Special effort brings Olympic success

4:50pm Saturday 16th August 2008

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TEAMS from the Cheshire Academy in Crewe have qualified in style for the UK Special Olympic games in Leicester next year.

The Special Olympic National Games will be the largest disability games to be held in the UK during 2009 and the Academy has managed to qualify 6 boccia players.

Boccia is a game that first developed for individuals with cerebral palsy.

It is similar to French Boules but must be played from a sitting position, which means it is ideal for individuals who are wheelchair users.

Over the years the sport has expanded to encompass a whole range of other disabilities and Special Olympics has adapted it for its learning disabled athletes.

Coach Jane Whetnall said: “Boccia is a wonderful sport for individuals with a learning disability.

“The beauty of the sport is that it can be adapted so almost anyone with a disability can play and it can be played by individuals or as part of a team.

“Five members of our team had never travelled to competition before and this regional competition allowed them to compete against players from all over the North West of England.

“The Academy boccia club was founded over 14 years ago and it is heartening to see so many new young players with a disability keen to develop and progress the sport.”

Academy co-director Iain Chalmers added: “Six of our players have now successfully qualified for the big National Special Olympic Games.

“They will have a lot of training to look forward to over the next 11 months but I am confident that the team which will go to Leicester will be amongst the finest in the UK.

“However the Cheshire Academy will not just be sending teams in Boccia but also at artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and wheelchair rhythmic gymnastics.

“This requires a tremendous amount of fund-raising and planning and because the Cheshire Academy receives no central funding of any sort we are reliant on the efforts and goodwill of local companies and organisations to help with this.”