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SEPT 2024 THE REVIEW | 17 FEATURE “Boccia saved my life,” Max says. He had found a sport that not only he could play, but one that his tight-knit family could join in on. 20-year-old Max lives and breathes it – he says it’s his full-time job. When Max is playing boccia he is “living his best life and socialising”, says Lara. When he’s not playing boccia, he’s watching it for fun or to study his opposition during their tournaments. Max has only been playing since 2021, but he has found early success. He’s won bronze medals at Boccia New Zealand’s South Island and North Island regional competitions, and this October he’s competing nationally with the long-term goal of taking part in international events. His achievements are made all the more impressive by the fact that Max is almost legally blind – he can only see six metres in front of him, sees using only one eye at a time and has no depth perception. “And he’s picked a sport that relies on depth perception,” laughs Lara. “My goal is to be a Paralympian,” says Max, who is inspired by Troy Robertson, one of the top players in the country. “Max wants to hear the national anthemwhen they are putting a medal around his neck,” Lara says. “I have no doubt he will do it.” Max is quick to add: “I will do it more than once.” He has also passed the boccia bug onto his girlfriend Georgia, 21, who lives with Cerebral Palsy. Max has taught her how to play and his goal is to partner her in the doubles version of the game. The sport changed her life too. “Georgia was about to leave school and didn’t knowwhat she wanted to do, what she liked doing. He has 100 percent given her purpose in life,” Lara says. Max has started a boccia club in the community, and at his school, Waitakere College, and has visited resthomes to teach residents how to play. “What he’s found in that love of life, sport and boccia, he’s gifting to anyone who wants to learn,” Lara says. She says the team at Disability Sport Auckland, especially Aleisha Ritchie, and Halberg have been a huge support to Max and instrumental in his development as a player. “I can’t speak highly enough of them,” she says. Max’s introduction to boccia came about thanks to a change in powerchair. As a young lad, he had been enjoying playing powerchair soccer, but a new chair that was not equipped for the sport meant he could no longer play. It was six years before Max came across boccia and in that time he hit rock bottom – the lack of socialisation and not being physically and mentally active led to depression. “Boccia saved my life,” Max says. He had found a sport that not only he could play, but one that his tight-knit family could join in on. Max was eight months old when he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. He was Lara’s third baby and she quickly realised Max wasn’t hitting milestones like his two sisters. “By six months he’s not sitting independently. A lot of things were not quite right.” While waiting for an appointment with a paediatrician, Lara took Max to Conductive Education where the diagnosis was made. Max has been a member of the Cerebral Palsy Society since he was diagnosed, and Lara says right from the beginning the Society has been “a comforting umbrella that I know is always there”. She has used getPhysical funding for Max’s swimming lessons and getThis&That for medical supplies. Lara says she feels blessed to be accompanying her son on his boccia journey. “I have so much respect for the players. It’s a family of awe inspiring, cut-throat, people who are your best mates.” Opposite page, top: Max Wymer lives and breathes boccia and has weekly bookings at the local hall so he can practice. Photo: Melanie Louden. Opposite page, bottom left: Max loves heading along to watch the Warriors with his brother-in-law Nick Barrett. Above: Max, second from left, has found early success on the boccia court. Photo: Lilian Exton.