More than 100 students played bocce ball at the regional championships of the Four Corners Youth Sport Competition in Barrie for the intellectually disabled on Wednesday.
The students come from more than 20 high schools in Ontario, and are all vying for a spot at provincials.
The program aims to provide quality youth sport competition opportunities to high school students with an intellectual disability.
Tyler Catton from Jean Vanier Catholic High School loved having the chance to play bocce ball.
"It’s really fun to play,” he said. “I really enjoy bocce so it kind of gets you motivated to win the game and have a good time."
Four Corners is a companion program of the Special Olympics.
"These students don't have the opportunity to compete on behalf of their schools like their mainstream peers do all the time, so this is their first chance to do that,” said Special Olympics Ontario program developer Kirsten Bobbie. “To find out what it's like to be in a full blown competition."
While only one team can go on to provincials for bocce ball, many players will switch to basketball or soccer to try and make it to provincials in those sports.
