- Home
- What's Happening
- News
- Level Playing Field
It’s late morning on a Tuesday and two teams are intently pursuing a large weather balloon across an indoor court at Knox Regional Netball Centre.
The players are participating in Scope's Balloon Football League (BFL), a version of AFL modified to suit the needs of people with multiple and complex disability.
Player Megan Kinsella says it’s important for everyone to be able to play sport.
“I love to mix with other people and make new friends,” she says. “I also love to get out in the community. Balloon Football should be accessible to all people regardless of whether they are in a wheelchair or not. I am so happy I got the chance to participate.”
Scope’s Community Inclusion Officer Lara Lyon says she’d like to open up the games to include more members of the community living with disability, not just Scope clients.
“The game was started in 1995, created by five men with cerebral palsy because they wanted a version of AFL that they could play with friends,” she says.
“BFL is played using wheelchairs and a giant balloon on an indoor basketball or netball court. We play in teams of five and are always looking for new players and volunteers. We have a lot of players with different levels of mobility; having wheelchairs available for those that don’t have their own makes it more accessible.”
Students from St Joseph’s College at Ferntree Gully help navigate some of the wheelchairs, umpire and keep score.
“The person pushing isn’t allowed to touch the balloon; the focus is the player,” Lara says. “The game really highlights that people with disability can be as competitive and sports mad as those without, there’s a real skill to the game and its popularity shows that we need more accessible sport.
“I love their smiles, they look forward to coming. They want to get goals or stop goals. Sometimes you get to see players extend themselves physically, kick a little further or punch a little higher than they would normally have range to do, and that’s exciting to see.”
Matches have been made possible by the $15.6 million expansion of the centre, which doubled the number of indoor courts to four, providing greater opportunities for increased participation.
“It’s so great to have this new centre, it’s so accessible,” Lara says. “The staff here have been incredibly generous.
“We’ve been so lacking in options that it’s been really great to have something for people with disability, especially with multiple and complex disability. That’s what gets missed a lot — when people talk about all abilities, not all programs cater for the level of one-on-one support some of the players require, whereas this literally can be for anybody. Everyone is on an even playing field.”
Knox Regional Netball Centre is at 9 Dempster Street, Ferntree Gully. Scope will hold come and try events in March and the season starts in April. Find out more at scopeaus.org.au
Share
What's happening
- Events, activities and festivals
- Have Your Say
-
News
- A revitalised route for Boronia
- Art Beyond Waste exhibition
- Business networking and Bodacious Coffee tour
- Buy right for a low waste future
- Check out our new Knox waste trucks
- Could your community group benefit from funding support?
- Cr Susan Laukens elected Knox Mayor
- Economic & demographic insights: What’s ahead for Knox?
- Electoral irregularities
- Free Community Training Workshops
- Get growing with Gardens for Harvest
- International Women's Day networking event
- Join our bike education courses
- Join the Environment Advisory Committee
- Join the Knox Multicultural Advisory Committee
- Keep leaving your rubbish bin out until 6pm
- Kindergarten community panel
- Knox recycling efforts a huge success
- Knox retailer networking session
- LED streetlight upgrades across Knox
- Learn how to compost at home
- Leave your rubbish bin out until 6 pm
- Local play just got more exciting
- Make an 'empty your fridge' frittata
- Making Knox more Electric Vehicle ready
- Move Your Way returns for 2025!
- New playground at Tim Neville Arboretum now open
- New wetland ready to explore
- Paving the way, sustainably
- Protecting our green areas and significant spaces
- Race ready!
- Removal of pine trees at Koolunga Native Reserve
- Reusable Nappy Workshop
- Revitalising Boronia
- Rubbish bin lids are changing
- Safer streets for Boronia
- StageScape - community performing arts festival
- Take time out in nature with Biodiversity Month
- Together we are Knox
- Transform your home with all-electric solutions
- We are sorry
- Winning government grants and tenders workshop
- Arts in Knox
-
Major projects and initiatives
- Capital Works Projects at Sports Facilities
- Carrington Park Activity Centre redevelopment
- Chandler Road shared path and road renewal project
- Demolition of Knox Basketball Stadium (Boronia)
- Gilbert Park upgrades
- Kings Park masterplan
- Lewis Park Masterplan
- Marie Wallace Park Upgrade
- New Bayswater Library
- Park Ridge Reserve Upgrade
- Tormore Reserve pavilion upgrade
- Wally Tew upgrade
- Wantirna Reserve redevelopment
- Community groups and volunteering
- Explore Knox
-
Event Calendar
- Bee Gees Revival
- Both Sides, Rachel Beck
- Burt Bacharach (Featuring Michael Cormick)
- Diamond
- Empty your fridge frittata workshop
- Everly Brothers & Buddy Holly
- FRITZ (School Holiday Feature Show)
- Lady Be Good, The Songs of Ella Fitzgerald (Featuring Nina Ferro)
- Melbourne Comedy Showcase (ft. Dave O’Neil, Billy Stiles and Sonia Di Iorio)
- Radiant arts festival
- STUFF! (School Holiday Feature Show)
- Sunglasses at Night. The 80-‘s Apocalypse Sing-Along Cabaret
- Tenori
- The Beatlez
- Tis the Season – A Very Jazzy Christmas Spectacular
- Wish Upon A Star – The Disney Songbook (ft. Danielle Matthews)
- Women of Wit
- Knox eNews