Zach Buhler

I began losing my vision when I was twelve, which challenged my identity as an athlete. After finding goalball a few years later, I started training for the Paralympics, but those aspirations were challenged when I tore my MCL. Finally, after a grueling effort to get back to the court, I made it to Tokyo. And now I have an ACL injury to recover from. So I've had my share of hurdles, but everyone has hurdles of their own, and I enjoy connecting over struggles. Let's use this time to discuss how to maintain a positive attitude and always get back up in the face of adversity.

Sometimes I'm approached by kids who are blind, deaf, in a wheelchair, or have other disabilities - or their parents -and I'm asked about how I managed to continue to pursue athletics after I lost my sight. Chasing a dream despite the possibility of failure is scary! But I wanted to play and I learned how to fight for what I wanted. This can be a heavy topic, but I enjoy discussing adaptive sports with anyone who can benefit from the conversation.

I've referred to goalball as the coolest sport most people have never heard of. Whether you're just beginning to learn about it or have serious aspirations, I never get tired about discussing the game. In fact, after a couple of tough years, I credit goalball with giving me the energy to pick myself up. Let's talk about goalball!

I was adopted from birth by 2 very loving parents who ended up adopting 4 children. All my siblings, including myself, have a disability and the victories and struggles that come with that were life changing. Before my first eye surgery at age 12, I asked to meet my birth family. To this day I continue to stay in contact with them. Going through all of this gave me a different perspective on how to navigate life with my adoptive family as well as my birth family.