SPORT

PROGRAM PROMOTES PARALYMPIC SPORTS

Taroona High School students participate in wheelchair basketball.

A NEW program showcasing Paralympic sports has been introduced to schools to give students a different outlook on sports.

ParaQuad Tasmania’s elite athletes will teach students four sports - wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, goalball and boccia - and then give them the opportunity to participate in them.

The program will run during terms two and three for years seven to 12.

Each session runs for one hour.

ParaQuad Tasmania sports development coordinator Kevin Faulkner said the program would give students the opportunity to try different sports and learn new skills.

“It’s giving students a whole new look and idea at Paralympic sports and showing just how difficult they are,” he said.

“It is raising awareness and education of Paralympic sports, and is also letting the kids know that Paralympians are elite athletes - they train for years to make a Paralympic Games.”

Mr Faulkner said the program was especially significant in helping promote the Paralympic Games later in the year.

“We want the students to get involved by supporting our Paralympians,” he said.

Information for teachers and activities for students are also available at https://education. paralympic.org.au/.

Wheelchair basketball has featured at every Paralympic Games since 1960, while sitting volleyball is one of the games’ more fast-paced sports.

Goalball is a sport exclusively for athletes with a vision impairment, with the objective being to roll a ball into the opponent’s goal while the opposing player try to block the ball with their bodies.

Bells inside the ball help to orientate the players by indicating the direction of the incoming ball.

Boccia made its debut as a Paralympic sport in 1984 and involves athletes competing in wheelchairs to throw, kick or use a ramp device to propel leather balls as close as possible to a white ball called the jack.

ParaQuad Tasmania also offers the Wheelchair Sports in Schools program and the Body Safe Education Program which discusses risk taking behaviours and the prevention of spinal cord injury and physical trauma.

For more information or to get your school involved, phone Mr Faulkner on 6272 7513 or 0412 463 387, or email pdst@paraquadtas. org.au.

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