Based on feedback from some of our Bocce captains, we want to remind all players that a fundamental part of being on a Bocce league team is commitment. Bocce is a competitive team sport that involves its team members’ time, cooperation, and strategy while encouraging friendliness and a sense of camaraderie.
When you agree to play on a team, your captain and teammates expect you to participate regularly in a match each week. Obviously, we all have occasional appointments, vacation plans and unexpected occurrences which impact our availability. Our requested approach: advise your captain of any plans with enough notice so he/she can accommodate for or revise the team’s play schedule which may include pulling in a substitute.
Unless you’ve cleared it with your team captain, habitually arriving late and/or leaving early just because you don’t or decline to play in the first or last game it is noticed…..and not positively; keep in mind, like scribing the scoresheet or taking on the paddle position, whether offering tips to and cheering on players or just plain visiting with fellow teammates on the sidelines your presence speaks supportive and respectful.
If Bocce team play is a fun activity yet you find yourself squeezing it in around other regularly scheduled, perhaps more important pursuits, you might want to consider whether a weekly, 2-3 hour Bocce match is right for you; know that some people opt to and enjoy participating less frequently as a substitute.
Common courtesy, playful banter, and simple respect between teammates and opposing team members alike is an club expectation. Likewise, because it does happen, we remind folks to refrain from insensitive, disparaging remarks and to solve disagreements civilly.
Finally, know captains are typically on top of weather conditions and aware it can adversely affect some people more than others. Often with temperatures climbing into the 90’s -- and always with “spare the air days” -- captains will mutually cancel or shorten games, i.e., 8 points vs 12. Typically, mutually canceled games are not rescheduled; instead, game points are split in half with 1.5 games per team; similarly, a “no-show” team forfeits the scheduled game – 3 points -- to its opposing team.
