Old Mill Introduces New Sport for Students with Learning Disabilities

Spring athletic teams are launching into action at Old Mill, and a new sport is being made to bring even more spirit to the Patriots, bocce. 

What is so special about bocce, a sport that is new to Anne Arundel County Schools, is that it gives students with learning disabilities a chance to shine.

“Bocce is brand new to us,” said Old Mill Athletic Director Bruce Lawton. “We are partnering with the Special Olympics and over 50 percent of the team will be our students with some disability.”

Lawton said it would be tough for learning disabled students to make it at the other team sports offered at the school, whereas bocce, a game similar to bowling, requires skills they can handle.

Lawton said learning the sport may also be eased somewhat since the bocce coaches are also the team members’ special education teachers.

“All of our bocce coaches have never been coaches before,” Lawton said, “but they know how to work with these kids and should be able to transition them into the sport.”

In addition, 10 non-learning disabled students will join the bocce team to assist the disabled students learning social skills, such as patience and taking turns.

Cathy Wiley, head coach of the newly formed bocce team, said she had always thought starting up a bocce team was a good idea.

“[Being on the bocce team] makes special education kids feel included,” said Wiley, who played bocce as a teen.

A lot of the learning disabled students, who have disabilities ranging from low IQs to autism, don’t have the opportunity to participate in most sports, Wiley said.

 “[Bocce] gives [learning disabled students] a chance to shine,” volunteer coach Mona Gomaa said.

Assistant coach Ashley Schultz said being a coach has been fun so far, but learning about bocce has been somewhat difficult due to the game’s many rules.

The bocce coaches had to attend an intense four-hour training session at North County High School to learn the sport's rules.

Although it took some time, Wiley said coaching the bocce team has not been very different from teaching the students in the classroom.

“We’re still teaching the social skills that we teach every day,” Wiley said.

The team practices every Tuesday and Thursday for two hours after school, rain or shine, since the bocce team can practice indoors using indoor-friendly balls.

Their first exhibition match will be on March 26 at Lake Waterford and their first home match will be on April 8 against Broadneck High School.

“It’s really great to watch [the learning disabled children] and see the smiles on their faces,” Lawton said.

Next fall, tennis will be offered to learning disabled children, and in the winter, bowling will be added to the mix.