Frederick Bocce

city
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Tournaments
  • Construction Photos
  • Donations
    • Donations
    • Fundraisers
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Photos
    • Steering Committee
  • Contact

About

Our purpose is to promote and enjoy the game of Bocce. We are a friendly and supportive group, placing the emphasis on having fun!

We began with a small group of friends playing bocce on the grass in Baker Park in 2014. We launched our website in December of 2016 and had out first meeting with public officials in January 2017.

During 2017 we researched bocce court construction, met with local and regional stakeholders, and received feedback from Frederick City officials about our construction plans, and potential locations that might be available in Baker Park to build the courts.

In January 2018 the Frederick Bocce working group was organized under Friends of Baker Park, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-staffed community service organization dedicated to fostering community involvement in the preservation, restoration, use, and maintenance of Baker Park.

In June of 2018 the City of Frederick signed an agreement with Friends of Baker Park outlining a public/private partnership to build the bocce venue. It was agreed that the Frederick Bocce working group would raise the funds for the required materials, and that the Frederick City DPW would provide the labor.

Through the tireless efforts of the Frederick Bocce working group, by June 2019 we were able to raise $125,000 for the materials to build the bocce venue. Due to weather and Covid-19 delays, construction began in Fall 2021 and the courts were in full use by Spring 2022.

One of the reasons that we love the game is that it can be played by all age groups and is wheelchair friendly – making it a sport that is open to just about everyone. On several occasions many of the participants are new to the Frederick Bocce group… so stop by and join us for some fun!


 Some Examples of Bocce Venues

Bocce in the park
photo by Anthony Goto via flickr (CC)
photo by B McEwan via flickr (CC)
photo by Mark Drago via flickr (CC)
photo by Alexis Madrigal via flickr (CC)
photo by Gene Han via flickr (CC)

July 2022 Bocce Tournament Winners!
(left to right) Third Place: Lorre Stottlemyer & JB Bach. First Place: Dominic & Victoria Petrucci. Second Place (tied): Steve Palmer & Rich Maranto,  Janet Kroll & Scot Ceravolo

As weather permits, Frederick Bocce hosts Sunday evening pickup games at 6:00 PM on the new courts! These are FREE to the public! We’ll bring the equipment and provide guidance in a welcoming environment.
Note: When the AccuWeather RealFeel temperature is 92° or above at 6:00PM, the Sunday night event will be cancelled.

profile "Bocce, sometimes anglicized as bocci, is a ball sport belonging to the boules family, closely related to British bowls and French pétanque, with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. Developed into its present form in Italy (where it is called bocce, the plural of the Italian word boccia which means 'bowl' in the sport sense), it is played around Europe and also in overseas areas that have received Italian migrants, including Australia, North America, and South America (where it is known as bochas, or bolas criollas ('Criollo balls') in Venezuela, bocha in Brazil). Bocce was initially played among the Italian migrants but has slowly become more popular with their descendants and the wider community." From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Bocce Rules

photo by Brecken Pool via flickr (CC)

There are "tournament rules" and there are "backyard rules". We play by what are called “open rules”. Basically, the smaller jack ball is thrown and then each team takes turns trying to roll their balls closest to it. Check out the video "How to Play Bocce" by Major League Bocce for a simple, entertaining explanation of the rules.
One of the reasons that we love the game is that Bocce can be played by all age groups and is wheelchair friendly – making it a sport that is open to just about everyone!

For additional information…

Join Email List

Sign up here to be notified when we are playing Bocce in Baker Park!

Copyright © 2023 · Streamline Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in