Boccia

The aim of the game is to throw leather balls - coloured red or blue as close as you can to a white target ball, or jack.

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An Overview of Boccia

Boccia (pronounced 'botcha') is a Paralympic target sport which is similar to bowls. Boccia is played indoors, usually in a sports hall. The aim is to propel your balls close to a smaller ball, called the jack.

You can compete as an individual, in pairs, or teams of three.

Benefits

Meet new people
Provides physical, mental and social benefits.
Great for all levels of fitness

Involvement

Use our Activity Finder or use Boccia England's 'Find a Club' tool to find out more about local VI Boccia opportunities.

Once you're a member of a club, there are many competitions you can take part in.

England host regional Heathcoat Cup competitions around the country. These are competition programs for all impairment groups. It is perfect for players wanting to start or further their individual competition experience.

Sight classifications are important to ensure fair and equal competition. Success at competitions should be defined by an athlete's skill and ability, not their impairment. The sight classifications should give all athletes the confidence that they are competing against others equally.

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Adaptations and Equipment

For players with a visual impairment, a VI Boccia Grid is used. The Grid is a handheld and scaled-down version of a boccia court. Plastic pegs serve as tactile markers and come in a variety of shapes and textures to correspond with the various coloured balls. A Sports Assistant uses the grid to plot the positions of each ball on the court.

If players don't have access to a specialist VI boccia grid, other adaptations can be used.