Boccia Shot Stations: Draw, Hit and Block

A four-station circuit to learn the boccia shots: drawing to the jack, hitting an opposing ball and blocking the path. Students throw seated and work on precision, force control and reading the game.

How to play

1. Set up 4 taped stations with a bench. Make 4 groups of 6 (one of 7) that rotate on the whistle every 5 minutes; students take turns while one retrieves (2 min).
2. Draw: a hoop 16 ft away with the jack in the middle. Each student rolls 3 balls: 2 points inside the hoop, 1 touching the rim.
3. Hit: an opposing ball sits against the jack. Knock it out of the hoop; 2 points if it leaves and the jack stays in.
4. Block: with the jack and one of your balls close, leave a short ball in the entry lane. A partner rolls a ball from the other side: if it hits your block, you score.
5. Decide: with 3 opposing balls and 2 of yours, the thrower calls draw, hit or block and tries it; a point for a good call and one if it works. Four rotations (20 min).

Rules

• Always throw seated, with your bottom on the bench.
• Nobody goes in to collect until the last ball has stopped and the thrower says “clear.”
• Groups keep score honestly; when in doubt, measure with a foot.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a student who can't throw by hand uses a gutter ramp held by a partner.
• Autism or shyness: post a picture card of each shot and allow one round of watching.
• Skill level: each thrower picks a distance with cones at 13, 16 or 20 ft.

Learning goals

• Tell apart draw, hit and block and know when to use each.
• Control the force of a seated rolling throw.
• Make tactical decisions by reading ball positions.

Equipment for a class of 25

• boccia set: 4
• hoops: 4
• cones: 12
• benches: 4
• masking tape: 2

Teacher tip

Boccia is a Paralympic sport with no Olympic version, created for people with cerebral palsy. Tape ball positions so groups can reset quickly.

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