Bay of Plenty wheelchair rugby player and former Paralympian Stacey Roche is “stoked” the Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport continues to grow nearly a decade after Parafed Bay of Plenty created the event.

The seventh annual festival will be held at Mercury Baypark Arena this weekend, running from 9am-4pm on Saturday, May 23, and 9am-3pm on Sunday, May 24, with Sailability events at Tauranga Marina from 10am-noon on Saturday.

Roche, who plays wheelchair rugby for the Bay of Plenty Steamrollers, has been involved with the festival since its inception and said it was created to give disability sport the profile it deserves.

“We needed a festival that celebrates disability sport because there was nothing like it in New Zealand,” she said.

“It’s the first and only cross-code disability sports festival in the country, which is pretty awesome.”

The event has grown significantly since it began nearly a decade ago.

Organisers are expecting more than 250 athletes from around New Zealand to compete this year across wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, boccia, wheelchair rugby league and sailing.

Roche said one of the things she loves most about wheelchair rugby is the way every player’s role matters.

Actually needed

“Every person and every ability is actually needed and required to make a great team,” she said.

“There’s a classification system and you can only have eight points on the court at one time, so every position is valued.”

The Steamrollers squad has about 10 players, with four on court during games.

Bay of Plenty wheelchair rugby player and former Paralympian Stacey Roche. Photo/Kelly O’Hara

Roche’s sporting background stretches back many years. Before taking up wheelchair rugby, she competed internationally in boccia and represented New Zealand at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. “I’ve travelled all around the world,” she said.

“Going from boccia to wheelchair rugby is quite a divergent path because they’re so different.”

Despite the change in sports, she said her passion had always remained the same. “I love being involved and playing sport.”

The festival will also feature community “have-a-go” sessions across several adaptive sports, including wheelchair rugby league, circus workshops and sailing.

These sessions invite people with physical disabilities, including those with low vision or hearing impairments, to experience adaptive sport in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Parafed Bay of Plenty Chairman Bryce McFall said the idea for the festival began nearly a decade ago when he “woke up in the middle of the night” with a desire to bring disability sport into the spotlight.

Aiming to grow

“I thought, ‘Let’s try and get it into the best arenas we’ve got in the Bay of Plenty. So, we modelled it a little bit on the Aims Games – starting small and aiming to grow and grow and grow,” he said.

“We started our first year with about 50 athletes. This year, we’re hoping to have over 250, and we’re showcasing it as a leading sporting event for disabled people in New Zealand, right here in the Bay.”

Bay of Plenty wheelchair rugby players Stacey Roche and Sam Fitness. Photo/Kelly O’Hara

After a successful debut last year, wheelchair rugby league returns in 2026.

“Rugby league is a really growing sport,” McFall said. “Last year it was a have-a-go opportunity, which was really well received, and this year they’re coming back to compete, which is fantastic.”

Highlights include national wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball tournaments featuring top para-athletes from around the country, including Wheel Blacks players.

The women

A special women’s wheelchair rugby showcase on Saturday afternoon will also celebrate wāhine in adaptive sport.

“Wheelchair rugby is traditionally quite a male-dominated space, so we really want to celebrate the women coming through the sport,” Parafed Board member and Bay of Plenty Steamrollers player Amanda Lowry said.

The match will feature female wheelchair rugby players from around New Zealand.

“Wheelchair rugby is one of the only sports with fully inclusive male and female representation, which is incredible. We want to celebrate the hell out of wāhine in sport and profile the amazing women involved,” Lowry said.

She said the festival is unique in the way it brings adaptive sport into major venues and celebrates athletes on a large stage.

“Disability sport is often played in local halls and gyms and doesn’t always get profiled. Here we are at Mercury Baypark, celebrating more than 200 athletes in a state-of-the-art venue. It’s a massive celebration of disability sport, and that’s what makes the festival so special.”

More opportunities

“The festival is an important opportunity to celebrate disabled athletes, promote inclusion, and create more opportunities for people to experience adaptive sport in the community,” Tauranga City Council disability and ageing strategic advisor Tan Phuangdokmai said.

Healthvision’s Debra Williams said their organisation is proud to partner alongside Parafed Bay of Plenty bringing this event to life.

“This festival is a powerful example of what happens when the right opportunities are created – athletes shine, communities come together, and disability sport is celebrated on the stage it truly deserves. It is a reminder that sport is for everyone,” Williams said.

The Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport is at Mercury Baypark Arena May 23-24 with Sailability events at Tauranga Marina on Saturday morning. A casual athlete awards evening will be held Saturday night.