Australia’s next Paralympians might have been on the court at Werribee’s Eagle Stadium on Wednesday.
Bupa and Disability Sports Australia are launching a Try-Para Sport program which will deliver a range of community-focused events to ensure people with disability sample a variety of para-sports in a safe and welcoming environment and leverage and maximise the increased engagement surrounding para-sports.
Participants will have the opportunity to try a range of para-sports, including wheelchair basketball, archery, wheelchair rugby, goalball and boccia, while also learning about potential pathways to participate in these sports at an amateur or elite level.
The initiative was launched at Eagle Stadium on July 31.
DSA chief executive Ayden Shaw said these events are a fun, but vital way to help get people, at any age, involved in para-sports.
“Sport has the power to change people’s lives,” he said. “Our mission is to enable more Australians with a disability to be more active more often.
“We know 75 per cent of people with a disability want to play sport, so Bupa’s support at the grassroots level is vital to achieving our ambitions.
Paralympic gold medallist Matthew Haanappel was at the launch and said all sporting careers and healthy active lifestyles start at a grassroots level which is why developing and supporting community-based programs are important.
Bupa Asia Pacific brand director Penny Ryan said it’s important to help support the development and promotion of para-sports at a grassroots level, especially when only one in four people with disability participate in sport.
“Bupa’s purpose is to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives, so we are very excited to put this purpose into action with Disability Sports Australia,” she said.
Details: ticketing.humanitix.com/tours/bupa-try-para-sports
