Do you ever wonder if bocce allows individuals of different abilities to play? You are not alone. As someone with a disabled family member, I always wanted to include them in simple games, such as bocce. Fortunately, I discovered unified bocce.
Unified bocce is an inclusive version of the traditional bocce ball game. It allows individuals with or without intellectual disabilities to play together. It eliminates stereotypes and gives everyone equal opportunities to enjoy sports.
Unified bocce introduces several rules you may be unfamiliar with. Below, I will teach you how to play unified bocce. I will also cover basic facts about the game to help you determine if it is the right fit.
What Is Unified Bocce?
Unified bocce is a modified form of the traditional bocce ball. It advocates for social inclusion and unity among individuals of different abilities.
A unified bocce team consists of players with and without intellectual disabilities to compete in the game as equals. In doing so, the sport breaks down stereotypes about disabled players. It is also a great platform where different players can learn from one another.
Unified bocce shares similar objectives to bocce ball. Players must toss their balls closer to the target ball than the opposite team to earn points. Each group takes turns throwing the balls, aiming to beat the opponent. The first team to reach a set number of points win the game.
And similar to traditional bocce, unified bocce lets you play indoors and outdoors. Unified indoor bocce involves playing in gymnasiums or sports halls. Meanwhile, an outdoor bocce competition can happen at designated bocce ball facilities or in your own backyard.
What Is Special Olympics?
I could not talk about unified bocce ball without mentioning the Special Olympics.
Unified bocce is part of the Special Olympics through the Unified Sports program.
The Special Olympics is a non-profit global organization that empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities. Established in 1968, it provides annual sports training for disabled children and adults. It also hosts year-round competitions to help participants develop physical fitness and confidence.
The Unified Sports program allows individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to play together. It offers various sports, such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming, and bocce. The program operates at the local, regional, national, and international levels. It ultimately gives everyone a chance to participate in socially inclusive competitions.
How Is Unified Bocce Different from Traditional Bocce Ball?
Unified bocce follows the basic principles of bocce. However, it has a few differences worth noting.
First, unified bocce has a different team composition than traditional bocce. Teams consist of players with intellectual disabilities and individuals without disabilities. The former is called the Special Olympics athletes, while the latter is known as the Unified partners. The program calls these teams as competition divisions. In contrast, traditional bocce has no specific team requirements or restrictions.
Another difference between unified bocce and traditional bocce is the concept of Unified partners. These are players without intellectual disabilities who will play alongside Special Olympics athletes. They will have equal responsibilities in terms of gameplay and scoring.
This special bocce program also emphasizes the importance of an inclusive playing environment. Unlike traditional bocce, the focus is not limited to competition and fun. Unified bocce encourages social interaction, mutual respect, and appreciation for every participant.
Finally, unified bocce has a few adapted rules and equipment. It still follows the fundamental principles of bocce. However, there are minor changes. For one, it allows the use of lighter bocce balls to ensure full player engagement.
What Are the Benefits of Unified Bocce?
Playing unified bocce gives you several benefits.
First, it is a great way to promote social inclusion and diversity. It allows you to enjoy a bocce game with disabled individuals. It gives you a platform where you can learn from one another and build meaningful relationships.
Unified bocce also improves your cognitive skills. These include critical thinking, decision-making, and spatial awareness.
Plus, Unified Sports like bocce can empower players with intellectual disabilities. It helps them gain self confidence while having social contact with professional athletes. It even raises awareness about their abilities and rights. It proves that they can enjoy and succeed in physical sports the same way individuals without disabilities do.
Finally, like any other sport, unified bocce can help you develop physically. This special bocce program improves your balance, coordination, and overall athleticism. It ultimately leads to better physical health and well-being.
How To Play Unified Bocce?
Unified bocce has several differences from traditional bocce ball. These lead to a few distinctions when it comes to the gameplay and equipment.
Below, I will explain various aspects of unified bocce to help you play the Italian game successfully.
Teams and Uniforms
Unified bocce has two teams with a minimum of two players and a maximum of four. Each group must consist of players with and without intellectual disabilities who will compete as equals. All individuals on the team must also play in all games.
The uniform for unified bocce varies depending on the competition and organization. In general, the Italian game encourages players to wear comfortable athletic attire. These include t-shirts, jerseys, shorts, or track pants.
However, some events may require participants to wear designated uniforms or jerseys. These outfits usually have team colors, logos, and other elements that represent their group.
At the end of the day, though, unified bocce is not strict when it comes to dress codes. It focuses on the spirit of unity, inclusion, and cooperation instead of formal attire.
Gameplay
Before playing unified bocce, competitions or organizations must set up the court. The playing area can be located indoors or outdoors, depending on preference. However, each court must be rectangular in shape. The typical bocce ball court dimensions are 60 feet in length and 13 feet wide.
After preparing the court, players with or without disabilities form two teams. Each group has a designated color to distinguish their bocce balls. The team will have eight of these colored bocce balls and a small target ball known as the pallino.
The goal of unified bocce is to get the bocce balls as close as possible to the pallino. The team who manages to throw their balls nearest to the target earns a point.
To determine which group plays first, a referee will toss a coin.
The first team throws the pallino toward the playing area. Then, the same player from the group tosses or rolls the first ball.
The two teams take alternate turns in throwing the bocce ball closest to the target. Each group will attempt to get their balls closer to the pallino than the other team. Strategy is an essential part of the sport.
The players on a team must also alternate between athletes and partners. For instance, if a Unified partner tossed the first ball, the next participant would be the Special Special Olympics Athletes. Players can only deliver one ball per round.
Once all the bocce balls are in play, the scoring begins.
Scoring
Scoring occurs at the end of each round or frame when all players toss their balls.
The referee awards points to the group whose balls are nearer to the pallino than the opponent. The use of measurement tools is essential to ensure fair play and scoring.
Teams can earn one or more points, depending on the ball positioning. For instance, if you have multiple balls closer to the target than the opponent, you get one point for each ball. You can even earn two points if the ball touches the pallino in a move called the baci or kiss.
The group who earned the most points will throw the pallino and first ball in the next round.
However, if teams have balls that are equidistant from the pallino, no one gets any point. It is considered a tie. The group who previously had the first turn will toss the pallino and starting ball again.
The first team to reach a pre-determined score, usually 16 points, wins the game.
Conclusion
If you want to promote diversity and inclusivity in sports, consider playing unified bocce.
It is a form of traditional bocce that allows players with and without intellectual disabilities to enjoy the sport. It follows the basic principles of bocce ball. However, there are a few differences, which I covered above.
Do you have other questions about unified bocce? Let us know by sending a message via our contact page!
