A Paralympian has spurred children on to aim high after sharing his story of success with pupils at Birch Wood Special School.

Team GB Boccia player Daniel Bentley, who has cerebral palsy, visited the school in Melton on Monday to take part in a special assembly.

A spokeswoman at the school said: “Dan was an inspiration for pupils, they wanted to know how much he had to practice to get into the Paralympics and how he copes with all his training, they had lots of questions.”

The visit, which concluded with a Boccia lesson, was organised as part of a themed week on inspirational people at the school, supported by Melton Council.

via Paralympian spots talent at Birch Wood – Melton Times.

On Sunday, October 6 the Merseyside Open Boccia Tournament took place at Greenbank Sports Academy Liverpool. Involving over 100 competitors from across the North West and North Wales, with the furthest group travelling from the East Midlands. Merseyside clubs attending were Moreton, Fairfield, Greenbank, Sedburn Academy and Cambridge Road.Competitors were classified into impairment groups from BC 1-3 and BG 5-8 in junior and senior groups. The importance of the competition is clear as nearing the end of the group stages many competitors, coaches and volunteers approached the desk for an update on points.

via Disability Sport – Boccia Open – Merseyside Sports Partnership – Liverpool Echo.

Community centres from across Elmbridge competed in the annual boccia tournament.

Last year’s winners from Claygate centre for the community were back to defend their title and hoping to take the crown for the third consecutive year.

Teams from the Molesey and Walton centres battled for third and fourth places, while Claygate and Hersham went head to head in the final.

After a close match, Claygate edged away from Hersham, taking the title.

via Claygate take Elmbridge boccia title for third year running (From Your Local Guardian).

The legacy of last year’s Paralympic Games is being perpetuated locally by one man’s newfound enthusiasm for a little-known sport.Colin Gibbons from Masterton Road, Stamford had never heard of boccia until he saw it played live at last summer’s Paralympic Games in London and he was hooked immediately.The 27-year-old, who has been wheelchair-bound with a mitochondrial disorder since he was 14, realised with a sense of excitement that he would be able to play it.As a sport for people with disabilities, boccia does not yet have a very high profile but Colin is hoping to change that. Boccia is similar to bowls but is played with soft leather balls which players can roll, throw, kick or use a ramp to move.“As soon as I saw it played I said to my parents: I could do that. We came home and Googled it and I said to them – you know I really could do that.” Colin said.

via Video: Boccia inspires Collin Gibbons’ enthusiasm – Rutland and Stamford Mercury.

A pair of dedicated volunteers from Timsbury have grasped the chance to become fully fledged sports referees adjudicating in front of packed crowds at last month’s Special Olympics.

Dave Ransom and Mike Knight, both volunteers at Greenhill House, a Leonard Cheshire Disability residential service for disabled people in Timsbury, were given the opportunity to become Boccia Award Officials skilled to referee, thanks to an award-winning sports project for disabled people in Bath.

Both got the boccia bug to play the paralympic precision ball game.

Last month Dave and Mike got to test their mettle as newly qualified coaches as part of the Special Olympics 2013 National Summer Games Boccia Competition, which was held in B

via Timsbury volunteers game for referee role | This is Somerset.

Boccia is a Paralympic sport for athletes with disabilities that have a major impact on motor skills. Boccia is a target ball sport belonging to the same family as petanque and bowls.

The GBBF was formed in 2007 with the aim of bringing together the home country agencies responsible for the delivery of elite level Boccia in Great Britain at that time; CP Sport England and Wales (Boccia Engalnd now have responsibility), Scottish Disability Sport and Disability Sport Wales.

The GBBF’s primary role is the selection and development of the GB Boccia squad. The GBBF is responsible for sending a GB team to European Championships, World Championships and World Cups to qualify teams and pairs to represent Great Britain at the Paralympic Games.

Great Britain sent a full team of nine players to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and won two medals. David Smith won Silver in the BC1 Individual competition and the BC1/BC2 Team of Smith, Nigel Murray, Dan Bentley and Zoe Robinson won Bronze.

via Welcome – GB Boccia.