Visitors to Inverness Leisure on Monday (September 20) are being offered the opportunity to test their skill with a Paralympic sport.
Boccia – pronounced bot-cha – has no Olympic equivalent and is similar to bowls – players propel a Boccia ball by rolling, throwing or kicking it towards a target jack ball, the player with their ball closest to the jack wins.
The event is aimed at those with a disability, though able-bodied friends and family can join in too.
High Life Highland Disability Sports Officer Fiona Green said: “Boccia was originally designed for people with cerebral palsy but it’s now played by people with a wide range of disabilities.
“It was first introduced to the Paralympics in 1984 and now over 50 countries play the game, making it the fastest growing disability sport in the world.
“We’re welcoming existing players or those who have never played before to give it a go, and if it proves popular, we’re hoping we can hold regular boccia sessions in the future.”
HLH Disability Sport Development Officer Charlie Forbes added: “The game is designed so that athletes in a wheelchair launch the ball however they choose – it can be rolled down a ramp, thrown or kicked or if a player isn’t able to throw it with their hands, they can use assistive devices such as a head pointer.
“It sounds simple enough, but this is a game of precision and tactics, testing a person’s muscle control and accuracy.”
The event takes place on Monday, September 20 in the main sports hall at Inverness Leisure on Bught Lane between 4.15pm and 5.45pm.
It is being held as part of celebrations ahead of National Boccia Day – an annual celebration and awareness raising of the sport on September 27.
To book, email [email protected] or [email protected]
