Sport fans in Northampton can get a free taster of the Paralympic sport Boccia this Saturday.

Northamptonshire Sport’s Graeme Wilson will be demonstrating the sport at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery as part of the museum’s Olympic exhibition ‘Going for Gold’ which is showing until October 5.

Boccia is a highly skilled sport, similar to bowls, with a big emphasis placed on players’ ability to propel their team’s red or blue balls with distance control and accuracy to get them as near to the white target ball, called a jack, as possible.

At Paralympic level the game is played by people with disabilities that affect their motor skills. The inclusive rules of Boccia stipulate that all players have to be sat down whether they are a wheelchair user or not, which means that everyone plays on a level playing field.

via Free taster session to sample boccia ahead of Paralympics – Community News – Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

Jess Hunter, at 20, is by any test, severely disabled. She is also remarkably pretty. I’m not sure that it is even politically correct to say that. One day last month she ventured to our news studio in her cumbersome wheel chair with her “talent manager” and her assistant, and her coach. Jess is one of ParalympicsGB’s prospects for a gold medal in the up coming Paralympic Games. Her sport is Boccia.

via Gotcha boccia! | Snowblog.

Based on her continued progress, clear evidence and positive performance indicators, on the 10th April 2012, Jess was named in the GB Boccia alongside Jacob Thomas and Scott McCowan.

Their first competition was the ‘London Prepares’ Test Event at the Olympic Park in early May, where Jess and her playing partner – seventeen year old fellow talent recruit Jacob Thomas were to defeat the pairs ranked 1, 2 and 3 in the World (and others) to win the competition and send a message to the boccia world that the British BC3 Squad are genuine contenders.

Further camps and a domestic competition followed before Jess and the rest of the Boccia squad selected for the Games (a squad of nine, chasing seven medal events) travelled to Porto for the Portuguese Masters. The BC3 Pair tried out some new things but did not progress as well as hoped, still taking two medals in the individual event, with Jess losing only to former Paralympic Champion and World Cup winner Paul Gauthier from Canada.

via Jess Hunter – the road to London 2012 (part 2) | Be Active Win Gold.

Interview with Boccia Athlete David Smith

Sport: Boccia

Born: 02/03/89

Lives: Southampton

David has been competing in boccia for 11 years after taking it up at his school. His major achievements include a team bronze at the 2006 Boccia World Championships and team silver at the 2005 Boccia European Championships. He is currently studying for his A-levels.

via Interview with Boccia Athlete David Smith.

PETER and STEPHEN McGUIRE play boccia, a bowls-like sport specifically designed for wheelchair athletes. Stephen, at 27 the younger by two years, got involved first and recruited his brother when he needed a partner for a pairs competition. From Hamilton, they have won titles at British, European and world level.

“I first heard of boccia when I left school,” says Peter, “and I’ve been playing it for about seven years now. It’s specifically designed for people with disabilities like ours.

“I’ve got muscular dystrophy. My father was told I’d be dead when I was nine, but I haven’t deteriorated since I was 12.

“I love the challenge of 
taking on opponents. Stephen is technically better and I’ve got a tactical mind, so I think it’s a good combination.”

Stephen says, “I’ve always loved to play sport – hockey, pool, darts, bowls. To be honest, it has just been my life.

“I’ve been British champion six times, a European champion and a double world silver medallist. A Paralympic medal would fill my collection, and there would be no better place to do it than at a home Olympics, but I’m not counting my chickens.

“In Scotland we don’t have half as many boccia players 
as England, but what we’ve got is quality. And the enthusiasm of some of the young players 
is incredible.”

via The Paralympics: We meet some of the top Scots athletes preparing to compete – Features – Scotsman.com.

Lee Maddison will carry the beacon past City Hall, in London, during a 24-hour relay through the capital ahead of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Mr Maddison, from Sedgefield , in County Durham, was selected by Lloyds TSB in recognition of his achievements in the disability sport of boccia, which is similar to bowls.

The 25-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, plays boccia for England and with friend Chris Jackson has launched a club in County Durham to encourage more disabled people to take part.

His grandfather, Bill Routledge, from Bishop Auckland , carried the Olympic torch along Claypath, in Durham City, during the nationwide relay before the Olympics.

Mr Maddison said: “I couldn’t believe it when I found out, especially when my granddad got to carry it as well.

via Lee to follow grandfather as he carries torch for Games (From The Northern Echo).

FROM the outside, the dice would appear loaded against the McGuire brothers.

Each confined to a wheelchair with an incurable degenerative condition, they could have been forgiven for living on handouts.

But their incredible drive and ambition – and the attitude that makes them so unique – have made them Paralympians.

Positive, determined and with a wickedly dry wit, their commentary on life as it unfolds is irrepressible.

And it is matched only by their desire to win a medal at the Paralympics – a goal that has come about by deliberate planning and strategy on Stephen McGuire’s part, encompassing his big brother Peter, 29, along the way.

“When I left school, I decided I wanted to be a Paralympian. I researched it to figure out what sports I would have to do to get me there, ” said Stephen, 27. “I came across table tennis, swimming and a sport called boccia, which I had never heard of.

via Disabled brothers on Paralympic dream – Daily Record.

John Wolfe, senior sport co-ordinator at Bolton Lads and Girls Club, said: “With the London 2012 Games over, Boccia and New Age Kurling gave us the perfect opportunity to teach 14 young people two key Paralympic sports.

“Everyone had a lot of fun, learnt new skills and were given a glimpse into the Paralympic sports we will see over the coming weeks on our TVs.”

via A taste of Paralympic sports for youngsters (From The Bolton News).

Hopeful of being able to compete in London in 2012 after he narrowly missed out on a place at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, Boccia World Cup gold medallist Ali Lalani (< more info) discussed his sport, his inspirations, and his future aspirations with Zahid Lalani.

via The Ismaili: World Cup boccia champion determined to represent his country at the Paralympics.

Residents can enjoy the magnificent surroundings of the House of Commons in aid of Tadworth-based charity The Children’s Trust this autumn.

Guest speaker Ali Lalani, 2007 World Cup Boccia Champion and vice-president of The Children’s Trust, will be talking about what it takes to become a champion plus his experience working with the Boccia competition management team for the London 2012 Paralympics.

via Parliament trip on offer by children’s charity (From Your Local Guardian).