Texas bocce rolls toward national Special Olympics glory on portable courts

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.

“We love the portable bocce courts. Setup is easier than our previous PVC courts and the visual aspect is much more appealing, giving our athletes a high-level and quality bocce court to compete on.”

Eason said this year’s Fall Classic maintained the same strong representation from bocce ball players as last year’s event, while regional competitions throughout Texas had experienced significant growth.

“Regional competitions have taken off and have increased participation across the state.”

This wave of enthusiasm in bocce ball is timely, with Special Olympics Texas preparing to send four Unified Pairs to compete at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in June 2026, which will unite 3,000 athletes and 75,000 fans from all 50 states.

The Texan athletes attending the USA Games will enjoy the advantage of competing on the same inflatable Packabocce courts that they have been training on in the lead up to the event.

Bocce ball will be one of 16 sports offered at the national competition and is one of the most popular global Special Olympics sports, with more than 107,000 athletes and Unified Partners competing every year in the United States.

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts said seeing Texan athletes compete at both state and national level exemplifies Packaworld’s mission of making the joy of sport real to more people.

“When athletes can train on the same equipment they'll use at championships, it removes variables and lets them focus purely on performance.

“The growth we're seeing in Texas bocce ball, enabled by our portable courts that can be set up anywhere, shows how the right equipment can help expand opportunities for athletes of all abilities and take them to the top of their game.”

As the countdown to the 2026 USA Games continues, Texas Special Olympics bocce ball athletes continue to hone their skills as they prepare to bring their game to the highest national stage, confident that the courts they will play on will be familiar.

>> Learn more about Packaworld's portable bocce courts on our Packabocce page.