Bocce ball coming to Bella Vista
A couple from Texas may bring a new sport to Bella Vista. On Sunday, Nov. 5, Ken and Sandy Fink will help POA staff with the city’s first outdoor bocce ball tournament.
Meanwhile, Art Hamilton, a resident of Concordia Retirement Community, is helping get an indoor league started at Concordia.
Bocce ball is popular in many parts of the country, Fink said. It’s a sport that can be played by people of almost any age. Even people with health issues can play, he said. It can be played outdoors almost all year unless there are snow and ice.
He went to Riordan Hall manager Cathy Wilmoth with his proposal and she sent him out to find an appropriate spot. He found it behind Riordan Hall, near the playground.
While Bocce ball is often played on a regulation court, it doesn’t have to be, Fink explained. He wants to play “random Bocce ball,” which doesn’t have a court, just a loose boundary. In random Bocce ball, you don’t have to have a completely level field.
“Uneven terrain makes it more challenging and interesting,” he said. “If you look hard enough, you can find a place to play.”
Bocce ball, according to Wikipedia, “is traditionally played on natural soil and asphalt courts 90 feet in length and 8.2 to 13.1 feet wide. It can be played by two individuals or teams of two, three or four players.” A smaller ball, the jack, called a boccino, which means “little bocce,” or a pallino, which means “bullet,” is thrown into the center of the court. The goal is to roll each ball as close to the jack as possible, according to the article.
The equipment for bocce ball is not expensive, Fink said. He plans to provide several sets for the Sunday tournament. A set consists of eight larger balls in two colors and one small white ball.
Fink plans to start at noon with some instructions for novice players. Fink is hoping to offer prizes to the winners.
At 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. 9, the indoor players will meet in the main building at Concordia. Hamilton has the green “carpet” which comprises the Bocce ball indoor court, as well as the equipment set.
According to Sharon Bettis, Concordia’s activity director, the rules for indoor bocce ball are similar to the outdoor rules. She hopes to develop a regular league at Concordia that will meet weekly.