Para-sport Advocate Receives Australia Day Award

Bracken Ridge resident Ryan Finn has been recognised for his voluntary work in the Paralympic sport of boccia at the Lord Mayor’s Australia Day Awards. 

Ryan was presented with the Australia Day Sports Award at the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony held at City Hall in January. He said it was an honour to win.

“I was in shock when I found out I had won the Lord Mayor’s Australia Day Sports Award and honestly thought it might have been an error,” he said.

Ryan has Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, which he described as an inherited, genetic condition that occurs when there are mutations in the genes. The disease affects the nerves in his feet, legs and hands, and he uses a wheelchair.

He discovered boccia when he called Muscular Dystrophy Queensland in 2014 to enquire about sports opportunities.

“Boccia is a game of strategy and accuracy,” he said. “Athletes with impairments that affect motor skills with a varying range of severity, are able to get involved and play. Through boccia, I have been able to meet many athletes with many different disabilities, play great competition and make long-lasting friendships.”

Ryan is an active participant and advocate for boccia. He has played in many tournaments, representing the Moreton Bay Boccia Club at the local level, and competed in several interstate tournaments as a representative of Queensland. He is currently seeking private sponsorships to continue his efforts.

He also visits specialist schools across Brisbane to encourage young people with disabilities to engage in and enjoy sports. Since 2018, he has been visiting Redcliffe Special School each week with his support worker and friend Ally.

“We specifically targeted the kids that otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate in sport because their wheelchairs aren’t compatible with grass or they don’t have the range of movement required, but anyone is welcome,” Ryan said.

He encouraged schools to reach out to Sporting Wheelies, a Queenslander provider of inclusive sports, recreation and rehabilitation therapy, to explore the available sports options for their students.

He said he considered winning the Australia Day Sports Award and the opportunity to raise awareness about boccia as his greatest achievements to date.

Looking ahead, Ryan envisions a “possible coaching role” and hopes to continue playing boccia for as long as possible.