St. Louis native David Brown spreads awareness of Paralympic sport of blind soccer

The first diagnosis came when David Brown was merely 15 months old. That’s when doctors determined he had Kawasaki disease, an illness that causes inflammation in blood vessels and puts children at risk of developing other health complications. By the time Brown was 11 years old, the disease had caused his vision to wane. Two years later, Brown’s eyesight was gone.

And yet, even as his vision failed him, Brown retained a strong passion for sports. Before he lost his sight, he played YMCA basketball. As a pre-teen attending Missouri School for the Blind—and later Hazelwood West High School—he fell in love with a number of sports. With a desire to compete and remain physically fit, Brown turned himself into a three-time Paralympian in track and field, winning gold in the 100 meters at the 2016 Paralympic Games.

Now, he has a new obsession: blind soccer.

Last month, the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes named Brown one of six sport ambassadors tasked with spreading awareness about blind soccer and its rise as a paralympic sport. To fulfill this objective, Brown wants to demonstrate that blind soccer is not only a fun sport, but a highly competitive one. “I want to show the athleticism of the sport,” Brown says. “I guarantee you, even if you don’t strap on a blindfold, we can still do just as well, if not better than you.”

In blind soccer, a sport reminiscent of futsal—itself a variation on soccer—each team fields five players, including a goalkeeper. Players wear blindfolds during the game, as they vie for a jangly ball that makes distinct sounds as it rolls. To allow players to hear the ball, games must be played in silence.

Brown has been involved in the sport for three years. In 2019, while preparing for the World Championships in track and field, Brown saw that the blind soccer team was working out at a nearby training center. Brown says that by “divine purpose” he and his wife, Rebekah, were approached by a team administrator who thought Brown was there for soccer practice. Brown became intrigued and digested all the details he could, telling the team’s staff to keep in touch about the squad’s development.

Soon thereafter, Brown was invited to a training camp. He has since participated in several blind soccer camps over the past year, and is hoping to be selected to the team headed to Guatemala for a tournament in December. 

It’s only the latest sporting accomplishment for Brown, who has spent the past decade making a name for himself in Paralympic track and field. He was a spectator at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, a competitor in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, then won a gold medal in the 100 meters at the Rio Games four years later. “I didn’t even realize that I won until like 11 or 12 seconds after the race, because I was still in my zone,” Brown says. His guide to the side of him was celebrating, so that’s the moment he realized he won.

Although he and his wife currently reside in Chula Vista, California, Brown hopes to soon visit his friends in the St. Louis area. In the meantime, he’s training and also working on his wellness business, Team DR Brown LLC. The goal is to use faith, fun, fitness, and food to connect athletes of all stripes. Brown and his wife also maintain a YouTube page where the couple uploads workout and training videos, among other content.

“We are athletes, not just inspirations,” Brown says. “The inspiration is a bonus, but we’re athletes first.”