SOWA and Bocce: Let's Get The Ball Rolling!

1. SOWA and Bocce: Let's Get The Ball Rolling! Peter Di Turi Salvatore Cascone Auburn Bocce Club

2. Questions to Answer Today • What is the game of bocce? • What is the history of bocce? • What are the rules of bocce? • Where is bocce played • In the world? • In the Pacific Northwest? • Who plays bocce?

3. What is the game of bocce? • “Bocce” is pronounced BAH-chee (English) or BOH-chay (Italian) • Worldwide called “Boccia” (BOH-cha) • One of the earliest ball rolling games in history • 2nd most-played game in world

4. What is the game of bocce? • A game of skill (and some luck) • A non-contact sport • A low-impact means of exercise • A game for fun or competition • A game for young and old, with and without disabilities • A way to bring people TOGETHER

5. Other games with bocce elements • Lawn bowling • Boules • Petanque • Shuffleboard • Curling • Bowling • Golf

6. Questions to Answer Today • What is the game of bocce? • What is the history of bocce? • What are the rules of bocce? • Where is bocce played • In the world? • In the Pacific Northwest? • Who plays bocce?

7. The History of Bocce • Originated in Egypt, 5200 B.C. • Revived in Greece, 600 B.C. • Played in Punic Wars, 264 B.C. • Games played by soldiers to 21 points • Lost favor upon fall of Roman Empire and in Middle Ages • Charles IV banned it in 1319 due to the greater need for archery for war

8. The History of Bocce • Bocce became the game of kings and nobility but not for commoners • During Renaissance, French hospices called it the cure for rheumatism • Sailors to New World played bocce on shipdecks with balls of rope • First court in America (NYC) in 1733 • Early 20th century Italian immigrants to USA brought the game with them

9. The History of Bocce • 1st Bocce League (Torino) – 1946 • 1st World Bocce Championships (Geneva) – 1947 • 1st time in US Paralympics (Albany) – 1984 • 1st unified world organization – 1986

10. The History of Bocce • 1st time in International Special Olympics (New Haven) - 1995 • Nearly became demonstration sport for Summer Olympics (Sydney) - 2000 • 1st 4-court public bocce facility in Pacific Northwest (Auburn) - 2003 • 1st time in World Paralympic Games (Beijing) – 09/07/2008!

11. Questions to Answer Today • What is the game of bocce? • What is the history of bocce? • What are the rules of bocce? • Where is bocce played • In the world? • In the Pacific Northwest? • Who plays bocce?

12. The Basic Rules of Bocce • The Resources Needed • Played in singles, doubles, quads (2x2) • 1 white or yellow 1½” diameter ball, called the pallina (pah-LEE-nah), or jack • 4 red/green 3” diameter wood, plastic or steel balls (often called Bocce) • Tape measure/telescoping wand • Scorekeeping materials • The Object • Roll all balls of a color closest to the pallina to score points

13. The Rules of Bocce • The bocce • Cheap bocce sets < $50 are usually not tournament play • Bocce need to be evenly weighted and not be too large or too small • Bocce balls are heavy and dense, and can hurt if misused • Recommend play limited to age 10 or older, age 13 without supervision

14. The Rules of Bocce • The court • generally accepted: 80’ long x 12’ wide • open (flour lines, markers, ribbon, rope) OR closed (wood/concrete walls) • must be frictional surface (grass, dirt, clay, ground oyster shells, FieldTurf, carpet) • must be flat and free of debris that would impede or change roll or throw direction • Foul lines, mid-court line and court side/end lines (if open) must be clear • Play rotates from each end of court

15. A Typical Court Layout 100’ 90’ Court 4 Court 4 12’ Court 3 Referee/Media Area 6’ 66’ Court 2 Court 1 Picnic/Spectator Area 10’

16. The Rules of Bocce • Three types of Bocce throws: • Punto (POON-toe) – roll bocce as close to pallina as possible • Raffa (RAH-fa) – roll bocce to displace opponent’s bocce/pallina • Volo (VOH-lo) – THROW bocce to displace opponent’s bocce/pallina • International play: call the shot • Most tournament games are “open” throws - rules are not as exacting

17. The Rules of Bocce • How play goes: • Determine starting direction, color choice and first toss of the first frame • Pallina is tossed first, must go over foul line, must not hit back wall, must be 12” from side wall at rest • Pallinatosser also tosses first bocce • All bocce must go over foul line, must not hit back wall without hitting another bocce or pallina

