Amanda Provan is ready for her next challenge.

Now 32 years old, the long-time Sudbury native made history in 2022, becoming the first ever female to crack the roster of Canadian National Blind Hockey team.

Born with congenital nystagmus, a condition that leaves her with 20/200 vision, Provan had managed to utilize what sight she had in her pursuit of her favourite sport, participating in the Sudbury Playground Hockey League, Sudbury & District Girls Hockey League as well as the Sudbury Women's Hockey League before being introduced to blind hockey.

The contacts she has made with a sport that is still cutting its teeth on a global level would bear fruit when Provan attended her first blind soccer camp back in 2025, the event hosted at the CNIB Lake Joseph Centre.

Some twelve months later, Provan was named to the Canadian women's team that will compete at the IBSA Women's Blind Football American Championshipfrom September 3rd to September 9th in Sau Paulo, Brazil.

"It was extremely intimidating at first, just not knowing the space you are playing in very well," she said. "That orientation aspect of it is something I have been working on, but it also stresses me out because I am not that familiar with the size of the field."

And where Provan can make out blurry imagery while out on the ice, blind soccer requires any athlete who is not completely blind to wear "eyeshades" (blindfold), save the goaltenders.

On a pitch that runs 40 metres long by 20 metres wide and squeezes four outfield players and a keeper on each team, communication is critical - and aided.

"Communication between players, between coaches, between guides is key," said Provan. "When you are focused on the ball, you are not necessarily as focused on the direction you are going. That's where the guides and coaches come in."

Just outside of the field of play, coaches are located at midfield and behind the opposing net. While collisions are not uncommon, players are required to say "voy" (Spanish for "I am going") when they are attacking or trying to get to the ball.

"And you can make contact to know where someone is, lightly, not aggressive, and then you can kind of step with them as they move," said Provan. One can certainly see why greater familiarity with the game, the setting and one's teammates would go a long way in increasing the comfort level of new participants.

"Obviously I have dedicated some time to this and it's something I would like to pursue - but I will have a better idea of how much I want to put into this once I have played a few games," said Provan.

Where blind hockey is, pretty much, a Canada vs USA battle with no female only competitive teams in existence, women's blind soccer features no less than 13 countries ranked in the world, with another seven to eight still in the early stages of development of the sport in their homeland.

Come next month, Canada will be joined by Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, competing at a paralympic facility that is expected to have permanent side boards in place, ensuring the ball remains on the pitch in addition to serving as a form of guidance for the players.

"The women's side of the game is still very new but I have seen some ridiculous plays, players dribbling around an opponent, some really cool clips," said Provan. As the sport is largely unfunded, the local has established a fundraising link for anyone looking to help support this initiative and her trip to Brazil: www.soccability.ca/?form=FUNPCNFRGLH.