B O C C I A

HIGH PERFORMANCE

PLAN –2011-2114

INTRODUCTION

The 2011-2014 quadrenniumrepresents a development period for Boccia within the United States as BlazeSports America, the USA member of CPISRA, continues the leadership role and responsibility for the Paralympic Sport of Boccia. The following BlazeSports America’s Boccia High Performance and Sport Development Plan are designed to foster sporting excellence in Boccia at the national and international levels.

The BlazeSports America’s Boccia High Performance Plan includes:

1)Providing strong engaged leadership in the management of high performance sport in Boccia;

2) Advocating for additional and more effective application of resources from the NPC (USOC), donors, partner organizations, sponsors (within the guidelines and restrictions of the USOC), and fundraising;

3) Promoting stronger partnerships and collaborative working agreements (already in progress with significant success) between key stakeholders including UCPA, NRPA, NYAS, AAHPERD, USOC, World Sport Chicago and other like-minded organizations and their affiliated groups;

4) A sport-specific approach that recognizes that each Paralympic Sport is unique in its high performance and sport development pathways, athletes’ needs, and competition hierarchy and requires a strong aggressive sport-specific approach to recruit, retain, and train high performance athletes;

5)Developing a widespread network of capable local Paralympic Sport Clubs and partner organizations, particularly those identified as key stakeholders that have direct access to a large pool of potential athletes that have already begun the initial phases of programming for talented and emerging athletes;

6)Better planning and greatly enhanced professional management of high performance athlete outcomes;

7)Improving the quality and availability of professional sport management services and support structures available to Boccia athletes, coaches, officials and classifiers;

8)Increasing opportunities for athletes to access support services required at the various stages of the athlete development pathway;

9)Raising the overall quality and depth of coaching, officiating and classification

10) Developing and implementing a communications and outreach strategy to promote the sport through established organizations and systems that have direct connections to potential athletes and the general public.

Boccia at the Paralympic level presents medals in seven divisions for a total of 21 medal opportunities. BlazeSports America has developed a multi-faceted approach to the governance and management of the sport of boccia, identification and recruitment of players, development of coaches and officials and National Team development.

BlazeSports has identified six key areas for program development during this quadrennium:

  • National Team Development
  • Player and Talent Identification
  • Competition Management
  • Coaches Education and Training
  • Officials Recruitment, Training, and Certification
  • National Classification Records Program

PROGRAM GOAL: National Team Development

The primary focus for our National Team development in 2011-2014 quadrenniumis to qualify athletes for the 2012 Paralympic Games while increasing the international ranking of individual players, Pairs and Team.

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To increase the international ranking of individual players, Pairs and Team
  • To increase the number of athletes in the pool of Emerging Athletes

Annual Goals:

  • 2011 – win a medal at the 2011 Boccia World Cup
  • 2011-2014 – to increase the international ranking of individual players, Pairs and Team by completing
  • 2012 – qualify individual athletes and Pairsfor the 2012 Paralympic Games
  • 2013 – win two (2) medals at the 2013 Boccia America’s Cup
  • 2014 – win two (2) medals at the 2014 Boccia World Championships

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Implementation of a National Team selection process based on a newly developed national ranking system developed by the Boccia Sport Technical Advisory Committee
  2. Annual high profile selection of a National Team
  3. A strengthened and professionalizing of Governance of the Sport and the National Team program
  4. National Team participation in an annual IPC/CPISRA sanctioned competition
  5. Hosting annual National Team training camps
  6. Hosting annual Emerging Athlete invitational training camps
  1. Appointment of the Boccia Sport Technical Advisory Committee
  1. Hosting of a national sport development and promotional website on Boccia
  2. Use of social media to promote the sport, Team USA, BlazeSports sanctioned competitions and National Championships
  3. High performance training utilizing sport science and sport high performance technology such as fitness measurement and monitoring, Dartfish biomechanical analysis of technique, etc. and National Team coordination and support

PROGRAM GOAL: Player Identification

The primary focus for player identification during the 2011-2014 quadrennium is:

  • increase the number of athletes playing Boccia
  • talent identification by tracking performance trends and utilizing sport science technical resources for objective evaluation; and securing official CPISRA confirmed classifications for athletes.

