The Paralympics are set to get underway next week, and with Channel 4 providing hours of coverage, you might find yourself watching sports not usually on your radar. 

An example is boccia, a game similar to bowls which is currently the fastest growing disability sport in the UK. 

Prepare to be enchanted; sports journalist Simon Barnes once wrote: "It’s the heart and soul of the Paralympic Games, or of all sport. You haven’t seen sport until you’ve seen boccia."

It seems therefore that it's a must watch, so here's everything you need to know about boccia. 

What is boccia?

Boccia is a Paralympic sport similar to lawn bowls. 

Played on an indoor court the size of a badminton court, the game tests control and accuracy. 

Boccia means wooden ball in Italian and the game is thought to be one of the first games ever played by humans with roots in Greece and Egypt.

It made its first appearance in the Paralympics in 1984.

What are the rules to boccia?

The aim of the game is to throw, kick or roll balls to land as close as possible to a white marker ball called the Jack.

It can be played in teams or one v one, with various events scheduled for the Paralympics. 

In the individual and pairs competitions, each side plays four rounds of six shots, while in the three aside competitions, they play six rounds of six shots. 

At the end of each round, the team with that ball closest to the jack wins a point, and an additional point for every ball closer to the jack than their opponent. 

At the end of the match, the team with the most accumulated points wins. 

Some players are allowed support assistants depending on their disability.  

Who are GB's medal hopes in boccia?

ParalympicsGB has lots of medal hopes in the boccia, with even an entire family getting involved!

Brothers Jamie McCowan and Scott McCowan will be assisted by Mum and Dad Linda and Gary McCowan in the BC3 event. 

Here are all the athletes competing in the boccia for GB:

  • Claire Taggart - BC2
  • David Smith - BC1
  • Stephen Mcguire - BC4
  • Evie Edwards - BC4
  • Will Hipwell - BC2
  • Beth Moulam - BC3
  • Louis Saunders - BC4
  • Jamie McCowan - BC3
  • Gary McCowan - BC3

David Smith returns as the defending Olympic champion and will go for his third gold medal, having been crowned as champion in 2008 as well.