Boccia tournament success boosts sporting opportunities

After playing host to a regional boccia tournament, Walsall College is keen to provide more opportunities for students to play the game, as well as participate in other sporting activities. The Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport’s West Midlands region’s boccia tournament took place at the college, with two teams of their Supported Leaning Sport Academy students competing.
The AoC Sport Championships are a major event for college sports students,” said lecturer Andy Higgins: “This is for first time that boccia has been included. It means Supported Learning athletes with a flair for this sport have a chance to shine as well as represent their college at a national level.”
He continued: “Hosting this tournament, literally has set the ball rolling for more students across our foundation learning and supported learning provision to get involved in this sport. Not only that, it’s inspiring them to try other things as well.
“We’re hoping to offer basketball to our Supported Learning students as well as work more closely with our local colleges to host inter-college boccia competitions.”
BMet, Sandwell College and Joseph Chamberlain College also took part in the regional tournament, with the latter being named West Midlands champions.
Sport Development Coordinator, Mark Howard added: “As a College we have been campaigning for paralympic athletes to be involved in other sports at the national championships besides football, so this is a major step forward. We now hope to get Supported Learning basketball teams recognised at this level.”
This term, Supported Learning students at the college are playing in the AoC’s 7-a-side football festival and 11-a-side league games. Students are also involved in regular tennis sessions.
Find out more about the Supported Learning Sport Academy Entry Level 3 and Level 1 course here.