Jacob does well in boccia

Jacob Thomas was hailed as Boys (Under 16) Disability Sport Achievement Award winner at the recent Sport Pembrokeshire Awards evening at Folly Farm where his nomination outlined his achievements in the world of boccia.
Described by co-MC Bill Carne as a cross between the French game of boules and indoor bowls, Jacob clearly demonstrates that having to play from a wheelchair is no hindrance as long as the participant has a good eye for line, an ability to play a tactical, skilful game, and total commitment to the cause. Boccia is played indoors with leather woods and a leather jack and the players are seated alongside each other and bowl either red or blue balls at the jack, with skill needed to gain pole position in front of the opposing player or pair on the eight-metre long court.
Jacob certainly has the right attitude because although he has Muscular Dystrophy he doesn’t allow it to stop him taking part and he has a refreshing attitude which some other sportsmen would do well to follow.

Solid start

Jacob started out when he was a pupil at Ysgol Brynconin, having tried his hand at the Meads Sports Centre, Milford Haven, in a try-it-and-see session. He took to it like a duck to water and from there Jacob has gained a reputation for being a gritty competitor, being invited to play ‘up the line’ for the Boccia Blasters in Cardiff.
This 14 year-old schoolboy from Bethesda then represented Wales at Boccia in the Cheshire International Open - after first learning to play the game just three years ago.

Welsh recognition

He was in the Welsh Boccia team which competed with teams from all over the world, with many making their final preparations for the Paralympic Games in Beijing.  Among the teams were the highly-ranked potential medal winners from Canada, Portugal, Spain and Great Britain themselves. Jacob, who is now a pupil at Ysgol y Preseli, and fellow team mate Jamie Gordon from Rhondda Cynon Taf, performed really well as they won a game off the Irish pair and lost narrowly to older players from the Slovak and Czech Republics, the latter ranked No 6 in the world.

Highly impressed

Gerwyn Owen, the Welsh Academy Manager, said the other countries were impressed by the performances of the young Welsh squad, and noted how good it was to see talented players coming through.
“The event was targeted for the players to gain invaluable experience against the best players in the world, and all the players rose to the challenge,” he said after the event.  “The other teams were so impressed with the Welsh players that they have invited them to go and train and compete at events in their countries, so they may well gain further international experience in the near future.” 
He also attends the Welsh Academy Squad sessions at Sophia Gardens and has successfully taken part at competitions in venues as far afield as Gloucester, Liverpool and all over South Wales, which means a great deal of travel for parents Caroline and Michael, with sister Polly (10) as another great supporter of his in Boccia.

New Coach

Jacob now has a new coach in Peter Pearce, who lives in London but travels to Cardiff to meet Jacob and Co. He suffers from cerebral palsy but is a gold medal winner in boccia and was previously a very good swimmer – and is chairman of the International Coaching Committee.
Jacob’s next step is to battle for a place in the British team, hopefully with 2012 in mind – and to this end he recently travelled to Sheffield for the Disability Sport England Junior Cup, where he won three matches before losing narrowly in the semi-final. Wales are also hoping to play against Scotland and Yorkshire so that he can maintain the sort of competition that keeps him sharp.

United fan

Outside of his own chosen sport, Jacob enjoys other sports like football (he is an avid Manchester United fan) and tennis, with Rafael Nadal, David Beckham and Ronaldo as some of his heroes. “I like sportsmen with a bit of attitude.” says Jacob with a chuckle.
He is another who has flown the Pembrokeshire flag with pride and his delight at receiving the award was evident – and was recognized by the genuine enthusiasm of the crowd!

For more information on Boccia in Pembrokeshire, contact Angela Miles, Sport Pembrokeshire Disability Officer, on 01437 774240 / 07920 213651.