Sports Ability is a national program designed to increase the participation levels in sport and physical activity of people with disabilities in a structured, safe, inclusive and fun environment.

Initially Sports Ability was funded via the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund from 2004- 2007, Sports Ability is now an ongoing program managed nationally through the Disability Sport Unit.

Sports Ability has two main aims. To provide:

• those working in a physical activity and sport setting with more ways of including people with disabilities
• a means for people with and without disabilities to interact in a sporting environment.

Sports Ability is appropriate for everyone, including:

What does Sports Ability consist of?

There are three elements of the Sports Ability inclusive games program including:

Sports Ability games

The Sports Ability program is based around five inclusive games, these games can be used developmentally or to provide new pathways in disability sport. These games include:

• Boccia - a bowls-type target game played at the Paralympics; suitable for all abilities, and provides an ideal vehicle for inclusion
• Goalball - a Paralympic sport developed for players who have a vision impairment. It is an exciting invasion game that introduces new challenges to both sighted and vision impaired players.
• Sitting volleyball - a Paralympic sport for players for whom standing volleyball may not be an option. As all players remain seated during play, sitting volleyball is an excellent inclusive game.
• Polybat - an accessible version of table tennis, particularly useful for young people who have coordination and control impairments. Polybat can also be used to introduce younger children to table tennis.
• Table cricket - a dynamic table version of cricket for players of all abilities, but specifically those with complex or higher support needs. It retains the three main elements of cricket - batting, bowling, and fielding - as well as most of the key rules.
• Traditional Indigenous Games - five traditional games have been included and can be adapted and modified to suit all abilities. These games have their origins in the Torres Strait, Central Australia, Northern New South Wales and Southeast Queensland. 

Schools program

Sports Ability is currently being delivered nationally in over 250 educational settings including special education schools, primary schools, secondary schools, TAFE and universities.

Sports Ability is very easy to use and flexible in its delivery and is currently used in the following ways:

• curriculum support to existing PE and sport programs
• out-of-school hours learning - AASC
• the basis for inclusive games festivals
• inter-school sports competitions and inclusive carnivals
• as a tool for developing leadership and mentoring programs.

Community program

Sports Ability can be used to develop community based inclusive club programs and is currently being delivered in some of the following areas:

• YMCAs and PCYCs
• local community centres
• respite care
• day option programs
• aged care facilities.

How can I purchase a Sports Ability kit?

Sports Ability equipment can now be purchased exclusively through Modern Teaching Aids (MTA). The cost of the kit is $1999.90 (GST exclusive) and includes sports equipment for five inclusive activities, activity cards, instructional video and a boardmaker CD. To order please contact Modern Teaching Aids on 1800 251 497 (FREECALL) or sales@teaching.com.au

• Sports Ability Brochure ( PDF - 3.7 mb)

Did you know?

Australia is one of only two nations to have competed in every modern Summer Olympic Games

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