Game On

The Bocce Friends of Mooresville practice twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, April through November, at Mooresville’s Bellingham Park.

by Tony Ricciardelli photography by Jamie Cowles

Sports talk often leads to spirited debates about favorite teams, favorite players, favorite spectator moments, and the competitive aspects of sports in general. While modern gamesmanship represents the latest progressions of a particular sport, some fans remain steadfast in acknowledging the past, when sports seemed more about the game and less about the drama. Mickey Mantle, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Arnold Palmer, Wayne Gretsky, and Pele are but a few of sport’s immortalized achievers. All major sports recognize their respective legends, so why not celebrate the icons of bocce? Although there is no official Bocce Hall of Fame, bocce is a popular sport enjoyed throughout the world.

During the past two years, The Bocce Friends of Mooresville were one of sixteen teams competing in the Western Carolina Bocce Tournament in Valdese.

In its earliest forms, bocce dates to Egypt 7,000 years ago, long before the outset of professional sports we know today. During the millennium, bocce evolved throughout the Mediterranean, with its current form and popularity attributed to Italy since the mid-1800s. Fortunately, however, one doesn’t have to travel to Europe enjoy the game. Bocce clubs and organizations are prevalent throughout the United States, in big cities and small towns. Locally, Bocce is gaining popularity around the Lake Norman Region, with active Bocce teams in Davidson, Cornelius, Mooresville, and Denver.

The standard bocce court is a fine-graveled, bordered rectangle 91 feet by 13 feet; some prefer smaller courts, 8 to 10 feet wide by about 60 feet long. Bocce requires two to four to eight players on a team, with each player receiving two balls. The target ball (pallina) is rolled onto the court and, subsequently, players roll their balls until they get closer to the pallina than the opponent’s balls. The balls, including the pallina, can be targeted for re-positioning by the balls of any player. Players are awarded one point for each ball closer to the pallina than the opponent’s ball nearest the pallina.

“The game is player-friendly,” says The Bocce Friends of Mooresville team captain Fran Andrich, “Anybody who can roll a ball can play bocce. It’s a spirited game that brings people together.”

The most impassioned bocce advocate in the Lake Norman area is the man who furthered the game in Mooresville: John Elia. Elia hails from Palagonia, Sicily, and, as a boy, he developed a love for the game, while learning all things bocce from his father and grandfather. He came to America in the 1974, operating a successful pizzeria with his wife Connie, in Norwich, N.Y., until moving his family to Mooresville in 2010. In 2014, Elia met local paving and excavating contractor Mickey Pedulla; the two discussed their affinity for the game and the benefits of promoting bocce in Mooresville. Subsequently, Pedulla donated materials to help improve the bocce courts at Mooresville’s Bellingham Park, and his company sponsors The Bocce Friends of Mooresville, which boasts a roster of sixty-five players. Team member Sally Nardone emphasizes, “It’s about enjoyment, friendship, and learning. Bocce is an all-inclusive game; nobody is left out.”

“We have three teams including a women’s team established in 2021,” says Elia, who also coaches bocce for the Mooresville Special Olympics. “There is a friendly competitiveness when we play, and the game provides a chance to connect with others. We welcome and encourage everyone to participate.”

Team coach Cathy Petriano points out, “Most of our players are retirees and new Mooresville residents. Bocce is a perfect venue for those seeking fresh air and social activity.”

Elia is proud of each team’s improvement. During the past two years, The Bocce Friends of Mooresville were one of sixteen teams competing in the Western Carolina Bocce Tournament in Valdese. “The Valdese tournament is the real deal,” says Elia. “Certified referees monitor the game, and the competition is formidable. Our next tournament will take place in Valdese on Oct. 10.”

With rising skill and notoriety, The Bocce Friends of Mooresville just might be the impetus for establishing the Bocce Hall of Fame.

The Bocce Friends of Mooresville practice at Mooresville’s Bellingham Park on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays day at 5 p.m. The season runs from April through November. For more information about The Bocce Friends of Mooresville, contact Cathy Petriano at cpetriano@gmail.com.

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Bocce requires four to eight players on a team, with each player receiving two balls.