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.

A determined teenager who has overcome his disability to be a budding sporting champion has been nominated for a top award.

Inspirational Thomas Holmes, aged 15, has to use a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy but has scooped a host of medals for the Paralympic sport of boccia .

The youngster, a pupil at King Ecgbert School in Dore, is now hoping to take home another prize from the Yorkshire Child of Courage awards next month.

Thomas’ proud dad Martin, of Heeley, said: “We are absolutely ecstatic that Thomas has been nominated.

“Thomas never lets anything stop him.

“If there is any obstacle there he will try and get round it.

“He started off playingboccia three or four years ago and he has just gone on from there. At first he thought it was a bit boring but he just got into it.

“He took part in the Rotary district disability games in Barnsley and did so well he came home with four trophies and medals.”

Thomas won a Star Superkids award for his triumph over adversity earlier this year – and has even motivated his dad to become a qualified boccia coach.

He was nominated for the Yorkshire Child of Courage prize by Karen Codling, chairman of the Sheffield Smashers Boccia club which Thomas and his family are involved with.

Karen, a partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell which sponsors the club, said: “In the two years I have known Thomas he has come on really well.

“I have learned a lot from Thomas and now I can’t believe how competitive he is.

“He has done so well in all the competitions we have entered him into and he always wants to be on the winning team.”

Winners of the awards – which aim to recognise youngsters across the county for their achievements and bravery – will be revealed at a ceremony in Leeds on Friday, October 4.

Today sees the first National Paralympics Day – with a free event held at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, combing sporting events with a showcase of disability art.

Visitors can enjoy a day of Paralympic sport at the newly re-opened Copperbox venue (which hosted Goalball during the Games) including boccia, wheelchair basketball and seated volleyball.

Liberty, the annual London disability art festival will take place alongside the sporting events. It began as a stand-alone festival in Trafalgar Square 10 years ago and in the last few years has been physically linked with the celebrations around the Paralympic games. This year it’s in the Olympic Park itself.

via BBC News – It’s the first National Paralympics Day – but will there be a second?.

WHO could forget the wonderful scenes at the Olympic stadium during the Paralympic games?Villagers hope to recreate the joy of those two weeks in 2012 with their own festival of Paralympic sport.Sports star Olivia Breen will be there to launch Denmead Sports Fest on Saturday which will see activities such as goalball, wheelchair rugby and boccia take place at Ashling Pavilion.Other activities include demonstrations of sitting volleyball, wheelchair tennis and cricket for the visual impaired.Tony Daniells, from Denmead Parish Council, said: ‘A lot of us went to the Paralympics last year and we were so impressed.‘There was a lot of talk about maintaining the Olympic legacy and we have got the facilities to do just that.

via Paralympic legacy lives on in village’s sports extravaganza – Portsmouth News.

Woodhey High pupil Matthew Topping, aged 13, travelled to the USA to take part in the Dwarf World Games, held in Michigan.Matthew achieved a gold medal in football as well as silver in boccia, badminton doubles and 25-metre backstroke, bronze in floor hockey, basketball and bronze and a personal best in discus.

via Ramsbottom golden boy Matthew brings home medals From Lancashire Telegraph.

Twelve months after the Olympic Stadium erupted when Jonnie Peacock won gold in the T44 100m at the Paralympic Games, the athlete was back in Cambridge on a mission to inspire a new generation of athletes and volunteers.

The 20-year-old from Doddington visited Impington Village College as part of Join In’s summer-long drive to encourage people to volunteer in their local communities.

Potential Paralympians from the Cambridge group Camboccia got the chance to chat with Jonnie and join him for a game of boccia – the bowls-style sport in which Team GB won bronze at the 2012 Games – while members of the public were able to find out more about volunteering.

via SLIDESHOW: Paralympic gold medallist Jonnie Peacock on why he loves Cambridge, meeting David Beckham and the value of volunteers | Cambridge City News, Cambridge Local News Stories & Latest Headlines About Cambridge.