Equipment
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To order, please download our equipment order form or contact us for supplier details.
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Need funding support to get your own boccia equipment?
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Players
BallsA set consists of one white 'jack' ball, six red and six blue weighted leather balls. The balls themselves are made of leather and weigh approximately 275 grams, measure 270mm in circumference and are available in different grades of softness and hardness.
There are several recognised worldwide suppliers: Mamaku (New Zealand), HandiLife (Denmark) and Boccas (Portugal). |
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NOTE: It is good practice to number your Boccia balls 1-6, with 1 being the softest ball and 6 being the hardest ball. This helps you remember how soft or hard each ball is when determining what sort of shot you need to play.
RampsRamps can be of any design and material but are usually either straight pipes (cheap and good for beginners) or custom-made curved ramps with bases (more expensive and better for competitive players).
Most hardware stores will stock wastewater pipe, whilst someone with specialist skills at working with hard materials will be able to build a ramp from a design. |
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| Ramp Drawings |
Assistive DevicesThese are particularly useful for BC3 players who have difficulty with hand coordination. Everyday hats or helmets can be customised to attach an 'antenna' to the forehead; whereas any stick can be adapted with a rubber mouth piece to use as a wand.
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Storage / TransportUnless your equipment comes in a bag or box, you will need to source your own. Backpacks, briefcases, laptop bags, toolboxes or suitcases can be used to protect your equipment when travelling.
NOTE: Other ways to look after the quality of your boccia balls is to store them in muffin trays or line your storage container with foam padding to protect them and keep them in shape. You can also regularly apply a wax-based leather preserver on them to protect the leather. |
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Coaches and Officials
Referee PaddleA red / blue indicating paddle is used by referees to signal what colour is to play next. These can be adapted from common table tennis bats that most sports suppliers will have.
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Tape MeasuresIn order to determine which colour ball (red or blue) is the closest to the jack, an everyday tape measure can be used - especially for longer distances. Again, these are readily available from most hardware stores.
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Feeler GaugesGreat for measuring the very small distances. Most hardware stores will stock these also.
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CallipersAnother useful tool to determine which side is to play next - especially for smaller distances. Also available from most hardware stores.
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TorchesParticularly useful for when it is difficult to see which colour is the closest to the jack. Available from most hardware stores.
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Other
Masking TapeGeneral masking tape is often used to mark out boccia court lines. Two different widths are generally used (48mm and 18mm) as most hardware stores readily supply both.
NOTE: Be sure to check with the facility first before putting on the floor as some brands will leave glue behind! |
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AccessoriesOther common equipment can be used to make training sessions more fun include: target mats, cones and hoops - as objects to aim for.
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Scoreboards / Timing EquipmentElectronic equipment, that are often seen in sports stadiums or gyms, are frequently used for competition purposes as purchased from specialist manufacturers.
The alternative is to use stopwatches and manual (flip) scoreboards as basic and affordable options, that can be sourced from most sports suppliers. |
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