Morris Co. Goalball Athlete Selected For U.S. Paralympic Team

MORRIS CO, NJ — An athlete from Boonton, in Morris County, was selected to join the U.S. goalball team at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Lisa Czechowski has played in the last five Paralympic Games and Tokyo will mark her sixth.

Her goalball team has won silver in 2004, gold in 2008, and bronze in 2016. In 2000, she competed in discus at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and won silver.

“Choosing the final roster for an event as prestigious as the Paralympic Games is never easy,” said U.S. Women’s Goalball Head Coach Jake Czechowski. “The depth of our player pool made this year’s selection especially difficult. We have great veteran leadership and experience with a combined 14 Paralympic teams. I expect our team to be ready for all the challenges and excitement that the Paralympics provides."

COVID-19 has influenced the selection process this year.

"With all the changes and new protocols due to COVID, experience will be that much more valuable," Czechowski said.

At the 2016 Paralympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, the women's team reached third place. The US was the only country to have both men's and women's teams reach the podium, with the former winning the silver medal.

The women’s team won the silver medal in last month’s Trakai Tournament in Lithuania.

The are members selected for the Paralympic Games:

• Mindy Cook, from Columbus, Ohio
• Lisa Czechowski, from Boonton, N.J.
• Amanda Dennis, from Peachtree City, Ga.
• Marybai Huking, from Salt Lake City, Utah
• Eliana Mason, from Beaverton, Ore.
• Asya Miller, from Portland, Ore.