Sally is a 19-year-old boccia player with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2. She is currently part of the Boccia UK World Class Programme and will be making her Paralympic debut in Paris this August, just before she starts university to study Music in September. In this blog, Sally shares her journey in boccia and how you can get involved in this incredible sport.

I started playing boccia competitively in 2019, when I was 14. I had a very quick progression in my first couple of months and was able to advance to the top level of domestic competition between March and July of that year. This rapid rise allowed me to spend a year developing my skills before the pandemic hit. It was then that I really began to focus on the tactical side of boccia.

During 2020 and 2021, while shielding at home, I spent countless hours watching international boccia players, both past and present, to gain a better understanding of the game at a time when I couldn’t get on a court and play.

In the summer of 2021, I attended a Paris Potential day with Boccia UK. After a year of individual coaching and more training, I was invited to attend a few days of a mini-camp with the BC3 Boccia UK squad. At the time, this squad included experienced players like Will Arnott, Jamie and Scott McCowan, Patrick Wilson, and Robyn McBride. I learned so much from these experienced players, and shortly after, I was invited to make my international debut with Boccia UK in Poznan in the summer of 2022. I was then selected to join the World Class Programme at the beginning of 2023.

Since joining the World Class Programme, I have had so many opportunities that I would never have even dreamed of. I’ve traveled all over the world to compete and will soon be making my Paralympic debut at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Many people with a condition like SMA may struggle physically to travel long distances or cope with long training or competition days, but playing a sport like boccia at the international level places you in situations that can benefit your everyday life. I believe my involvement in boccia helps me manage fatigue and other daily challenges. Plus, it has given me incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

I think my story proves that you don’t have to start doing something from birth to progress to a high level. You can truly start at any time, and Boccia UK is actively looking for people who might meet one or more of the international classification criteria:

• Impaired muscle power (for example, as a result of spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome, and spina bifida)
• Limb deficiency (total or partial)
• Hypertonia
• Ataxia
• Dyskinesia (including Athetosis and Dystonia)
• Impaired passive range of movement (for example, as a result of arthrogryposis and contractures)

So, if you or someone you know meets any of these criteria and is a critical thinker who enjoys a challenge, I encourage you to get involved. Take a look at the Boccia UK website and get in touch. And if competing in boccia isn’t for you, then you can be sure to catch us at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from August 29th until September 5th.

Sally Kidson
IG @sallykidsonbc3