The best way to relax and have a good time is also playing sports. However, games such as volleyball, football or basketball require good physical fitness. Those who just want to relax or older people should pay attention to simpler non-traditional sports.
For example, recently bocce has become quite popular in Russia - a game suitable for the whole family, the elderly and children. This sport belongs to the Paralympic group. That is, people with disabilities can also play bocce.
Bocce history
It is believed that this game was once invented in Ancient Egypt. In any case, it was very popular among the rulers of this country thousands of years ago. Later, the Romans began to organize bocce tournaments, and then the game spread throughout Europe.
Bocce is the most popular in France today. Here it is played mainly by elderly people in city teams. Also, animators often offer to play bocce for guests of hotels in Egypt, Turkey and other resort countries.
The modern name of this game comes from the Italian word bottia, which means "ball" in Russian. Bocce was recognized as a Paralympic sport in 1984. About 50 countries currently have their own programs for this game.
In Russia, the first bocce championship was held in 2009. 63 disabled people from almost 20 regions of the country took part in these competitions.
Rules of the game
When playing bocce, it is not so much physical endurance that is important as dexterity and the ability to think logically. This game is played with leather-covered tennis balls. The ball can be pushed with a bat or hand, as well as guided along a special chute.
If we talk about the rules of the game, then bocce is somewhat similar to bowling or curling. To make the blow as effective as possible, the player must think carefully before striking it.
Bocce is played by teams, each of which has its own set of balls of the same color. The white ball in the game acts as a goal and is located at the very edge of the field. During the match, players must, by any means available to them, throw colored balls so that they fall as close to the goal as possible.
The game in bocce begins with a white target ball on the edge of the field. Then the athletes throw 6 balls each in turn. During the game, you can throw balls, including so that they push away the balls of opponents away from the goal.
According to the results of the throw-away, the player or team with the most points is determined. For each ball located closer to the goal than the balls of other participants, one point is awarded to the side.
Sometimes, when playing bocce, it happens that the players or teams score the same number of points. In this case, the referee will call a time-break.
The points scored by each team are calculated by the referee immediately after the last throw. The winner of the tournament is the team that managed to group the largest number of balls next to the goal.
Participants are allowed to throw the ball during the game as they please. Athletes have the right to do this over the head, over the raised leg, with the left hand over the right side, etc.
That is why the game is considered suitable, for example, for people with cerebral palsy. When sedentary, bocce helps to strengthen the spine and make it more flexible.
How the competitions are held
Official bocce competitions can be held in doubles, singles and triples. In the first two cases, matches last 4 ends, in the last - 6 ends.
Bocce competitions are held on courts with an area of 12.5x6 m. The set of equipment includes 12 game balls (6 of each color) and one starting white target ball. In some cases, such as B3 Competitions, the players may also use auxiliary chutes. Such participants usually play with the help of assistants.
Player Classes
In total, 4 classes of disabled athletes can participate in bocce during the Paralympic Games:
- BC1 - people who can push the ball with their foot;
- BC2 - athletes with cerebral palsy of a lesser degree of severity, capable of playing with the hand;
- BC3 - people with significant damage to the nervous system, unable to throw the ball too far;
- BC4 - wheelchair users with dysfunction of the arms and legs.
In the latter case, players usually throw the ball by swinging or using the force of gravity from the chest.
Benefits of bocce for people with disabilities
The benefit of this game for disabled people with cerebral palsy, as already mentioned, lies primarily in the fact that the spine becomes more flexible about them. Bocce also helps develop in these children and adolescents:
- prudence and intelligence;
- concentration and accuracy;
- ability to think strategically.
In patients with cerebral palsy, bocce also develops motor skills, spatial thinking and the accuracy of motor reactions.
How to organize a competition
Official bocce competitions are only organized for disabled people during the Paralympic Games. But playing bocce for the sake of rest, entertainment or relaxation is useful, of course, for ordinary people. Such competitions can be organized, for example, in schools, clubs, universities, held in various urban and rural complex competitions.
Arranging a bocce tournament, if desired, will not be difficult. To do this, you first need to find a flat area measuring 6x12.5 m.
Bocce field coverage can be almost anything. The main thing is that during the game the participants cannot be injured about anything. It is believed that amateur bocce matches are best played on lawn or sand.
Next, you will need to assemble teams. Each of them can be members from two to 6 people. It is only important to make sure that both teams have the same number of players.
Bocce balls are sold in sets. Such sets are quite expensive - in the region of 35-40 thousand rubles. So people who want to entertain themselves with this game will most likely have to jointly buy their own inventory. Since bocce is becoming an increasingly popular game in Russia, it is possible that after a while the price for sets of balls will even decrease.
Of course, bocce balls are not sold in our country at every corner, like, for example, basketball. But it is still possible to buy such a set in Russia with a strong desire.
It will be easy to buy balls for bocce, for example:
- via the Internet on foreign sites;
- in supermarkets in large cities;
- according to the ads of persons selling used kits by hand.
For adults who want to play bocce, it is worth purchasing standard sets of heavy balls. For children, sets of lightweight balls are produced, which are somewhat cheaper.
