Boccia United States

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Lakeshore is proud to be the home of Boccia United States. Since boccia’s introduction as a Paralympic sport in 1984, the United States has won seven medals.

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Boccia United States is pleased to announce the 2026 National Team: Nick Taylor (Wichita, KS), Cassie Mitchell ( Warner, OK), Kalvin Blauert (Colorado Springs, CO), and Tony Blauert, RO (Colorado Springs, CO). The National Team will open their 2026 season competing at the first World Cup of the year in Montreal this April.

Boccia United States is also pleased to announce the athletes who will represent the United States at the 2026 World Boccia Challenger in Birmingham, Alabama, June 16–23:

Justin Hillman (New Lenox, IL)
Michele Lynch (Westmont, IL)
Colleen Musselman (Orland Park, IL)
Dylan Schneider (Wichita, KS)
Cornelius Oatis (Columbus, OH)
Gaby Abreu (Seminole, FL)
Rich Abreu (RO) (Seminole, FL)
Braden Murphy (Folsom, CA)

These athletes will compete alongside the Boccia United States National Team in June, marking the first international boccia competition hosted in the United States since 2017.

“Boccia United States is proud to have so many athletes representing our nation at the Birmingham Challenger,” said High Performance Consultant Dr. Kathy Brinker. “Along with our National Team, these athletes will have an incredible opportunity to compete against some of the top boccia athletes in the world. We are thrilled by the growth of our national team program and excited to take this next step on the journey toward the LA28 Paralympic Games.”

Congratulations to all of the athletes competing for Boccia United States in 2026.

Staff

Dr. Kathy Brinker, High Performance Consultant
Jeremy Finton, Coach

About Boccia

The modern day version of boccia was developed as a competitive sport for individuals with cerebral palsy but has since expanded to include any athlete with a severe disability which requires the use of a wheelchair. The sport made its Paralympic debut in 1984, with a total of 19 athletes representing five countries and is now practiced in over 50 countries today. The sport can be played indoors or outdoors on a smooth, flat surface. Athletes take turns throwing or rolling colored balls (red or blue) as close to a white target ball (the “jack”) as possible. The athlete, pair or team with the most balls closest to the jack wins. To learn more, visit www.worldboccia.com or watch this video.

Boccia athletes can compete individually, in pairs or in teams of three and are assigned one of four sport classes based on their functional ability:

BC1 athletes have severe activity limitations affecting their legs, arms and trunk, and typically dependent on a powered wheelchair.
BC2 players have better trunk and arm function than those in class BC1. The abilities of their arms and hands often allow them to throw the ball overhand and underhand and with a variety of grasps.
BC3 class athletes have significant limitations in arm and leg functions, and poor or no trunk control. They are unable to consistently grasp or release the ball and are unable to propel the ball consistently into the field of play and allowed to use a ramp with the help of a Sport Assistant.
BC4 class contains players with non-cerebral impairments that also impact their co-ordination.

Interested in learning more about the sport and Boccia United States? Contact High Performance Consultant Dr. Kathy Brinker.

Classification

In order to safeguard the integrity of fair competition, all Para sports have a system in place which aims to ensure that winning is determined by sporting factors such as skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability and mental focus, the same factors that account for success in sport for able bodied athletes.

This system is called classification.

Through classification, it is determined which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how those athletes are then grouped together for competition, in order to minimize the impact of those athletes’ impairments on sport performance.

Boccia Classification Guide

World Boccia Athlete Classifications

Forms and Documents

As the home of Boccia United States, membership is open to all applicable groups including: amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators or officials. Boccia United States is committed to providing an equal opportunity to amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials to participate in amateur athletic competition, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, or national origin and with fair notice and opportunity for a hearing before declaring any such individual ineligible to participate.

Selection Procedures

Athlete and Staff Resources

Team USA Athlete Ombuds

Team USA athletes may contact the Office of the Athlete Ombuds for independent and confidential advice on a variety of sport-related matters, including their rights, applicable rules, policies or processes, and questions related to resolving disputes and grievances. The Athlete Ombuds can also help Team USA athletes connect with legal, mental health, and other support resources. All other NGB athletes (i.e., athletes competing at the masters, recreational, or youth level) are welcome to visit the Athlete Ombuds website to review informational resources and should work directly with their NGB to understand additional resources and options available to them.

Contact Information Phone: 719-866-5000

Email:

Website: usathlete.org Athlete Ombuds

Confidentiality and Privacy Policy: (A) In general.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall maintain as confidential any information communicated or provided to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds in confidence in any matter involving the exercise of the official duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds. (B) Exception.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds may disclose information described in subparagraph (A) as necessary to resolve or mediate a dispute, with the permission of the parties involved. (C) Judicial and administrative proceedings.—(i) In general.—The ombudsman and the staff of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall not be compelled to testify or produce evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding with respect to any matter involving the exercise of the duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds . (ii) Work product.—Any memorandum, work product, notes, or case file of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds—(I) shall be confidential; and(II) shall not be—(aa) subject to discovery, subpoena, or any other means of legal compulsion; or (bb) admissible as evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding. (D) Applicability.—The confidentiality requirements under this paragraph shall not apply to information relating to—(i) applicable federally mandated reporting requirements; (ii) a felony personally witnessed by a member of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds;(iii) a situation, communicated to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds, in which an individual is at imminent risk of serious harm; or (iv) a congressional subpoena.

Anti-Retaliation Statement No employee, contractor, agent, volunteer, or member of the NGB or USOPC shall take or threaten action against an athlete as a reprisal for disclosing information to or seeking assistance from the Office of the Athlete Ombuds.

U.S. Center for Safe Sport

Lakeshore National Adapted Sports Organization (LNASO) is committed to providing a safe, healthy and fun learning environment for our athletes. All participants are required to have a Background Screening and current U.S. Center for SafeSport training.

The Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy (MAAPP) is a proactive prevention and training policy. The Center developed the MAAPP to assist National Governing Bodies, such as LNASO, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and other individuals to whom these policies apply in meeting their obligations under federal law.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center) is an independent nonprofit headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The Center provides a safe, professional and confidential place for individuals to report sexual misconduct within the U.S. Olympic Movements. The Center also provides resources on abuse prevention and policies.

If you suspect child abuse is occurring, which includes emotional, physical, or sexual abuse of a minor (under the age of 18) you must report to law enforcement immediately. Additionally, if any of the individuals are involved in the Olympic & Paralympic Movement, a report must also be filed with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Keep in mind filing a report with the U.S. Center for SafeSport does not satisfy the requirement of reporting to local law enforcement.

LNASO Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies

Reporting

If you see questionable behavior, say something! Report all sexual misconduct and child abuse to law enforcement and file a report with the U.S. Center for SafeSport at uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern. Violations such as non-sexual child abuse, emotional and physical misconduct, including stalking, bullying behaviors, hazing, and harassment; criminal charges or dispositions not involving child abuse or sexual misconduct and minor athlete abuse and prevention policy violations should be reported to LNASO at .

Report a Concern

U.S. Center for SAFESPORT LNASO

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of sexual misconduct and discretionary jurisdiction over allegations of physical and emotional misconduct and MAAPP violations.

U.S. Center for SafeSport Reporting Line: 833-5US-SAFE

There are no associated costs or fees to report. You may report anonymously by leaving your name off of the reporting form.

How to Report a Concern