By Danielle Rexrode
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Bocce, anyone? This competitive game similar to lawn bowling is spreading like wildfire throughout the U.S., and Charlestown and Oak Crest are no exception.

“The thing about bocce is, it’s a game for all fitness levels,” says Teresa Reymann, wellness manager at Charlestown. “Anyone can come out and play, and it’s a great social activity.”

On any given day, the standard-size outdoor bocce courts at Charlestown and Oak Crest are lined up with players waiting to try their hands at the competitive game.

Hugo Warns hits the bocce court at Oak Crest about two or three times a week. “It’s a fun pastime—a lot like bowling. It allows you to meet new people, and I really enjoy it,” he says.

According to the World Bocce League, there are more than 25 million  bocce enthusiasts in the U.S. today. Reymann says so many people at Charlestown expressed an interest in bocce, they thought it would be worthwhile to build a court within the community. Oak Crest followed suit not long after.

The concept behind bocce is simple: Two teams are made up of two to eight players. Each player is given two balls (boccia). One team tosses a small ball (pallino) onto the bocce field. The object of the game is for a team to get its bocce as close to the pallino as possible. The balls thrown closest to the pallino receive points. Players also try to knock their opponents’ balls away from the pallino.

Darlene Carter, a regular player at Oak Crest, learned to play bocce as a child. “My father was Italian, and we played a lot when I was little,” she says. “I could practice every day, I enjoy it so much. I love getting outside, and there’s such a pleasant camaraderie among the players—it’s just a lot of fun.”

If you’re interested in learning more about bocce, visit www.worldbocce.org for information on bocce history, tournaments, and tools to help you learn how to play the game.