Portable courts heat up Caribbean Special Olympics bocce scene

As bocce fever continues to spread globally, Puerto Rico and St Kitts and Nevis have been unable to resist it, with the arrival of new Packaworld portable bocce courts bolstering the sport’s boom in popularity throughout the Caribbean region.

Bocce ball athletes throughout Puerto Rico flocked to its Special Olympics National Bocce Tournament in September, hosted using the new courts at Pista Rafael Meléndez Pagán – an athletics track in the coastal area of Barceloneta.

The athletes and courts will be back in action at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza in Caguas on 11 October for the bocce ball competition of the Special Olympics Puerto Rico National Games.

In nearby St Kitts and Nevis, the smallest sovereign federation in the world, bocce players will be using two new Packabocce courts to train for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Chile.

Special Olympics St Kitts and Nevis National Director Ivor Blake said the high-quality courts have revolutionised bocce ball training on the twin-island nation.

“We're planning to use them for our Special Olympics athletes so they can train and play on proper, standard courts. Even though we have fielded bocce teams for Special Olympics regional and world games over the years, we did not have a dedicated bocce court.”

Using portable Packabocce courts also allows competition organisers to bring bocce ball to locations that don’t have existing permanent courts. This flexibility is valuable in a country where space is at a premium and transportation and venue availability can present challenges.

“With the procurement of these new courts, we will now have the capacity to practise and conduct tournaments. We'll also be hosting local and national competitions, which will create a great opportunity to increase the popularity and growth of the sport here.”

Saint Kitts and Nevis has already demonstrated the potential of its bocce stars at the Special Olympics Caribbean Regional Bocce Tournament in the Cayman Islands in May 2024. Shontelle Hazel and Tekwana Wallace made a strong showing at the inaugural region-wide tournament – where six Packabocce courts were used – clinching silver and bronze medals respectively, plus a combined silver medal in the doubles.

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts said it was brilliant to see Packaworld’s equipment supporting the growth of bocce ball in the Caribbean.

“The portable design of our courts makes them perfect for island nations where the ability to set them up anywhere increases opportunities for training and competition. That’s what we’re all about – making sport more accessible.

“Knowing that these courts will help athletes like Shontelle and Tekwana continue developing so they can compete at the highest level, while also introducing new players to this wonderful sport, is very rewarding.”

>> Find out what makes our portable bocce courts unique on our Packabocce page.