A GROUP of Oxley High students have surprised themselves with their success at the competitive sport of boccia ball.
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It was all "bright lights" for nine Tamworth students with disabilities whose random success at the sport recently took them on a whirlwind trip to Sydney.
Boccia is played competitively at national and international level by athletes with a number of neurological impairments. The aim of the game is to throw balls to land as close as possible to the target ball.
Coach of the team, teacher Rhiannon Nigro, said there was no strategy in place when the team tied for victory with Peel High School at the regional tournament in May.
"We just randomly put three kids on the court at once," she said.
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The team put in a couple of practice games before the big trip, but their main tactic of just having a go proved successful.
Tying for first place yet again, the team just lost out on the win in the tie breaker. Overall, they came seventh in the state.
"The main goal was to make the kids have fun - we got as far as going to Sydney, which I think is amazing," Ms Nigro said.
![Jaiden Elliott, 13, and Robert Hazard, 15, said the trip to Sydney was "fun". Picture by Peter Hardin Jaiden Elliott, 13, and Robert Hazard, 15, said the trip to Sydney was "fun". Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/164349425/28976d29-ab65-45d0-972e-38e026c76189.jpg/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Head teacher Racheal Rapley said the experience was also at no cost to the kids, with $7500 raised from donations by a number of local organisations to cover expenses.
This meant the students could spend three days in the harbour city, from July 25 to 27, also visiting Taronga Zoo, Circular Quay, TimeZone, and having dinner in Chinatown.
Robert Hazard, 15, said he enjoyed going to The Rocks and candy shops.
"It was bright lights," he said.
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