ROSSMOOR BOCCE

RULES

The Rossmoor Bocce Courts are for the use of all residents: members of the Club and non- member residents and guests. Bocce club league play is limited to Rossmoor residents. A calendar for reservations will be maintained by the Club. Priority is given to Bocce Club activities. The courts are open year-round, weather permitting.

1.0 Rules of Conduct and Courtesy

The Bocce Club strives to create a friendly and welcoming environment.  The following types of behavior are not acceptable:

1.1 Using words and gestures that reasonably offends others such as repeated swearing or use of foul language or epithets, even if not directed at someone specific.

1.2 Arguing with or berating opponents, teammates and/or the paddle person.

Other player expectations:

1.3 Players should be ready to throw the ball when it is their turn.

1.4 It is expected that players from both teams (subject to physical limitations) will help to remove the balls from the surface of the courts at the end of a frame. Those physically unable to perform this task shall not be criticized.

1.5 No lofting or shooting is permitted, i.e. throwing the ball high into the air to attempt to hit the target. Balls must be thrown at ground level or slightly into the air and must land before the center line of the court.

1.6 Due to physical limitations, should you need to remain in the court when waiting for your turn to roll, place yourself in a position that does not interfere or disturb other players.

1.7 Players should not stand in the vicinity of the Paddle person. Under no circumstances are players allowed to attempt to influence the Paddle person by voicing their opinion of the call. Captains are expected to enforce this rule for their team. Only captains or their designates may request a measurement for close calls. In addition, players waiting to gather the balls must not enter the court or gather near the pallino until the call is made.

1.8 Players are expected to make a commitment to be available for all three games on days they are available to play. Ongoing conflicts with other clubs and/or activities should be discussed with your captain and may result in your being dropped from your team.

1.9 The courts are to be used for the game of Bocce only.

1.10 Children must be supervised by a responsible resident and not allowed to disturb other players or the condition of the courts.

2.0 Bocce Terms

Frame: Rolling of the 8 balls (or fewer if a team does not have two players on each end) from one end of the court

Game: Playing frames until at the the end of a frame one team has 12 or more points.

Match: Three games

3.0 Bocce Equipment

Bocce balls and score boards will be supplied for all Club Events. Players must supply their own equipment when playing at other times, although a few sets are available in the unlocked shed at the courts.

4.0 Rossmoor Bocce Rules of Play

4.1 The organization of league play is designed to facilitate competitive play. League events can be held at any time during court hours of 8 AM to dark. The Competition Chairman will post times and court assignments on the court bulletin board. A new game should not be started after 3 hours of play A game not played will be treated as a “rainout” and points split between teams.

4.2 To begin a match a team must have at least 2 roster members present. When short of players, one will play at each end and roll only 2 balls. As more team members arrive, they can enter the game at the end of the FRAME. All 3 games are forfeited if a team does not have the minimum 2 roster players present after 15 minutes of the posted start time.

4.3 A match will begin with the flip of a coin between the two captains. The winner of the flip will have the choice of rolling the first balls or choosing the color.

4.4 Usually, each team will have 4 players at the court with 2 at each end rolling 2 balls each.          

4.5 Balls can be rolled by a player consecutively or alternating between the players.

4.6 The starting team throws the pallino. It must come to rest beyond the center line of the court and not have hit the end board. Should the initial pallino throw not be valid, a member of the opposing team throws the pallino. The person that threw the invalid pallino still throws the first ball. Throughout the game the player that throws the pallino throws the first ball. Usually, during a frame, the throwing of the pallino is rotated among the team’s players but this is not required.

4.7 Paddles will be used to show which ball has the “inside” position. --- therefore, the opposite color will roll next. The “inside” team leaves the court and the “outside” team rolls until they have used all their balls or achieved the “inside” position. No individual shall roll more than two balls.  If they do, the opposing captain has the option to either remove the ball from play for the remainder of the frame or return it so it can be thrown by the correct player.

4.8 Should any thrown ball hit the end board without hitting another ball or the pallino, it is removed from play. However, if the thrown ball hits another ball or the pallino, then any ball that winds up hitting the end board remains in place.

4.9 The pallino is always a valid target and remains in play even if it strikes the back wall after being struck by any valid ball during a frame. However, if the pallino ever leaves the court the frame is considered void and the team that started the frame will begin again at the opposite end of the court. If a bocce ball leaves the court it is removed from play, it is not rethrown.

