Try it sessions were held in Marystown, Newfoundland to teach volunteers and staff at the YMCA how to play boccia and encourage new programs in the region

Ottawa, ON (September 14, 2022) – Despite the ongoing challenge of delivering boccia programs during a pandemic, eight recipients of the 2021-22 Boccia Provincial Development Grants put their funding to good use. For the second year in a row, club level grants were provided in addition to those for provincial partners.
 
The program helps provinces and clubs enhance their capacity to deliver boccia programming across five key pillars: recruitment and development, daily training, coach education, officials’ development and competition hosting. The focus is on these areas because they’re all critically important to the long-term development of boccia. 
 
Program Manager Jennifer Larson was amazed at the resilience of all recipients. “COVID continued to make things challenging for everyone, and they are to be commended for their creativity in continuing to deliver boccia programming under less than ideal circumstances.”
 
It was the first year that Boccia Newfoundland and Labrador received provincial funding, as the newly established provincial partner for boccia in Newfoundland and Labrador. The original partner, Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador provided significant leadership and support for the development of boccia in the province over the past ten years. With the establishment of Boccia Newfoundland and Labrador, Easter Seals will now continue on as an important boccia club in the region.
 
“The grant allowed us to make significant progress in underdeveloped areas of the province. We partnered with the YMCA in both Marystown and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. We travelled to both sites and led Try It Sessions for YMCA staff and volunteers. Both YMCA sites are now committed to developing a new boccia program at their facilities. The reception from the YMCAs was overwhelmingly positive and we are delighted that we’ve been able to build a strong partnership with them,” said Eileen Bartlett, Boccia NL Board Member and Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador Lead Program Volunteer.
 
The Rehabilitation Centre for Children in Manitoba was one of the clubs to receive a grant.
 
Recreation Therapist, Hailey Perchotte, has been working hard to expand their program to offer boccia in the rural community of Dauphin, MB.
 
“We hosted two Take the Shot nights on Mondays in July. From there, we started hosting weekly ‘Try it’ nights to build enough interest to begin a steadier recreation program in the fall. Without the support from this grant, we would not be able to access and provide support to this community as they are over three hours away from our centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We know that it will take time to grow this rural program, so we will have the Dauphin coach join us virtually in the fall to gain more experience playing games and building our recreational program from the ground up.”
 
Get involved with Boccia Canada as an athlete, coach, official, volunteer or other ways here.
 
2021-2022 Provincial Development Grant Recipients
Provincial Boccia Organizations
Alberta Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (ACPSA)
Association québécoise de sports pour paralytiques cérébraux (AQSPC)
Manitoba Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (MCPSA)
Ontario Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (OCPSA)
Boccia Newfoundland and Labrador
 
Clubs
Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador
Rehabilitation Centre for Children (RCC), Winnipeg
Wolverines Wheelchair Sports, Grande Prairie
 
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 six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4, BC5, and Open. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.