Boccia Officials Course a great success

On Wednesday 9th February 18 Students from Tresham College in Kettering became the first ever people in Northamptonshire to attend a Boccia Young Officials course which was tutored by Dan Burns (Sports Lecturer from Tresham), Elliot Sandy (P.E Teacher from Friars School) and Graeme Wilson (Disability Development officer from Northamptonshire Sport).

The 4 hour course involved the Students learning the rules of Boccia (a Paralympic sport similar to French Boule), how to set up and lay out a court and how to actually referee a game. Very few of the participants knew much about Boccia at all when they started the course but grew in confidence as they went along and were all very competent at refereeing by the end.

As a follow up to the course in order for the participants to become qualified Young Officials they have to do at least 2 hours refereeing to achieve their Bronze Award, 5 hours for Silver and 10 for Gold. A competition is to be held at the College for them all to gain at least their bronze and then they'll have the opportunity to Referee at both County and Regional competitions which would secure their Silvers and God respectively.

More information on Boccia can be found on the Boccia England website: http://www.bocciaengland.org.uk/.  

For more general information on disability sport please contact Graeme Wilson either by phone 01604 237953 or email gwilson@northamptonshire.gov.uk.  

The photo below shows some of the Students being given guidance on officiating a game of Boccia by Graeme Wilson of Northamptonshire Sport.