Special Olympics bocce players in Ireland will have access to high-quality playing courts following the purchase of 26 portable Packabocce courts by their national body.

The new courts are a major investment in the sport’s future and will help Special Olympics Ireland introduce bocce to athletes in new venues and locations.

Special Olympics Ireland Sport Development Manager Elaine Twomey said the courts arrived in the country in October and had their first outing last week at a two-day area advancement event attended by more than 190 bocce athletes in County Kilkenny. 

The event was a success and played an important role in determining which athletes would be eligible to advance to the Leinster Regional Games next year and Ireland’s National Games in 2022, she said.

An organisation championing disabled sport in the Netherlands is expanding the number of bocce and goalball clinics it offers with the help of portable courts and goals from Packaworld International.

Gehandicaptensport Nederland is a national sports federation that runs competitions and introductory clinics for disabled people who want to play goalball, bocce, para ice hockey, wheelchair hockey, boccia, 5-a-side football and showdown. Bocce and goalball sessions have historically been challenging to run because traditional courts and goals are difficult to transport.

Gehandicaptensport Nederland sports coordinator Joris van Impelen said the portability of the inflatable Packabocce courts and Goalball Packagoals was allowing volunteers to expand the number of clinics being run at schools and sports clubs across the Netherlands.

Packaworld’s portable bocce courts made their first appearance at the birthplace of the ancient sport on the weekend when they were used for a special bocce event held during the Lions Clubs International Convention in Milan, Italy.

The event was run by Special Olympics and Lions Club International as part of an annual tradition that sees Special Olympics athletes and Lions Club members compete in a different unified sport at each international Lions convention.

Special Olympics Director of Sport & Development Christian Guiralt said the event was a great example of sport’s ability to bring people together.

“There was a lot of participation and everyone was so excited with the new courts.”

When it comes to what makes bocce special, there are few people better qualified to comment than Special Olympics Bocce Sports Resource Team chairman Mike Ryan.

Known to some as "Mr Bocce", the hardworking New Zealander has been involved in the sport for 25 years.

There’s no doubting his passion either – his car number plate is BOCCE and he has "bocce" tattooed on him in Greek, Arabic, Chinese and English – one for each of the Special Olympics World Games he’s attended as either a bocce coach or technical advisor.

We caught up with Mike to ask his views on what makes bocce so popular in the Special Olympics, and what it might take for it to achieve world domination.

Portable courts making bocce ball more accessible around the world were used last week to host the next generation of bocce ball stars at the Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games in Canada.

More than 2,000 student athletes from around the world descended on Toronto for the four-day event, which ran from 14-17 May.

The bocce ball competition was held at the University of Toronto’s St George Campus, where more than 240 young athletes competed for gold on 10 inflatable Packabocce courts.

The innovative courts feature a lightweight but durable design that makes them easier to transport, set up and store than bocce ball courts made out of wood or PVC piping.

Picture a luxury golf resort set amongst sweeping beaches, tidal rivers, and wetlands teeming with wildlife. The surrounds at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina might just be the most stunning setting for bocce ball anywhere in the United States.

The world-class resort is one of a select few that run bocce-themed team building events for corporates. Each event is played on portable Packabocce courts laid out on the resort’s Terrace Lawn, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Referees are on hand to explain the rules to participants, who compete in teams across multiple courts while enjoying delicious food and plenty of liquid refreshments.

“It’s a simple game to run but people have a great time,” says Jonathan Thompson, Recreation Program Manager at the resort.

It was always going to be a challenge bringing bocce ball to a place like Texas, where the sport is not widely known, admits local entrepreneur and restaurant owner John Dante.

But “jumping in heavy”, as he puts it, is the way Mr Dante likes to do things. He has recently purchased four portable Packabocce courts and has been holding bocce-themed events at his recently completed Bella on the Vine event centre in the city of Converse.

The 8,500-square-foot venue is right next door to Papa Dante’s Restaurant; an Italian-American eatery his family opened in 1979. The restaurant specialises in Italian comfort food like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagne, pizza and submarine sandwiches. John, brother Lanny and the entire Dante family are rightfully proud of its 40-year history.

Special Olympics athletes in Rotorua and Southland can now test their skills at the ancient Italian sport of bocce.

The Special Olympics chapters in both regions are expanding their bocce programmes after successfully sourcing portable ‘Packabocce’ courts that will enable them to bring the game to schools and other venues.

Special Olympics Rotorua committee member Christine Brewer said bocce was an internationally popular sport that was growing in popularity in New Zealand. It is similar to pétanque but is played within a walled court.

“Bocce has a strong international scene so we are really keen to give our athletes the opportunity to give it a go,” Ms Brewer said.