Active Kids Paralympic Challenge

Teacher Guide: Boccia

Boccia basics

Boccia (pronounced ‘botch-ya’) is a bowls-type target sport in which players propel balls nearer to a target ball than their opponents. Players compete as individuals, pairs or as a team of three. Boccia provides a challenge for players with a wide range of abilities and can be adapted for almost any environment. Paralympic boccia is played by athletes who have coordination and control impairments resulting from Cerebral Palsy or other conditions affecting motor skills.

Information Start the Active Kids Paralympic Challenge

There is a simple description of how boccia is played in the Young Go to the Activate section of the Active Kids Paralympic Challenge Leaders section of the Active Kids Paralympic Challenge website. website to find the boccia Challenges. Visit the following websites for more information: When to take Challenges www.paralympics.org.uk Breakfast or after school clubs www.bocciaengland.org.uk Break times – led by Young Leaders or Lunchtime supervisors You can also see a great introduction to boccia by visiting: Lesson energisers www.topsportsability.co.uk School challenges – which class, house or year group can travel the furthest on the Road to Rio app Active Kids Paralympic Challenge

Links to PE Boccia input Master basic The ball can be propelled in many different ways and young people can therefore develop a range of sending skills and utilise adaptations movements to support their specific needs and abilities, such as: • underarm or overarm throw; dart-type throw; single arm bowling action; • kick or push the ball with the foot or use a ball-sending ramp or gutter.

Agility, balance In boccia, these concepts can be interpreted in specific ways. For example: and coordination Agility • The physical movement of sending the boccia ball, even if only one limb is involved. Balance • Balance and positioning are key. • Players need to throw from a relaxed but stable base that enables their delivery arm to move freely. Coordination • Paralympic boccia is played by athletes whose impairments particularly challenge their ability to control and coordinate movement. • Young children experience similar issues when coordinating arm movement with the release of the ball from the hand.

Flexibility, Flexibility strength and • Boccia can be used to explain the importance of flexibility and range of movement in specific parts of the body. technique • Paralympic boccia players warm-up and stretch their throwing arm, often to overcome stiffness, spasticity and joint contracture. Strength • This element is important in being able to deliver the ball to any part of the boccia court – which is 75 square metres. Technique • Boccia players develop individual throwing techniques. • Explore ways of sending the ball. • Different techniques may be required at different times in the game.

Communication • In team boccia a captain is appointed who communicates with the referee and makes final decisions on tactics. • Young people can take turns at leading and take responsibility for their decisions. Active Kids Paralympic Challenge

Cross-curricular links Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Design and technology • Taking part in the Active Kids Paralympic Challenge provides opportunities • A unique aspect of boccia is the use of assistive devices to enable severely for young people to: impaired players to compete. -- Positively participate and volunteer in a wider variety of sporting environ- • These include ramp, gutter and tubular ball-sending devices and head point- ments & settings. ers for those whose arm or hand control is impaired. -- Develop teamwork skills to cooperate well with others. • Challenge young people to devise different ways of sending a boccia ball -- Understand and apply new rules to participate effectively. accurately into the court. -- Develop their self-esteem and self-confidence. • They can use readily-available materials or construct a simple delivery de- vice.

History Numeracy • Challenge young people to investigate the history of the game of boccia. • Measure the distance between competing balls and the jack to determine • What is the origin of the name, for example? who is nearer. • Compare the background and origins of similar games such as lawn bowls or • The random dispersal of balls across the court also enables young people petanque. to consider the simple geometric shapes that connect them and the angles that these shapes form. • Before collecting up the balls, young people can explore the relationship between each ball and the jack, balls of the same colour. • They can use masking tape or throw down lines to create the shapes they identify.

Further support - Sainsbury’s Inclusive PE Training

Do you struggle to adapt or simplify activities to ensure all are engaged in PE? Do you want practical ideas to help to stretch and challenge the more able? Can you identify any children that you struggle to engage or include? If you answered YES to any of the above questions then Sainsbury’s Inclusive PE Training is for you, free workshops and resources for teachers, trainee teachers and school staff to fully include all pupils in curriculum PE - www.inclusivepe-eng.co.uk