18. The Rules of Bocce • How play goes (part 2): • Color that is closest to pallina has the “point”, or advantage • Color isn’t closest to pallina must throw until it gets closer or it runs out of bocce • Punto, Raffa, Volo throws may be used for bocce as appropriate and/or legal • Bocce thrown out or knocked out of play or not over foul line cannot be considered for scoring

19. The Rules of Bocce • How play goes (part 3): • After all bocce have been thrown, a frame has been completed • A point is given to the color which has the “point”, and for each bocce of the same color that is closer than bocce of the other color • Only one color gets points in a frame • A new frame starts from the other end with the color with the “point” having the first toss of pallina and bocce • Play continues to N points to win a game

20. The Rules of Bocce • Variant rules depending upon league or competition level • 8-21 points required to win a game • Play a set number of frames and use OT frames and/or rolloffs to end ties • Balls short of center line are in play • No Volo shots (over center line) • Raffa shots can have 3-step approach • Shots don’t need to be called • A bocce touching pallina is 2 points • Pallina toss can be 0-6” from the side • All balls must be rolled to finish a match • Throwing wrong color can be foul or lost points

21. The Rules of Bocce • A simple game with lots of tactics • knowing your skills • knowing your partner’s skills • knowing your opponent’s skills • knowing the court • knowing the bocce • adjusting to conditions • In any game, even the best can have a bad day, and the worst can have the best day.

22. The Rules of Bocce • Organizations Supporting Bocce Rules • Order of the Sons of Italy in America (1905) • Rules not unified • United States Bocce Federation (1976) • www.bocce.com/openrules.htm • Conf. Mondiale Sports Boules (1986) • Coalition of 2 world groups that officially support bocce, boules, lawn bowling, petanque • International Special Olympics (1995) • www.specialolympics.org

23. Questions to Answer Today • What is the game of bocce? • What is the history of bocce? • What are the rules of bocce? • Where is bocce played • In the world? • In the Pacific Northwest? • Who plays bocce?

24. Where Bocce Is Played • Worldwide: Played in 160 countries (102 of them with Special Olympics teams) • Dominant in US cities with populations very rich in Italian history, ancestry and/or culture New York Boston Chicago Philadelphia Baltimore Miami Los Angeles Detroit San Francisco San Diego St. Louis Phoenix Some cities newly supporting bocce: Seattle Portland Vancouver, BC Louisville San Antonio New Orleans

25. Where Bocce Is Played • The bocce court • Variable and unique like a baseball field or golf course • What makes a court different? Length Width Lighted for night play Wall Height Wall Material Wall Condition Surface Depth Surface Material Surface Condition Surface Pitch Orientation Indoors/Outdoors Attractions Distractions Amenities Level of Use Maintenance Time in existence • Let’s look at a few courts…

26. Example 1: Amici Park, San Diego

30. Example 2:Whittier Park, Fircrest

34. Example 3: Kent Senior Center

38. Example 4: South Beach, Staten Island, NY

41. Example 5: Les Gove Park, Auburn

44. Where Bocce Is Played • Auburn’s Les Gove Park courts • 4 80’ x 15’ courts, 4” concrete wall • 2” treated wood protects wall/bocce • Marked foul and center lines on wall • Top surface: 3” oyster shell/clay mix • Lower layers: 2” pea-gravel and 4” crushed gravel rock with PVC runoff • Paved path to and around courts • Benches/tables all around courts • ADA cut-out access on one court • Surrounded by trees on west/south, west-east orientation • Near senior center, museum, library, spray park, ball fields, fast-food and major freeway/arterial • Future community center, gym, teen center

45. Where Bocce Is Played – The Cost for Auburn’s Complex

46. Questions to Answer Today • What is the game of bocce? • What is the history of bocce? • What are the rules of bocce? • Where is bocce played • In the world? • In the Pacific Northwest? • Who plays bocce?

47. Who plays bocce? • Almost every nation on earth • Refined and specialized in Italy • Special Olympics: 102 countries, many are school programs • Worldwide bocce clubs • US Bocce Federation, Order of Sons of Italy in America, Italian/ethnic social clubs • Pacific Northwest: • Auburn Bocce Club – 2003 (62 members) • Auburn Sons of Italy – 1948 (160 members) • Sons of Italy chapters in North Seattle, Tacoma, West Seattle, Bellevue, Sno-king, Yakima, Vancouver, Beaverton OR, et al. • Portland Bocce League - 2007

48. Who can play bocce?

49. Who can play bocce?

50. Who can play bocce? YOU CAN, TOO!