Boccia is a precision bowling game, similar to bocce or lawn bowling, and in London, Ontario, one of its biggest fans is Joe – a member of the PHSS community. Joe attends numerous tournaments across Ontario, with the support of the PHSS Enriching Lives Fund, which helped procure some of his training equipment.
Medals abound as Joe racks up more Boccia wins.
Boccia can be played by individuals, pairs, or teams of three. All events are mixed gender. The aim of the game is to throw leather balls — coloured red or blue (which side uses which is determined by a coin toss) as close as they can to a white target ball, or jack. In Canada, Boccia is administered by Boccia Canada; the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport.
According to Boccia Canada guidelines, If you can’t throw the ball, you can roll it or kick it. If a player cannot roll the ball or hit it with the foot, he can use a ramp. If he/she cannot release the ball with the hand, he/she can use the head or a hand pointer. Boccia is played indoors, on a court that is similar in size to a badminton court. The court includes six throwing boxes, one for each athlete. Athletes must stay in their box during their turn. Boccia is a sport of precision, focus and accuracy. It is a complex and technical game where players must employ a great degree of both physical coordination and mental foresight. Boccia was introduced onto the Paralympic program in 1984. Today, it is played in over fifty countries.
Tune in to learn more about our rock star boccia player, Joe, on the PHSS web and social media channels. Coming Soon! ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/jrKZj6SnTY
— PHSS – Medical & Complex Care in Community (@PHSScommunity) December 30, 2023
When we interviewed Joe for our feature, he wanted to share the following: “I really enjoy Boccia, competing and travelling to different tournaments. I feel good when I am playing Boccia and that, in turn, helps me feel better about myself.”
PHSS has been supporting Joe through its Enriching Lives Fund. The Enriching Lives Fund provides financial assistance to assist people supported to participate in activities that align with their person-centered plan. Donations made to the Enriching Lives Fund help to reduce the financial barrier for those we support to achieve their goals and dreams, and in turn, enjoy a more enriching life. In Joe’s case, the Enriching Lives Fund was able to procure pieces of training equipment that help Joe train for the tournaments he attends across Ontario, including the Boccia Blast and the Boccia Regional Championships. Playing competitive sports can be costly and without the upgrade to his equipment, Joe’s goals couldn’t be met. Joe is truly in his happy place when he is on the court playing sports and his new ramp has allowed him to improve his ranking.
Joe’s training is aided by support from PHSS.
Anyone wanting more information on opportunities to support the goals of amazing people like Joe can find more information on the Enriching Lives Fund and other PHSS and PHSS Foundation funds by visiting the PHSS website. For more PHSS community stories, visit our newsroom.