4.10 If a player rolls out of turn, the opposing captain can either agree to leave everything in place, or remove the ball rolled in error for the balance of the frame. Any balls moved by the roll are returned to their previous positions.

4.11 If a player rolls the wrong color the offending ball is exchanged to a ball of the correct color.

4.12 When throwing a ball your movement is restricted to behind the foul line marked by the yellow tape on each side of the court. A player should not step on or over the foul line before releasing the ball or pallino. If they do so the player may be warned that they committed a foot foul. Should it happen again during the frame the thrown ball will be removed from play for the balance of the frame.

4.13 The team that scores in the previous game rolls the pallino in the next game.

4.14 At the completion of a game the teams exchange ends of the court and substitutions can be made. With the agreement of the opposing captain a player can remain at the same end for the next game.

4.15 Grooming of the court surface between games is limited to removing rocks and leaves unless agreed to by both captains.

4.16 Measurements are made from the top of the pallino to the inside of the ball. Only the captains, or their designated player and the paddle person are allowed in the courts to measure. Close calls should be measured. If both captains agree to not measure, the call stands even if a later measurement shows the call to have been incorrect.

5.0 Cancellation of Games

Games canceled due to weather (rain or extreme heat), air quality (spare the air alerts) or other unforeseen circumstances will not be made up.  The points will be split between the teams.

The club generally does not cancel games. Instead, if a captain wants to cancel games, they must contact their opposing captain and indicate they are canceling due to weather or other accepted reason.  Note – there does not need to be agreement between the captains to cancel.

6.0 Formation of Teams

6.1 Teams consist of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12 players.

6.2 Team captains are authorized to have active club members join their team. Under no circumstances are captains allowed to add waitlisters (section 7.0) and/or non-club members to their team rosters.  They may, though, make a written request to the Competition Director that someone on the waitlist be assigned to their team. If possible, the Competition Director will try to place the waitlister on their team. but there is no guarantee they will be able to do so.

6.3 Captains are to submit their completed rosters to the Competition Director before play begins. Any changes to the rosters after this date should be submitted to the Director of Competition.

6.4 Team captains are responsible for the conduct of their team members.

6.5 A club member can only play on one team per season. However, in circumstances where the club is short captains, a captain (not a co-captain) is permitted to play on another team or to captain a second team.

 

7.0 Waitlist

7.1 A person requesting to join the Bocce Club needs to complete a waitlist form available in the Bocce mail slot located in the Gateway office. The waitlist form must have the applicant’s email address. Only one person per form. Couples or partners must fill out individual forms.

7.2 When a team opening becomes available waitlisted applicants will be placed in the order their application was received and their availability. Normally member placement is done prior to a new season.

7.3 The Competition Director or Team Coordinator will notify the waitlisted applicant when there is a possible team opening. At this time, after paying dues, a waitlisted person will become a club member.

7.4 The Competition Director or Team Coordinator are the only persons that can place a waitlisted person on a team. The waitlist individual must play their initial season on the team to which they are assigned. For following seasons they may move to other teams.

8.0 Team Substitutes

8.1 Players not listed on the posted team roster are considered substitutes. The captain can have any member of the Rossmoor Bocce Club who is not on another team that plays the same night as a substitute.

8.2 A team shall not have permanent substitutes listed on their rosters.

8.3 Substitutes are limited to playing on a given team a maximum of three times. It is the captain’s responsibility to keep track of the number of times substitutes are playing on their team. Games will be forfeited if a sub plays more than three days.

9.0 Scoring

9.1 Only the “inside” team receives a score. One point is given for each ball that is closer to the Pallino than the opposing team. Should it be determined that the closest ball from each team is equal distance to the pallino, no score is given for the frame and play resumes from the opposite end with the same team throwing the pallino.  However, if balls beyond the “inside ball” are tied then the “inside” team shall receive the appropriate number of points up to the tie.

9.2 Each team captain is responsible for keeping the score. A person from one team maintains the score sheet and a player from the other team posts to the score board. They need to compare and agree at the end of each frame. At the conclusion of the game, both captains sign the scoresheet, and it is placed in the shed for posting.

9.3 The game is complete when one team has achieved 12 or more points, and the other team has no more balls to roll. Any remaining balls are returned to the starting location.  It is not necessary to ‘drop the balls’. Teams do not have to win by 2 points. 

9.4 If play is running late or due to weather, team captains may agree to play to play to a number less than 12 e.g. 8 or 10.

Rules as of December 2024. Approved by the board          _________