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The allure of national competition and arrival of a high-quality portable court has sparked a mini renaissance for the sport of bocce ball in New York’s Hudson Valley.

The growth in participation and rising skill level in Hudson Valley’s Special Olympics program saw two of the valley’s bocce athletes and their unified partners selected to represent New York State at the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, alongside four bocce athletes from Long Island.

Certified Hudson Valley bocce coach Paige Peloso said training on the same portable courts used at the Games had made a “world of difference”, leading to top four finishes in the unified teams, male singles, unified doubles and unified mixed doubles bocce categories.

Portable courts from Packaworld set the scene for one of the United States’ best attended and highest profile bocce competitions last week when they were used to host the bocce event at the Special Olympics USA National Games.

More than 3,000 athletes, 11,500 coaches and volunteers and 75,000 fans descended on Minneapolis for the national games, which featured 16 different sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as unified partners.

The bocce event, hosted at the University of Minnesota’s Larson Performance Centre, saw more than 200 athletes vie for glory across singles, doubles, teams and unified categories.

Bocce ball is on the rise across Southern California as new inflatable courts help the state's Special Olympics athletes enjoy the sport they love in more locations.

There are now dozens of Packabocce courts in use from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles, in Special Olympics Southern California community and school programs – making it easier than ever for athletes to hone their bocce skills in professional playing conditions.

The recent Ventura County Bocce Competition at Rancho Campana High School provided more than 250 athletes from 40 teams the chance to compete on 11 portable courts, featuring both traditional and unified bocce formats.

New portable courts are supporting an explosion in bocce ball popularity in Puerto Rico, with scores of athletes taking part in the latest round of the island’s national Special Olympics tournament and a new unified bocce carnival for students.

Between them, the Special Olympics National Bocce Tournament event in Cataño and Adapted Sport Carnival in Caguas engaged hundreds of Special Olympics athletes, unified partners, families, volunteers and supporters.

Both events took place on new portable bocce ball courts from Packaworld, allowing for easy court transportation to venues and providing an eye-catching and wheelchair-accessible stage for participants.

When Kendall King’s colleague first saw Packaworld's portable bocce courts at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, they immediately recognised their potential to transform how they could help grow participation of the sport back home in Western Australia.

King, the State Coordinator for Special Olympics Western Australia, now rolls out Packabocce courts in parks, schools and community venues across Perth to stage activations and ‘have a go’ events to introduce new players to bocce.

King said the courts were a vital part of the organisation’s campaign to provide opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities and “spread the word” about inclusion.

Christchurch's Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub buzzed with energy last week as it hosted bocce athletes taking part in one of the largest sports events the city had seen in over a decade.

Eight portable bocce ball courts from Packaworld set the stage for Kiwi rollers to battle it out at the bocce event of the Special Olympics New Zealand 2025 National Summer Games, which saw more than 1,200 athletes compete in 10 sports across six venues in Christchurch.

Casey McLean, a Summer Games bocce ball player, helped the Manawatū Team win gold in the Unified Teams category and enjoyed playing on Packaworld's portable courts.

Whether you're setting up a backyard bocce court for some summer fun, planning competitions across multiple venues or managing a community-sports program at a leisure center, choosing between a fixed and portable bocce ball court is an important decision.

Each option has benefits and drawbacks depending on how you plan to use your bocce court, the specifications you require, and your budget.

In this helpful guide, we explore the pros and cons of fixed and portable bocce ball courts  to help you make the best choice possible.

The court you choose will depend on your circumstances and how you want to use it.

Some of Texas’ most skilful and enthusiastic bocce athletes rolled into action at the recent Special Olympics Texas Fall Classic, competing for glory on the same high-quality portable bocce ball courts that will be used at the Special Olympics USA Games next year.

More than 300 athletes and Unified Partners took part in the Fall Classic’s bocce competition, joining hundreds of other competitors taking part in swimming, golf and softball events across the West Texas cities of Midland and Odessa on 2-4 October. 

Special Olympics Texas Executive Director of Competitions and Sports Programming Chad Eason said the portable Packabocce courts used at the event provided a professional playing experience and had proven invaluable for the state’s growing bocce ball scene.