It captured the nation's heart during last year's Tokyo Paralympics, and now Peel High School is putting Tamworth on the boccia map.
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In Sydney last week Harmony Allan, Jessica Baldwin, Boston Holmes, Reece Jones, William Lawrence, Tryone Moffat, Keigan Shepherd and Lucas Slater showed they are some of the best exponents in the state, finishing runners-up at the state finals.
It was a near thing to being crowned state champions only going down to St Clair High in the final 3-2.
The first time Peel have competed at the state finals, Allan said it was "really exciting".
"We got to see so many sights," she said.
That's what it was really more about - the experience.
"It doesn't matter that we didn't win, it was a really good experience," Allan said.
Support teacher and coach Christopher Hadden said, the students all "had an absolute ball".
"Even just going across the Harbour Bridge, you could hear the excitement in their voices, which was just wonderful to hear," he said.
And the smiles haven't really left their faces since, or their medals their necks.
"I think a few of them have been sleeping in them," he joked.
They also got to meet one of the best in the business with Tokyo bronze medallist Dan Michel presenting them with their medals and talking to the competitors.
Hadden said since they have returned to school, he had heard lots of positive comments from the staff and students about their achievements.
"I've very proud of them. And I think they're very proud of themselves as well," he added.
Describing it as a cross between lawn bowls and bocce, he said they have been doing boccia with the students in the support unit for about five years, and has found it "encourages children to interact with their peers, allowing them to develop new physical skills, communication and confidence".
"Boccia may just be a sport, but for many, it is so much more than that. It can give them independence and enables them to make new connections and encourages them to challenge themselves and achieve something," he said.
And anyone can play, which is what Allan most loves most about it. It doesn't matter about age, gender, ability or disability.
This year's knockout was the biggest on record with 185 schools taking part. Peel won their way to the finals, which were played at Netball Central at Olympic Park, by defeating Armidale Secondary College, Coonamble High and Inverell Public to be the North West champions.
Not really knowing what to expect in Sydney, Hadden said he was just hoping they could come away with one win.
"I actually couldn't believe it," he said of making it through to the final.
Especially after losing their first game, Hadden admitting he thought then "we're not in for a good day here".
"But we won every single game after that, except for obviously the final where it came down to the last end, and we only lost by one point," he said.
He thanked the schools P&C for sponsoring the team for the trip and encouraged more schools in the region to get involved in the competition next year.
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