BOCCIA

Welcome to PVA's boccia program page! PVA is proud to host several boccia camps and tournaments each year for athletes of all ability levels. It is a game that requires skill, strategy, and concentration, as players aim to throw/roll balls as close to as possible to a target ball, known as a “jack.” Participants in PVA’s boccia program can look forward to quality coaching, great competition, and forming friendships, while learning and strengthening their skills in the game.

What is boccia?

Bocce’s roots stem back to ancient Greece, where players threw large stones at a target. Boccia is the indoor Paralympic version of the outdoor game bocce. Many rules are similar, but the indoor boccia court is shorter and wider than the outdoor bocce court. The boccia balls used for indoor play are leather-covered balls that come in various densities, from soft to hard. Boccia made its Paralympic debut in 1984 when the games occurred in New York. During those Games, ten athletes represented five countries (Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Portugal, and the United States). 

While the Paralympic Boccia competition is open only to quadriplegics, Paralyzed Veterans of America welcomes Veterans with all types and levels of injuries to our boccia camps.

To find out more or to sign up for a Boccia Clinic, contact John Arbino at JohnAr@pva.org or call 202-416-6463.

Resources

Paralympics & Governing Body

• USA Boccia
• Boccia International Sports Federation, Classification, Rules, Officials, etc.)

Equipment & Supplies (Boccia balls, ramps, head pointers, etc.)

• Flaghouse
• Gravity  (boccia balls & ramps) 
• Handi Life Sport (boccia balls, ramps, official equipment)