Mdm Kwok is also currently the national coach for boccia – a ball-tossing game designed for those with mobile disabilities – and she has set up boccia as a co-curricular activity at the school. Seven students from the school have since represented the Singapore Disability Sports Council’s boccia team.
Boccia club due to open in Hoddesdon
A SPORTS club for disabled people due to open in Hoddesdon hopes to build on the resounding success of the Paralympics.
Peter Stannard
Wheelchair user Peter Stannard, who suffers from a disorder that causes weakness in his legs and pelvis, set up the Broxbourne Badgers boccia club.
Boccia is a ball game similar to bowls or petanque, in which players throw balls as close as they can towards a jack.
Peter, 52, said: “I’m doing this to get me away from my disability – it’s like a kind of therapy helping others.
“There’s been quite a bit of interest and we’ve already got about 10 or so signed up and are hoping for more.
“Boccia is similar to bowls but played seated and can be played on any kind of surface.
“It was originally developed for people with severe cerebral palsy, but anyone can play it – disabled or able-bodied.”
Boccia England: Regional Championships Dates
All of the dates for this season’s Regional Championships 12/13 are now finalised and we are taking entries!
Details of dates can be found on the event calendar
Congratualtions to the automatic qualifiers, they are as follows, from the 2012 National Championships: David Smith, Nigel Murray, Cecilia Turk, Harry Thompson. From the 2012 GB Championships: David Smith, David Hill, Andrew Morgan, Dan Bentley, Nigel Murray, Jess Hunter.
Please everyone remember that all entries must be received 2 weeks prior to the competition date. You can download the entry form below. If you have any queries on this season’s Regional Championships then please contact the Boccia England office, 0115 9678455.
Paralympian Boccia star returns to Sarnia
Sarnia’s Paralympic medallist Josh Vander Vies is coming home for the first time since taking bronze in boccia in the London 2012 games.
The UBC law student and Northern Collegiate graduate will be welcomed home with an open house Sunday, Nov. 11, 5 p.m. at Pathways Health Centre.
He will also be addressing Northern staff and students Nov. 12 at the school.
via Paralympian returns to Sarnia | Local | News | Sarnia Observer.
Boccia coach helps special needs students find their voice
For more than a decade, he could only express his thoughts and feelings through picture cards. Unable to write or type, communication for the boy, who has severe cerebral palsy, was limited to a thick stack of cards toted around in a file.
That drove his Special Education (SPED) teacher, Mdm Lanny Kwok, to embark on a search six years ago for assistive devices that could help him take a leap beyond his abilities.
With Mdm Kwok’s help, participating during classes and initiating conversations with his parents and friends became easier for the boy, now 21, thanks to a software she found – which allowed him to string sentences together by tapping on a “switch” as alphabets rolled across a computer screen. To enhance the communication process, pictures he could click were periodically added to help illustrate a point……
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via TODAYonline | Singapore | Helping her special needs students find their voice.
Jewish Boccia Players required for Paralympics, Israel in 2013
Next summer (between 18th and 30th July), the “Maccabiah” games will take place in Israel. The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event, held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. Maccabiah is open to Jewish athletes as well as Israeli athletes regardless of religion.
The games, always held in Israel, are in fact three separate competitions – “Open,” “Juniors,” and “Masters”. Every Israeli citizen and every Jew not an Israeli citizen, is eligible to compete in the games. Sports in the junior games are open to any qualifying athlete aged 15 to 18. Masters’ sports are divided into a number of different age categories—generally for older competitors. Unlike the Olympic games and other major international sporting events, the sport list for the Maccabiah Games is not set in stone.
For the first time ever it has been decided to have Paralympic sports involved – and there will be a Boccia event too! All Jewish Boccia athletes are invited to participate and register for the Maccabiah through Itzik Azoulay [itzik194@gmail.com]. Please contact him for further information.
Boccia stars head to Hamilton for primary school celebrations
Hamilton’s Stephen and Peter McGuire visited St Elizabeth’s Primary to share their London 2012 experiences with the pupils.
The brothers took part in the Boccia event, with Stephen coming fourth in his individual event and the duo losing out on a bronze medal to Portugal.
Christine Emmett, headteacher at St Elizabeth’s Primary, said: “The children had lots of questions about their Olympic training kit and about the atmosphere surrounding the ceremonies and the events.”
The athletes also joined the school on a special day, when all the pupils and staff wore pink to raise awareness of breast cancer, raising £200 for charity.
via Team GB stars head to Hamilton for primary school celebrations
Invacare Canada initiative supported by Boccia medallist, Vander Vies
Josh Vander Vies, a Paralympic bronze medallist in boccia, was on hand for the announcement at Variety Village in Scarborough, Ont. and applauded the news of the partnership.
“For 10 years, I’ve had an Invacare chair,” said Vander Vies, originally from Sarnia, Ont., now living in Vancouver. “Invacare are leaders in Canada in terms of performance equipment. This performance factor gives me the confidence that I need on the boccia court to make the high stakes shots.”
Rio the goal for boccia champ
The search for Paralympic hopefuls to compete in the sport of Boccia for Australia is on as the Paralympic Committee tour the country.
Rockhampton Sporting Wheelies held a come-and-try day recently to encourage more people with disabilities to get involved in the sport.
36-year-old Helena Kidd has been competing in the game since 2006 and took part in the day as part of her training.
Her mother Kay Kidd is also her ramp assistant and says it’s a sport for all levels of disability.
“It’s originally and Italian lawn bowls game that they have played but they play with steel balls so for disabilities, we play with a soft leather ball and with Helena, she plays with a ramp,” she says.
“She has a ramp and a head pointer so that she can propel the balls off the ramp with the head pointer.
“There are other people that play with throwing.”
via Rio the goal for boccia champ – ABC Capricornia – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Adam ramps it up on court at Boccia NSW Junior State Titles
ADAM Aran is proving to people everywhere that having a disability doesnt mean you cant compete at the highest level.The Yennora teenager recently came seventh in the Boccia NSW Junior State Titles, among 30 athletes fighting for the title at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen.Competing in the individual BC3 classification, Adam uses a ramp to put the boccia ball in to the field of play.Jennifer Durante from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance said boccia was developed to allow athletes with minimal physical movement to enjoy all the benefits of competitive sport.
via Adam ramps it up on court at Boccia NSW Junior State Titles – People – News – Fairfield Advance.
Terrific treble for Grimsby Boccia star Wilson
Mr. Wilson
became the first person in the ten-year history of the event to complete the treble of senior, open and doubles titles.
Boccia, one of the fastest growing disability sports, is a game similar to bowls but played sat down with red and blue balls targeting a white jack.
The senior competition attracted 14 competitors, who were split into four groups with the top two in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Wilson looked in trouble in Group Four when he lost his second match to Petrina Borrill, but a fine win in his final game against Joanne Nuttall secured first place on points difference. Robert Askew was runner-up after wins over Borrill and Nuttall.
Defending champion Jimmy Grant started the defence of his title in fine style, winning Group Two. Philip Rushby joined him in the quarter-finals following a victory over Dianne Booker.
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