news blog

Australia's all abilities hip hop Team stunned the competition at the recent ICU World Cheerleading Championships to claim gold in their first-ever attempt, supported by a secret weapon – portable line markings supplied by Packaworld to fine tune their training routines.

The 24-strong squad, made up of athletes aged from 11 to 39 with a wide range of abilities and disabilities, stole the show at the world championships over 25-28 April at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, USA.

Australian Cheer Union All Abilities Programme Lead Toni Altschwager says the result was exceptional, with the team triumphing over squads from the United States, England, Wales, Scotland and Canada.

The Paralympic Games in Paris have the world’s sports fans enthralled with the determination, ability and will to succeed of all the amazing athletes taking part.

But while the pinnacle event for disabled sports draws the crowds, some equally exciting happenings are afoot at grassroots level, where participation numbers are on the rise.

The economic impact of parasports events in the US was $139M in 2022, a 78% increase from 2021, according to a 2023 survey by All in Sport Consulting.

This rise in economic impact and participation is being driven by a variety of factors, including increased visibility through global events, and better access to equipment and facilities that enable sport to be played by all.

The ancient sport of bocce has rolled through many centuries, countries and cultures.

Originally developed in Italy, Greece or Ancient Egypt – depending on who you ask – it is now played by millions around the world, at everything from family gatherings and social pub leagues to schools and even the Special Olympics.

Throughout bocce’s evolution, off-shoots have been spawned, including the similarly named but very different sport of boccia (there’s also English lawn bowls and French pétanque, but that’s another story).

The similar spelling and pronunciation of bocce and boccia has created a lot of confusion, so to help make sure you don’t drop the ball when deciding which one to play, we’ve created this guide with an overview of each and advice on bringing the game to your bocce or boccia venue of choice.

Australian boccia players got their first taste of Packaworld’s latest inclusive sport innovation at the Riverina Regional Boccia Championship, which was held recently at Wagga Wagga’s Bolton Park.

The tournament, won by Wagga Wagga High School, was the first boccia event in Australia to trial Packalines to mark out temporary courts of play.

It was organised by NSW School Sport Unit – a division of the NSW Department of Education focused on providing carefully planned, adaptable and enjoyable physical activity experiences for all students in NSW public schools – in association with Boccia NSW.

The 21 July tournament is part of a state-wide competition that has been going for around a decade and involves around 180 schools, making it one of the largest boccia competitions in the southern hemisphere.

A world-first product that allows sports centers to mark out temporary playing courts without damaging indoor flooring is helping to grow participation and keep people active at a community center in West Virginia.

Phil Gainer Community Center serves as a multi-purpose hub for the small community of Elkins, and Packalines – developed by sports innovator Packaworld International -- are allowing them to cater for a wider variety of sports.

Chris Lee, Phil Gainer Community Center’s facility manager, said the Packalines have largely been utilized for volleyball at this stage.

“They’re an absolute perfect temporary line system for a multi-purpose facility,” Lee said. ​

A New Zealand business with a reputation for world-first innovations is continuing to make sport accessible to all with the official launch of Packaline – temporary indoor line markings designed for use in leisure and recreation centres.

Designed by Wellington’s Packaworld International, Packaline allows leisure facility managers and sports coordinators to mark temporary courts of play without damage to expensive flooring.

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts said the lines were originally designed for the Paralympic sport of boccia, which is played by athletes in wheelchairs. 

“Our lines are specially designed to sit on top of the floor, allowing them to be rolled out and rolled up as needed," Mr Roberts said.