Inclusive Sports Product Design Hack 2024
Dezeen Competitions: the School of Design and Creative Arts at Loughborough University invites higher education students to propose inclusive sports designs for people living with disabilities.
The competition features three briefs that ask participants to create sporting products, accessories and training aids.
This competition is now closed
Organiser: School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University
Competition: Inclusive Sports Product Design Hack 2024
Brief judges:
- Brief A, Angela Lydon, national manager at Special Olympics Motor Activities Training Programme
- Brief B, Will Evans, head of sport at Boccia England
- Brief C, Alasdair Donaldson, head of Para Sport at Loughborough University
Technical advisory judges:
- George Torrens, senior lecturer at Loughborough University
- Patrick Pradel, senior lecturer and programme leader at Loughborough University
- Darren Southee, associate professor at Loughborough University
- Karl Hurn, lecturer at Loughborough University
- Stefania Sansoni, lecturer at Loughborough University
- Aimee Mears, senior lecturer at Loughborough University
- Ken Black, inclusive sports coach
- Bruno Oro, assistant professor at Iowa State University
- Salman Asghar, assistant professor at Effat University and visiting fellow at Loughborough University
- Lynette Smith, designer at Demand
- Gary Evans, CEO of Demand
Submission deadline: 8 August 2025
Shortlist announcement: 15 August 2025
Winner announcement: 22 August 2025
Prizes: the three winners will receive £100
Competition overview
The competition offers three briefs.
The first brief asks students to design sports products that aid athletes in the Motor Activities Training Programme (MATP) in the Special Olympics, which supports people with profound and multiple learning and physical disabilities and complex support needs.
The product should enable the athletes to achieve their goals, keep the activity within physical and sensory range and monitor performance. Design should also be easy to reset.
The second brief outlines establishing more cost-effective accessories and equipment for Paralympic ball-based sport Boccia.
The competition highlights the benefit of creating something that supports training for ramp-users and methods of ball retrieval.
The third brief welcomes cost-effective designs that optimise the performance of training or competition for athletes.
Eligibility and judging criteria
The competition is open to individuals who are completing a higher education qualification (degree, masters or PhD) during the academic period 2024 to 2025.
The judges will assess:
- a feasible, novel inclusive solution to the needs of the players and athletes for that game or sport
- where possible, a viable, low-cost and sustainable materials being used and the design capable of recycling
- a clear communication of the product, its benefits to the target users and stakeholders
- a clear summary communication of how to safely make the product using limited resources, tools, facilities and skills
How to enter
Participants are to submit a presentation of the design via a YouTube video no longer than four minutes, a summary up-to 200 words, an image of the product and a declaration of originality document.
The presentation should include:
- a brief description of the product, its benefits and who will use it, outlined through low-fidelity sketch models, computer generated designs, sketches and renderings
- an example of its use through sketches, animation and/or real-life role play
- an outline of production through sketches and engineering drawings, such as ordering proprietary components and materials, making equipment, cutting, finishing and assembly
- the estimated cost of manufacturing
Submission deadlines
The closing date for submissions is 8 August 2025.
About the School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University
The School of Design and Creative Arts (SDCA) is a design school at Loughborough University, UK, with a track record of involvement with charities involved in inclusive sports.
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