Boccia Competition Manager appointed

Sandra will be responsible for all the planning, organisation and management for the Boccia event at the London 2012 Paralympic Games which will take place at the Olympic Park.

On her appointment, Sandra commented: “As soon as I knew London was bidding for the Games I vowed to be a part of it. I was delighted when we were awarded them, and couldn’t wait for the Boccia Competition Manager post to be advertised. I have volunteered in the sport for the last eight years, and it will be an honour and a privilege to be part of providing the most important sporting event that many of the athletes will ever attend. Hopefully I can be instrumental in ensuring it is also the most memorable.”

Leslie Halicki, Secretary and Delegate with Responsibility for Officials at the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA) said: The CP-ISRA Boccia Committee is extremely pleased that Sandra King has been chosen for the position of Competition Manager for the sport of Boccia for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Having worked with Sandra in the past, we are confident of her many skills. Her extensive knowledge of the sport as a coach, sport assistant, team manager and event organiser will serve her well and will be of great assistance. We wish her all the best in her new position, and look forward to working with her in the lead up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games.”

Sandra’s key responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of the Boccia competition and to be the focal point for liaison with the International Federation (IF). She will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with IF rules and the Host City Contract. Sandra will liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical services and volunteers.

Sandra will travel to the Beijing Paralympic Games in September to see what lessons can be learned from the Boccia event there, and will initially take up her position on a part time basis, becoming full time in 2011.

Sandra has worked in disability sport for the last thirteen years, and volunteered at national and international levels in Boccia since 2000. An elected member of the International Boccia Commission from 2000-2006, Sandra has also been Team Manager for the England & Wales Boccia Squad, and continues to be joint Head Coach to the England Squad. She is the instigator and Competition Manager for the annual Cheshire International Boccia Pairs and Team competition. This year the event has attracted seven of the top ten Boccia nations, and will be used as preparation for the Beijing Paralympics by many of the eleven attending teams.

Having taught PE in mainstream schools since graduating from Chelsea College of PE, Eastbourne, Sandra was first introduced to Boccia at Patcham House Special School in Brighton, where she taught from 1994 – 1997. She then moved to become Head of PE at Treloar School in Hampshire, renowned as one of the leading independent special schools in the country for students with severe physical disability. Having introduced Boccia as a competitive sport, the Treloar Squad grew rapidly and gained increasing national success, prompting Sandra to volunteer with the national squad in 2000.

Sandra’s proudest moment came in 2005 when the England Team, under her leadership, won Silver at the European Championships. This was particularly special as only one member of the team from Athens in 2004 had remained, making this a spectacular achievement for the young and new players that were selected. This team has gone on to provide the core of the GB Squad who are now ranked 1 in the world.

With her wealth of experience from every angle of the sport – as playing assistant, coach, manager, decision-maker and event organiser – Sandra is looking forward to putting on a Boccia competition at London 2012 that will be everything that the players desire and deserve.

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