Have you ever heard of Bocce? Better yet, have you even seen the name? This unique sport originates from Europe.  Its present form was developed in Italy. It is kind of a mix between Horse Shoe and bowling.  The object of the game is to roll the bocce ball as close to the “Jack” on the other side of the playing field or court. The ball in Bocce is made up of metal or various types of plastic. There is typically anywhere from two to four players on each team.

Bocce is a unified sport that is offered here at North Point High School during the winter and is sponsored by the Special Olympics Organization. The Special Olympics is an organization for people with disabilities and they sponsor Bocce all over the nation in public schools. It is a way for students with and without disabilities to come together. The program emphasizes sportsmanship and the principle of meaningful environment. It is a policy that is highly embraced by coaches and players.

The way Bocce is played here is by taking turns tossing or rolling the eight Bocce balls underhand, getting them as close to the pallina or target marker, from behind the foul line. The coach marks the pallina before the roll in several different positions: a thirty foot spot, a forty foot spot and a fifty foot spot. The coach measures and records the distance, in inches, of the three closest balls to the pallina on the spot. Normally there are six to eight players on a Bocce team.

Here at North Point, Bocce is sponsored by Ms. Davis, who has been the sponsor for two years. She became interested in this position when she was in college when she was working at an A.R.C. home part time. Because of her experience, Ms. Davis has been interested in special education ever since. “I originally wanted to be a special education teacher but my direction went a different way,” she says. She now educates students about special education.

You can get more information about Bocce and how to join from Ms. Davis in room 349. If you want to join a team sport and have a lot of fun doing it, Bocce is the way to go.