Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada – Ottawa (ON), September 29, 2018 – Today marked Boccia Day in Canada with events and activities taking place from coast to coast. With a mandate on growing the inclusive sport in communities across the country, the focus of Boccia Day is to showcase the Paralympic sport of boccia in partnership with local clubs and organizations.
The flagship event took place in St. John’s, Newfoundland in partnership with Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador. Residents of St. John’s and surrounding area were invited to come and “take the shot” on a full-size boccia court set-up in the Avalon Mall. Demonstrations and lessons were led by Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Team Members including Mike Mercer from St. John’s, who is also a member of the National Boccia Team that competes internationally.
Those in attendance left with prizes for their efforts and a new appreciation of the precision, focus and athleticism needed to compete in boccia at the highest levels.
“Based on the success of the inaugural Boccia Day in Canada last year, we are pleased to continue the momentum and showcase our sport to a new generation of boccia players,” noted Peter Leyser, Executive Director, Boccia Canada.
“We are thrilled to host this year’s flagship event for Boccia Day in Canada,” agrees Easter Seals NL CEO Mark Bradbury. “Boccia is the most inclusive sport in the world, and we are so excited to watch the sport continue to grow in popularity!”
The choice of St. John’s to host this annual day was a natural, given in less than two months (November 16-18th), the best boccia players in the country will converge at the Newfoundland and Labrador Sport Centre for the 25th Canadian Boccia Championships.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA collaborates with partners to increase the participation of Canadians with cerebral palsy and related disabilities in sport and physical activity, while leading, developing and growing boccia from grassroots, to producing World and Paralympic Champions.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of four sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3 and BC4. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.
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Information:
Jennifer Larson
613-890-5101
jlarson@bocciacanada.ca
