Introduction

Boccia is a precision ball sport originally practiced as an activity for individuals with cerebral palsy, but is now played by athletes with other disabilities affecting motor skills.  Boccia was introduced as a Paralympic sport at the 1984 Paralympic games in New York. In 2008, boccia was being played in over fifty countries worldwide.  The governing body for the sport is the Boccia International Sports Federation (BISFed).  Boccia is also an official sport of the National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA), the Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA) and Special Olympics International (SOI).

Boccia is a competitive game that can be played one-on-one, in pairs, or in teams of three. It is played on a specially marked court, usually with a hard surface. The object of the game is to throw or bowl game balls so that they land as close as possible to a special target ball. The game begins with a player throwing the white target ball onto the court. Opponents then take turns trying to throw or bowl their game balls as close as possible to the target ball. When all the game balls have been thrown, a referee determines the points awarded to individuals or teams based on a measurement of how close the game balls are to the target ball.

Benefits of Playing Boccia

Boccia can be enjoyed by persons of all ages and persons with a wide variety of disabilities. It can be played for recreation, as a competitive sport, or for physical education in school programs.  The game requires planning and strategy in trying to place game balls for maximum scoring. It also can aid in developing or increasing hand/eye coordination.  For individuals with severe disabilities, the game can easily be adapted to allow players with function limitations to use chutes and ramps to place their game balls into play creating an inclusive environment. 

How to Play

Classification

In the sport of boccia, classcification ensures fairness for all athletes by evaluating the impact of their physical impairment on performance.  Classification provides a structure for competition and is important in determining elegibility and grouping for athletes to compete.  All athletes competing in a boccia event will be given a Sport Class and Sport Class status in connection with the BISFed Classification Rules.  For more information about classification in the sport of boccia go to http://www.bisfed.com/about-boccia/classification/.

Environment

A regulation boccia court consists of two areas: individual player boxes and the common playing area. The common playing area has a designated target area in which all scoring occurs. Players throw from specific boxes marked on the court. These boxes are equal in size and each player must remain completely within his or her box during play. Boccia is a very popular outdoor game and unofficial courts can be set up on virtually any hard surface. Chutes and ramps may be used in some competitions instead of manually releasing the ball.

A=Target ball throwing areaB=Throwing line
C=Sidelines of throwing box
D=Court boundary lines
E=Back-line of throwing areas
F=Non-valid area for target ball

Equipment

Boccia balls are made from many materials. Good quality boccia balls are soft enough to grasp, but hard enough to roll well on the court surface. Official balls used by the BISFed are hand-made of leather and are approximately the size of a baseball.

The use of chutes and ramps enables many individuals to participate who might otherwise be unable to compete. A player may use an assistant when using a ramp. The assistant is not allowed to view the playing court and must follow specific instructions from the player at all times. The assistant places the ball at a certain height and may not initiate the throw.