Woodburn Public School takes silver in NSW Primary and Secondary Boccia Championships at Sydney’s Olympic Park

A Northern Rivers school is cheering after its boccia team took home silver in Sydney in a popular competition involving hundreds of NSW public schools.

A Northern Rivers primary school is cheering after its boccia team took home silver medals in a competition involving hundreds of NSW public schools.

Woodburn Public School boccia players Arlia, Braxton, Hudson and Johnny won their first five games.

The team then went on to win the semi-final to qualify for the grand final against Mount Terry Public School.

They fell shy of gold at five points to three to southwest of Wollongong at Sydney Olympic Park this week.

The school applauded the students’ efforts: “What an outstanding result for these amazing students.”

“Congratulations and we are so very proud of your achievements” a Facebook post read.

The Woodburn Public School team impressed when they ventured down south for the competition.

A total of 48 schools competed in the NSW Primary and Secondary Boccia Championships at Sydney’s Olympic Park.

The teams were whittled down from an estimated 3400 competitors from almost 520 schools across NSW – making the tournament the biggest of its type anywhere in the world.

Now in its 11th year, after starting in 40 NSW public schools, boccia has been the sport of choice for participants with various physical disabilities, as well as transplant recipients.

Woodburn Public School won silver.

Boccia includes elements of bocce, bowls and pétanque. Players need to lob their balls as close to a target ball as they can.

The public school competition has been a springboard for students to move into the international boccia scene.

Paris-bound Paralympians Jamieson Leeson (Dunedoo Central School), Dan Michel (Heathcote High School) and Spencer Cotie (Killarney Heights High School) all began their boccia careers in school.