Burrell School District to offer indoor bocce through program with Special Olympics

The Burrell School District will offer inclusive, co-ed bocce for students with and without cognitive disabilities thanks to Special Olympics Pennsylvania.

The school board recently approved the program with Special Olympics, which will pay for the team’s expenses for the first two years, including uniforms, and provide expertise to a Burrell coach, said Greg Egnor, director of student services.

The Burrell bocce team will be part of the Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Sports program. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the state’s Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education support the program, according to Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s website.

The Special Olympics’ setup for bocce teams calls for an equal number of students with and without cognitive disabilities to play together.

“It’s a great opportunity for inclusion,” he said.

Area school districts participating in the Special Olympics-sponsored bocce programs include Deer Lakes, Franklin Regional, Norwin, Avonworth, Fox Chapel Area, Baldwin, Carlynton, Elizabeth Forward, Hampton, Mt. Lebanon, Montour, Moon Area, Shaler Area and South Park.

“It’s a fabulous idea,” said Burrell School Board member LeeAnn Guido.

Sports involving a team are out of reach for many cognitively disabled children.

The bocce team would provide a real-life experience for students, Egnor said, which will be of interest to the district’s Life Skills program.

Because of the lack of athletic events for special-needs students and opportunities to interact with other students, a district mother, Courtney Kobelenske, founded the Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games this summer at Lower Burrell’s Kotecki Park.

“We’re super excited about the bocce team,” she said. “My daughter, Cora, is thrilled.”

Bocce is a ball-rolling sport. Players try to roll larger balls close to a smaller ball called a pallino. Points are awarded for the closeness of the bocce balls to the pallino. The Unified Indoor Bocce season runs from December through February with the culminating events held in March.

Teams, made up of six to eight athletes, will practice a minimum of twice a week and participate in at least three competitions. Most schools will field two to four teams, according to the Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics is ready to roll with the Burrell team, Egnor said. The bocce team can use the gym or the cafeteria. The district is working on the details.