blind and visually impaired talent and corporate leadership to substantially reduce the unemployment rate for members of the blind and visually impaired community. Visit www.nsite.org for more information or connect with NSITE on LinkedIn or Facebook.