Published: May 10, 2008 10:32 pm            

Bocce is king

• Event continues to grow in popularity at Games

It’s all the craze.

Bocce has nearly doubled in size over the past several years in Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games, according to Curtis Boyer, director for Boomer Sooner area and head of bocce at the State Games.

For singles competition at the state games this week in Stillwater, Boyer reported approximately 400 athletes, while traditional doubles (two athletes) had 125 teams. The unified doubles (one athlete and one partner) was rained out Wednesday, but had 200 teams registered to participate.

“Bocce is taking over,” said Paul Sisney, Team Stillwater head coach for the past six years.

The game, which is played with four bocce balls per team and a palina (target ball) is much like bowling, but outdoors. A coin toss decides which team will toss out the palina, followed by the first bocce ball.

The opposing team then throws its first bocce ball, attempting to get it closer than the opponent’s. If they are successful, the first team throws again, attempting to get even closer. If the toss is unsuccessful, the teams will keep going until they have the closest ball.

After 15 minutes, or 12 frames, the game is over, and whoever had the most points tallied for their balls being closest to the palina is the winner.

“This is something that is easy to practice,” said Boyer. “It doesn’t take the most agile athlete to compete.”

In recent years, bocce was dominated by the adult athletes, but the tables have turned. Boyer said that there is a fairly even split of athletes, ranging from 8 years old to upper 60s. One of the head coaches for Vici, LeAnn Tatro, is a special education teacher and brought 10 athletes to compete in bocce this year.

While that number is about average for her team, Tatro said the sport is getting bigger and bigger — and not just with the athletes.

“We have a lot of students on our volunteer list who want to come with us,” Tatro said. “It’s not just for the athletes. They want to see what it’s all about.”

Along with her 10 athletes for bocce, the Vici team also has 10 unified partners. During Friday’s bocce events, the team had gathered two gold medals, three silvers and a couple bronze medals.

“We practice as school whenever we have some free time,” said Tatro.

While bocce is not the most athletic event at the Summer Games, it is definitely competitive.

“This is something that they can get good at,” said Tatro. “Its so neat to watch the athletes get excited and feel successful. It’s very rewarding.”

        

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