Australians are invited to test out a range of para-sports, with Bupa and Disability Sports Australia (DSA) partnering to find the next generation of para-sports athletes.
Through the “Try-Para Sport” program, DSA and Bupa are delivering a range of community-focused events across Australia to ensure people with disability can sample a variety of para-sports in a safe and welcoming environment.
Participants will have the opportunity to try wheelchair basketball, archery, wheelchair rugby, goalball, boccia and many others, while also learning about potential pathways to participate in these sports at an amateur or elite level.
DSA, supported by Paralympics Australia and other sports organisations, also provides an opportunity for sporting partners to showcase their para-sport opportunities and connect participants to local opportunities.
Giving people a para-sporting chance
DSA CEO Ayden Shaw said these events are a fun and vital way to help get people, at any age, involved in para-sports.
“Sport has the power to change people’s lives. 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,” Shaw said.
“Since the launch of our strategic plan last year, we delivered 69 events to more than 4000 participants. Partnerships such as the one that we have with Bupa are pivotal in creating and providing sports and active programs and services that deliver more opportunities for individuals with pathways to becoming Australia’s future star para-athletes or just as importantly participating socially.”
Paralympic gold medalist Matthew Haanappel said partnerships such as these can foster a lifelong love of sport or even the next generation of champion Paralympians.
“All sporting careers and healthy active lifestyles start at a grassroots level which is why developing and supporting community-based programs such as this are so important,” he said.
Events will be run across Australia in October and November 2024, and are open to individuals aged 10 and above. For more information, or to register for an event near you, go to: https://ticketing.humanitix.com/tours/bupa-try-para-sports