Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Parasports
  • Chennai schools compete in boccia competition for kids, World Cerebral Palsy Day special

Chennai schools compete in boccia competition for kids, World Cerebral Palsy Day special

Parasports October 3, 2018
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

It is World Cerebral Palsy Day later this week and to mark the occasion, an inter-school boccia competition is being held by NGO Vidya Sagar, which reaches out to people with developmental disabilities.

Six schools for kids with disabilities in and around Chennai will compete for the top title. The competition will start off with a demo event for children who are new to the sport.

A Paralympic sport, boccia can be played by anyone, with or without a disability. It was originally designed for people with severe cerebral palsy. Today, it is enjoyed by players with a wide range of disabilities.

While it is easy for a newbie to pick up, it scales up in intensity and complexity as players sharpen their skills.

There are not many games that children with cerebral palsy can take part in. For instance, they cannot take part in athletics or sports basketball. As 6 October is World Cerebral Palsy Day, we decided to celebrate it with a boccia event, which a person with any physical disability can play, even someone with just finger movements. – Simy C A, Physiotherapist, NGO Vidya Sagar

The hope is to eventually popularize the game across India so that boccia becomes a national-level sport and one day even send a team for international events.

Rules of boccia

Boccia can be played by individuals, pairs, or teams of three. The aim of the game is to throw balls, that can be red or blue, as close as possible to a white target ball, which is called jack.

The jack is thrown first, then the first two balls are played. After this, the side furthest away from the jack tries to either get closer to the jack or knock the opposition’s ball out of the way. This goes on until one side has played all the balls, after which the opposing side plays their remaining balls.

The balls can be moved with hands, feet, or an assistive device as well. After each round, the referee measures the distance of the balls closest to the jack, and awards points accordingly.

The event in Chennai is for kids between the ages of 12 to 20 years. For children below 12 years there is a demo game where they will get to learn these steps. “Many schools don’t know about Boccia, so we thought this was a good opportunity to learn about the game”, says Simy.

Mentoring the new players will be 22-year-old Nagamanjali, who has been playing the game for three years now.

Her mother Anandi Chandrashekhar says she took to the game instantly when it was introduced it at the Vidya Sagar school. An avid sports lover, Nagamanjali, who has cerebral palsy, loves the opportunity to be able to play a game.

“This is a ball game specially designed for wheelchair users and Nagamanjali took to it instantly. Now she is a seasoned player and knows the rules. She plays every Saturday for two hours after her computer class”, says Anandi.

Nagamanjali, who is looking forward to teaching the young ones the tricks the sport agrees. “This game has been designed for us. I love all games but this one is special for me as it is for wheelchair users”.

This young woman definitely shows all the signs of making it to the national team!

ALSO READ:
Over 20 teams take part in the Boccia Nationals Team Championship

Watch in Sign Language

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Contribue to Newz Hook |Disability news. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature disability stories or share disability news with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Accessibility

Beyond Braille series brings to blind children a new visual language

Get-hooked

5 wheelchair friendly travel destinations in Asia!

Get-hooked

Quilling artisan & entrepreneur Gunavathy Chandrasekaran brings incredible patterns to life

Get-hooked

#ChampionsWithCP - Find out what makes movie critic Paresh C Palicha the last word on Malayalam cinema

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook | Disability News - media site focusing on Disability Stories and Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight disability news, offer inclusive solutions and create accessible collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who will share disability stories and news.
Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.