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To increase the number of athletes playing Boccia by 40%
  • To increase the number of Military athletes playing Boccia by 200%

Annual Goals:

  • 2011 – To increase the number of athletes playing Boccia by 10%
  • 2011 – To increase the number of Military athletes playing Boccia by 50%
  • 2012 – To increase the number of athletes playing Boccia by 10%
  • 2012 – To increase the number of Military athletes playing Boccia by 50%
  • 2013 – To increase the number of athletes playing Boccia by 10%
  • 2013 – To increase the number of Military athletes playing Boccia by 50%
  • 2014 – To increase the number of athletes playing Boccia by 10%
  • 2014 – To increase the number of Military athletes playing Boccia by 50%

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Develop and implement a specific recruitment program targeted at Military

athletes with more severe impairments such as severe traumatic brain injury and

quadruple amputations

  1. Increase athlete identification and recruitment in target classes and disability

groups, specifically athletes in BC4 class

  1. Increase athlete identification and recruitment, in collaboration with key partner

organizations

  1. Implement National Team selection process based on a national ranking system
  2. Develop a Boccia K-12 physical education/adapted PE curriculum.
  3. Maintain a National Website on Boccia and use of social media (as previously detailed)
  4. Development and distribution a quarterly Boccia e-newsletter

PROGRAM GOAL: Competition Management

The primary focus of our Competition Management in 2011-2014 quadrennium is:

  • The implementation of an annual National Championships bid process
  • The inclusion and sanctioning of Boccia in increasing numbers of regional competitions

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To administer an annual bid process for the hosting of the National Boccia Championships and to work cooperatively with the designated LOC for the hosting of successful tournaments
  • To upgrade and implement a sanctioning process for regional competitions in Boccia
  • To increase the number of current regional competitions offering Boccia by 50%

Annual Goals:

  • 2010 – secure a bid to host the 2011 Boccia National Championships
  • 2011 – sanction four (4) regional Boccia qualifying competitions
  • 2011 – secure a bid to host the 2012 Boccia National Championships
  • 2012 – to sanction five (5) regional Boccia competitions
  • 2012 – secure a bid to host the 2013 Boccia National Championships
  • 2013 – sanctioned six (6) regional Boccia qualifying competitions
  • 2013 – secure a bid to host the 2014 Boccia National Championships
  • 2014 – sanction seven (7) regional Boccia qualifying competitions
  • 2014 – secure a bid to host the 2015 Boccia National Championships

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Annual review of the Boccia National Bid Application packet
  2. Annual posting and widespread circulation of BlazeSports National Bid Process in August
  3. Selection and awarding of successful national bids by October of each year
  4. Ongoing coordination with LOC throughout the planning process, hosting and post event evaluation of Boccia National Championships
  5. Development and implementation of a regional games sanctioning protocol and process
  6. Active review of competition management issues by Boccia Sport Technical Advisory Committee
  1. Solidifying partnership with a national equipment supplier
  2. Launching of BlazeSports Official National Boccia Website for sport promotion, communication, news, and technical assistance
  3. Effective use of social media to promote the sport as well as national and regional competitions

PROGRAM GOAL: Coaches Education and Training

The primary focus during the 2011-2014 quadrenniumwill be to increase the number of education and training opportunities.

