Bridgwater College hosted their second annual Boccia Tournament to celebrate the success of the numerous boccia sessions being delivered to special educational needs (SEN) students.
The sessions are delivered by the Team BC Activators (student volunteers) and Carly Martin (College Sports Maker) as a way of increasing sports participation for those that don’t get regular access to physical activities. Nine teaching groups access these sessions on a weekly basis.
Boccia (pronounced 'Bot-cha') is a Paralympic sport which has no Olympic counterpart. Players throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a 'jack' ball. It is designed specifically for athletes with a disability affecting loco motor function. It is played indoors on a court similar in size to a badminton court. The aim of the game is to get closer to the jack than your opponent.
Those participating in regular boccia sessions not only reap the physical benefits of taking part in sport, but also gain opportunities to develop numeracy skills, communication and teamwork. The Team BC activators who lead the sessions are able to extend their coaching experiences by coaching a disability sport to SEN students.
The tournament saw 6 teams enter and teams played each other in a ‘round robin’ format. The team that won the tournament would be the team that could get the most amounts of points throughout the duration of the tournament. All participants received a certificate for their great sportsmanship and impressive skill but the winners of the festival were Molly Williams and Callum Williams.
Maggie St Quintin, Lecturer for Entry Studies said,
“Thanks so much to Carly and the Activators for organising the tournament. My students really enjoyed it!”
Sue Corfield, LSC for Entry Studies said,
“The Boccia tournament was an amazing opportunity for the students to use the Boccia skills they have been learning this year, to mix with other groups and have the chance to compete against other teams. Every one of the students really enjoyed the tournament and have come away with a sense of pride and confidence in themselves.
“Cross college partnerships have been formed by the Team BC Activators organising this tournament and it shows the Equality and Diversity within the college. All of our students would love to compete in any future tournaments that are organised. Our thanks to all the Team BC Activators for a wonderful afternoon.”
The College will continue to run this tournament annually, with the hope of extending the invitation to external colleges. As well as this, students who participated in this event have displayed an interested in participating in similar tournaments which include other sports.
