Big Canoe Property Owners Association

Rules of League Bocce Ball in Big Canoe - 7/29/11

Why we play: To have a friendly competition in a beautiful setting.

Definitions:

Pallino - The small target ball, usually white

"B" and "F" lines - Lines projected across the playing court from the Back and Front markers on the sideboards.

Set - One round of 8 balls thrown by both teams from either end of the court (also called a Frame).

1.  The schedule of match dates is set by the Bocce Board before the season (Spring or Fall) begins.  Matches can be rescheduled as needed if both captains agree.  (See Rescheduling and Forfeits)

2.  Bocce balls can be borrowed from the North Gate.  Your Bocce League ID Card will be required when the balls are picked up.

3.  The League's 110 mm. balls must be used for all League matches and tournaments.

4.  Each team is made up of four adults, one of whom is named "Captain" and is required to attend the few Captains' Meetings held each year

6.  Two teams play against each other on the court assigned in the schedule.  (If another court is empty and unscheduled for use in a match at that time, both captains may agree to switch courts for their match providing they wait 15 minutes after their assigned time to be sure the empty court will not be used.  If either captain doesn't agree to the change of court, the match is played on the assigned court.)

7.  The court should be swept after every practice and before and after a match by a member of either team.  At the end of a League match, however, a member of the losing team is responsible for sweeping the court.

9.  Play begins with each captain, simultaneously and side-by- side, rolling one bocce ball toward the opposite end, trying to get his/her ball as close to the backboard as possible without hitting it.  The winner chooses ball color for the team and elects to either roll the target ball (pallino), or have the other captain do it.

10.  For a valid roll, the pallino must have stopped between the far "F" and "B" lines and at least one foot from the nearest side- board. (If it's closer to the sideboard, a player should move it a foot away.)

11.  If the pallino does not stop between the "F" and "B" lines, the other captain takes his/her turn.

13.  After the first ball is rolled, the other team rolls one of their balls.

14.  The team whose first ball is further from the pallino than that thrown by the other team continues to roll, alternating players, until they place a ball closer to the pallino than the other team, or until they have rolled all four of their balls.

15.  After all eight balls have been rolled by the two teams; whichever team has the ball closest to the pallino gets a point for that ball and for each of their balls which is closer than the nearest of the other team's balls.  This could amount to one, two, three or four points.  Only one team gets points in a set.

16.  If a measurement is needed, the captains should use the can and string or a tape measure to judge the distance from the pallino to the edge of the ball(s) in question.

17.  Balls must not be removed until the captains or team members assigned by the captains agree on the points scored.  (See Fouls, #4)

18.  The team earning one or more points in each set rolls the pallino in the next set and all future sets until the other team earns a point.

19.  Team members must alternate rolling the pallino at their end of the court so no one rolls it consecutive times.  They also alternate rolling the bocce balls during each set.

20.  During play, if two balls from each team are equidistant from the pallino, the team whose ball created the tie rolls again.  If the tie isn't broken in the next roll of one ball, the other team attempts to break it by rolling one of their balls.  They alternate rolls until the tie is broken.  If all balls have been rolled and the tie still remains, the rotation is a "wash" and all balls are thrown in a new set from the opposite end of the court.

21.  If poor weather develops during play forcing cancellation, the match should be rescheduled as soon as possible and begun with the score at the time play was suspended.  (See Rescheduling and Forfeits, #8)

23. The score should be recorded on the score sheet of both teams, initialed by both captains, and the score phoned in or e-mailed by the winning team's captain to the assigned Co-chair of Captains.

Game Etiquette

Respect for team partners, opponents, players on the next court, and spectators should always be demonstrated both verbally and physically.  For example:

• Only the player rolling the ball should be on the court. If a player requires significant physical assistance entering or leaving the court he/she should be allowed to remain on the court while moving to a spot which will not interfere with the player rolling the ball.

• Allow a player in the same end of the next court who is about to roll to finish before you start to roll.

• When there is a match on the next court, avoid loud cheering or coaching.

• Inappropriate or offensive language or behavior will not be tolerated.

