New York's youth bocce scene 'on fire' in schools thanks to portable courts

Portable bocce courts are transforming physical education in New York City's schools, supporting an American boom in the Italian sport and opening doors for inclusion across the city's diverse communities.

Special Olympics New York Director of Unified Sports Vance Toure says bocce participation is skyrocketing, with its school programs experiencing 10 per cent growth in participation over the past year alone.

Unified bocce – where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities play together on teams on the same court – is increasingly common in schools across America, but New York’s push to bring it to middle schools, as well high schools, is novel.

"Bocce has been spreading like wildfire through schools in New York."

Toure says Packaworld’s portable bocce courts have played a starring role in the initiative, allowing organisers and teachers to bring unified bocce to middle school students aged 10-13 in five of New York’s school districts so far.

"The students are excited to learn through play. The portability, the ease in set up, the ease in breakdown, and the fact that they come with a carrying case give teachers the resources to do so much more.”

The programs use the mid-sized 30-foot by eight-foot Recreation Packabocce courts, which are inflatable, portable and can be quickly set up in gymnasiums, libraries, cafeterias, playgrounds, or community spaces, then packed away in minutes.

In a city where space comes at a premium, these smaller courts are ideal for schools, taking up only about one-eighth the space of a basketball court while providing an authentic bocce experience.

The middle school initiative began as a Special Olympics pilot program, which has since proven its worth.

Toure says New York is now leading the way for unified bocce in schools, with hundreds of students now playing the sport recreationally, competitively and as part of their regular physical education curriculum.

He says when he first shared New York’s approach at a national Special Olympics summit, representatives from other states and countries were "blown away" by its success.

The program connects with Special Olympics' broader mission of social inclusion, by introducing students of all abilities to the organisation early on through unified sports. None of the schools in the initial pilot had previously been Special Olympics schools and unified bocce had proved itself as an effective introduction to the organisation.

"One of the adages of Special Olympics is 'sports is a quick path to friendship' and we've seen the evidence of that with the kids connecting on the courts."

Bocce has become the perfect entry point for unified sports – where students with or without intellectual disabilities compete on the same team.

"A star basketball player and someone who's never picked up a basketball before can step on a bocce court and learn together at the same rate and pace," Toure says – quoting Special Olympics New York Vice President of Downstate Operations Diane Colonna.

This level playing field has made unified bocce an important social activity in schools where students from diverse backgrounds and abilities mix and mingle.

"Coming from communities where sporting and social options are limited, these bocce courts are opening up an entirely new lane for inclusion and camaraderie," Toure says.

He says teachers comment that, after embracing bocce, the sport helps students to develop skills beyond the court, such as improvements in manners and social abilities.

"You see kids strategizing, encouraging each other, following the rules and both sides being respectful. They're learning and they're growing on so many different levels.”

Schools have created systems where students take on different roles – from players to scorekeepers to equipment managers – giving all students a way to participate regardless of their ability or confidence levels.

"It's using sports as a conduit to teach life lessons. They have fun playing the sport, but they also learn to handle responsibilities at the same time."

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts says he’s delighted to see Packaworld’s courts having such a positive impact in New York schools.

"Our mission is to make sport more accessible through portable equipment, and that’s particularly relevant in densely-populated urban areas like New York City. Seeing students of all abilities discover the joy of bocce together is exactly why we created these courts."

With bocce continuing to spread like wildfire throughout New York, the sport is hotter than it’s ever been before, Toure says.

Video: Bocce growing in NY schools (PIX11 News)