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To increase the number of education and training opportunities by 50%
  • To increase the quality and types of education and training materials available to coaches, athletes and officials
  • To increase the quality and types of education and training materials available to professional organizations and key stakeholders including UCPA, NRPA, NYAS, AAPHERD, and the USOC

Annual Goals:

  • 2011 – To increase the number of presentations made at local, regional or national conferences, clinics or coaching workshops by 10%
  • 2012 – To increase the number of presentations made at local, regional or national conferences, clinics or coaching workshops by 20%
  • 2013 – To increase the number of presentations made at local, regional or national conferences, clinics or coaching workshops by 10%
  • 2014 – To increase the number of presentations made at local, regional or national conferences, clinics or coaching workshops by 10%

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Production of promotional and educational PowerPoint presentations and educational videos utilizing BlazeSportsTV with follow-up dissemination to partners for use building Boccia programs locally
  2. Development of Activity Cards presenting different Boccia drills useful to coaches and to physical education teachers
  3. BlazeSports staff and Boccia Sports Technical Committee providing regularly scheduled Boccia training open to all constituent groups and promoted to Paralympic Sport Clubs
  4. Providing ongoing real-time technical assistance to coaches and local programs
  5. Identification of developmental coaches or coaches of specific elite players to have the opportunity to work with and be mentored by a National Coaches
  6. Providing developmental coaches the opportunity to travel with the National Team to be able to witness and understand the international playing field
  7. Use local coaches of top developing players as designated coach for selected events outside the designated National Team events
  8. Follow up by National Coach and National Team Manager with the identified development and local coaches’ on an on-going basis to facilitate their learning about how to prepare their player(s) to be a top international caliber player
  9. Utilize the National Boccia Website and social media to promote opportunities
  10. Development and distribution a quarterly Boccia e-newsletter

PROGRAM GOAL: Official Certification

The primary focus for official certification during the 2011-2014 quadrenniumwill be to increase the number of nationally and regionally trained officials.

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To increase the number of nationally trained officials by 40%
  • To increase the number of regionally trained officials by 100%
  • To increase the types of education and training materials available to potential certified officials

Annual Goals:

  • 2011 – To increase the number of nationally trained officials by 10% and the number of regionally trained officials by 25%
  • 2012 – To increase the number of nationally trained officials by 10% and the number of regionally trained officials by 25%
  • 2013 – To increase the number of nationally trained officials by 10% and the number of regionally trained officials by 25%
  • 2014 – To increase the number of nationally trained officials by 10% and the number of regionally trained officials by 25%

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Production of PowerPoint presentations and dissemination to partners and Paralympic Sport Clubs specifically for officials’ training workshops
  2. Hosting of BlazeSports officials’ training workshops at national and regional events
  3. Providing ongoing technical assistance
  4. Inclusion of information relevant to officials on the BlazeSports National Boccia Website and BlazeSportsTV and quarterly e-newsletter
  5. Use of social media to promote training opportunities
  6. Subject to funding, send officials to national training camps for in-service training
  7. To promote the criteria for an official to be granted a national certification

PROGRAM GOAL: National Classification Records Program

The primary focus for the national boccia classification records programduring the 2011-2014 quadrenniumwill be to:

  • develop and implement a comprehensive data bank of classification records on all boccia players competing at the national level, and
  • to increase the number of classifiers experience with the international boccia classification system.

Quadrennial Goals:

  • To develop and implement a classification records program
  • To recruit and train 2-3 boccia classification teams

Annual Goals:

  • 2011 – To introduce the new classification records program at Nationals
  • 2011 – Recruit and train additional classifiers
  • 2012 – To enter all new players into classification records system
  • 2012 – Recruit and train additional classifiers
  • 2013 – To enter all new players into classification records system
  • 2013 – Recruit and train additional classifiers
  • 2014– To enter all new players into classification records system

Critical pathways in pursuit of these program goals will include:

  1. Development of a classification card system as a permanent classification record for all athletes
  2. Development of a Classification Sub-committee of the Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee to assist in the development and implementation of the classification records program
  3. Recruit and train additional classifiers and implement classification reviews at regional boccia competitions.

2011-2014 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

National Team athletes will be required to attend all competitions and training camps.

Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

July, 2010

Chicago, IL

Emerging Athlete Invitational Training Camp

Spring, 2011

TBA

Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

July, 2011

TBA

2011 National Championships

July/August, 2011

TBA

National Team Training Camp

June, 2011

TBA

2011World Cup

August, 2011

Belfast, Ireland

Emerging Athlete Invitational Training Camp

Spring, 2012

TBA

Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

July, 2012

TBA

2012 National Championships

July/August, 2012

TBA

Paralympic Team Training Camp

July 27- August 12, 2012

TBA

2012London Paralympic Games

July/August, 2012

London, England

Emerging Athlete Invitational Training Camp

Spring, 2013

TBA

Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

July, 2013

TBA

2013 National Championships

July/August, 2013

TBA

National Team Training Camp

September, 2013

TBA

America’s Cup

Fall, 2013

TBA

Emerging Athlete Invitational Training Camp

Spring, 2014

TBA

Boccia Sports Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

July, 2014

TBA

2014 National Championships

July/August, 2014

TBA

National Team Training Camp

TBA, 2014

TBA

2014 Boccia World Championship

TBA, 2014

TBA

2010 NATIONAL TEAM

BlazeSports America will nominate Boccia National Teams based on a national ranking system and athlete performance at the previous National Championships.

The National Team status applies from January 1 through December 31 of a given year. National Team status and benefits are only conferred upon athletes who accept, sign and remain current with the U.S. Paralympics National Team Athlete Agreement which will involve a commitment to train and compete.

BlazeSports America’s governance plan for the National Team will include:

  1. Athlete Agreement signed by all National Team Members.
  2. Individualized competition plan around boccia schedule or other events.
  3. Athlete Guidance for how to train.
  4. Fitness Training: evaluation and provision of support material and equipment. Use of fitness gyms and/or personal trainers where available.
  5. Knowledge of rule changes and how to incorporate into their competition tactics and then how to technically train to be able to apply those tactics.
  6. Communication with local coaches on how to train their player by recognizing their weaknesses and strengths and how to build on their individual strengths.
  7. Contact with local coaches for organized preparation plan for critical tournaments and support of competitive plan that will motivates that player to train and seek out appropriate training opportunities available to them.
  8. Help local coaches and players implement National Training Program to build on these strengths and minimize weaknesses; specifically how the coach can present individualized training to teach the parts of the sport the player needs to improve upon.
  1. Training and competition plan for each year will vary according to the CPISRA’s competition schedules.

Individual player development will include technical and physical preparation, starting with the identification of weaknesses and strengths. Coaches will capitalize on how to strengthen the players’ fitness and technical execution of technique and game strategy.

National Team players’ technique and throws will be assessed through biomechanical analysis with contemporary computer and video analysis using the Dartfish system during training camps when new tactics can be learned and applied in controlled and simulated competition environments. Physical preparation will be on going throughout the year based on sound training exercises specific to Boccia for strength, coordination, range of motion, and flexibility.

Technology support is essential for the top players in regards to having access to available video footage from previous Championships, proper seating and strapping, and individualized ramps as appropriate.

Analysis of personal results of top players will occur at the end of each season. Reviewing Team results and results trends will help to plan for the following season. Periods of poor performance will be analyzed to adapt/change training cycles. Changes in tactical preparation for major opponents in the next season and a time for review of any new rule changes will take place. Analyzing the depth and consistency of results from regional and national competitions will identify the pool of potential players as we build to 2012 and beyond.

DISCRETIONARY NOMINATION

Discretionary selection may be used if an athlete who has demonstrated international competitiveness during the qualification period for a National Team was ill, injured, or otherwise unable to compete or perform at a level to qualify him/her for the team; but is expected to return to internationally competitiveness.

The Boccia Head Coach, the National Team Manager and the Sport Performance Team Leader will make the final selection(s) for any discretionary nominations. All athletes nominated to the National Team through discretionary selection must have been on a previous National Team during the preceding three years.