• Spectators should remain impartial and not offer comments about matches to the players about violations or scoring.

Practice

Practice by teams not scheduled to play a match that day is encouraged but must end at least 30 minutes before any scheduled match.  Courts must be swept after each practice.

Fouls

1.  If any part of a player's foot goes past the "B" line when rolling, it's a foul and one point is given to the other team and the loss of the rolled ball for that set.

2.  If a player rolls a ball belonging to the other team, or rolls their own ball out of turn, it's a foul and one point is given to the other team.  That ball should be removed from play unless the other team's captain elects to leave it where it stopped because it gives them an advantage.

3.  If a rolled ball hits the backboard without hitting another ball of either color, or the pallino, it is removed from play.

4.  If one or more rolled balls are removed before the captains (or the team members assigned to score each set) agree on points scored, the team which moved the balls has 2 points removed from their score before the set was played and the set is ended.  Play resumes at the opposite end of the court, and neither team scores any points for the set.

1.  A substitute selected from the League Substitute List should be used when team members are unavailable.

2.  No more than 2 substitutes may be used by one team in any match during the regular season and in any playoff match.

3.  No one substitute may be used more than 2 times by any one team during the regular season.

4.  No substitute should play in more matches during a season than there are scheduled matches for any team **.  Example:   If a season has 8 matches per team, no substitute shall play in more than 8 matches that season regardless of the number of teams that involves.  [**This limitation is waived for the end of season playoffs so that any substitute may play in any number of playoff matches, but only for one team.]

5.  Members of other teams can not be substitutes.

6.  Any team member(s) may take a leave of absence by using a substitute (or substitutes) selected from the League Substitutes List as a full-time team member (or members) for the current season.  The substitute(s) will follow League Rules as a full-time team member (or members) for a single season.  A leave of absence team member (or members) may return to their team for the next season without penalty.

Conference Champion

1.  At the end of the season, each team will have a record of wins and losses adding up to the number of matches it played.

2.  In each conference, the team with the best record is its champion.  The second best record determines the runner-up.

3.  In a tie for first or second place, the team which scored more points in the total of all their matches is the winner.

4.  The rules for conducting a League Championship Tournament and other tournaments are available under separate cover.

While every effort should be made to play all scheduled matches on the assigned date and time, matches may need to be rescheduled.

1.  If a team is unable to play on a scheduled date, its captain should offer five alternate dates, perhaps by using substitutes, to  the other captain.  If the team ready to play on the original date accepts one of the newly proposed dates, the new match date and time must be scheduled with the Tennis Center (706-268-3367).

2.  After a good faith effort by both teams to reschedule, or obtain substitutes, without reaching an agreeable resolution for a scheduled match conflict, the match will be declared a draw and each team will receive 8 points.  Draws will be noted in the final standings statistics; points from draws will be added to the total of points won during a losing match.

3.  If a team elects to forfeit prior to the match date for any reason, their captain notifies the opposing captain.  The forfeiting team is given a Loss and 0 points and the winning team given 17 points and a win.

4.  If a team is more than 15 minutes late for a match and has not notified the opposing captain, they are considered to have forfeited and are given a Loss and 0 points.  The other team is given a Win and 17 points.

5.  If one or more team members are late, their partners may play using the same number of balls in each set as the number of their players who've already arrived.  If all the late members arrive before the match concludes, they may join at the beginning of the next set and their team uses the normal number of balls.

7.  If some team members have to leave during a match because of a sudden, unexpected emergency, their team may continue to play using the same number of balls in each set as there are remaining team members.  If the entire team must leave for the same reason, the captains will attempt to reschedule the match at the same score as when play stopped, using the procedure in rule #1 on page 7 above.

8.  If extreme weather forces a match to be stopped, with the concurrence of both captains, a mutually convenient date and time should be scheduled with the Tennis Center (706-268-3367). The match is resumed with the score as it was when the match was stopped.

9.  If extreme weather forces a match to be postponed before it has begun, both captains should work to find a mutually convenient date and time and reschedule with the Tennis Center (706-268-3367).