USABA Inducts Parrigin into Hall of Fame

The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is pleased to announce the induction of Thomas Parrigin Jr. into the USABA Hall of Fame. Parrigin (St. Augustine, Florida) is one of six individuals and one team that together represent the 2013-17 USABA Hall of Fame class. He was recognized for his accomplishments, hard work and dedication to the sport of goalball and to USABA in a ceremony during the USABA Youth Goalball National Championships on November 9, 2013, at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind with numerous coaches, athletes and administrators in attendance.

“Over the course of his career, Tom Parrigin has been a dedicated coach, committed board member and generous philanthropist,” USABA Executive Director Mark Lucas said. “Everything he has given to the sport of goalball and our organization has impacted countless lives for generations to come.”

Parrigin has been with USABA for more than 30 years, serving on the organization’s Board of Directors. Before getting his start with USABA, he worked for the Tennessee School for the Blind, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and later officially started the Florida Association of Blind Athletes. From 1992 to 2010, Parrigin was also the USA Men’s Goalball head coach.  His coaching accomplishments include Bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games and 2006 World Goalball Championships and a Gold medal at the 2009 International Blind Sports Federation Pan American Games. Between 1992 and 1998, his Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind team also won five national championships. In addition, the Florida Association of Blind Athletes won the men’s national championships in 1995 and 2008.

"I started coaching blind athletes in 1958 and have been involved with USABA since 1977, when it was an organization that worked with mostly residential schools athletes and staff,” Parrigin said. “Today, the board of directors is mainly composed of business and professional men and women. I enjoyed being an integral part of this growth, always looking for something that would enhance USABA, be it coaching, fund raising, organizing tournaments or camps and serving on the board."

For a full biography on Parrigin and information on past Hall of Fame members go to www.usaba.org.