YE OLDE BOCCE LEAGUE RULES
Updated – Fall 2024
Changes noted by underlining
THE PLAYING FIELD The playing field will be marked by ropes/lines that define the border. All play takes place within these boundaries. The length of the playing field will be approximately 60 ft. and the width will be approximately 12 ft.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++GAME PLAY++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ The object of the game is to get as many of your team’s Balls closer to the Pallino (small ball) than the other team’s Balls.
+ One frame consists of all 8 Balls and the Pallino being thrown.
+ The match shall begin with the flip of a coin between the captains from each team. The winner of
the coin flip may choose to toss the Pallino or pass the toss to the other team. The other team chooses which color Balls they want to play.
+ The starting team per frame must throw the Pallino across the halfway line and within the boundary: If it does not cross the center, goes out of bounds or is closer than 1 foot to the side line or within 2 feet of the end line, then the opposing team now gets the Pallino and starts the frame.
+ Players may take steps towards the playing field for all throws but should not allow all of your foot to cross the foul line. A player must be standing within the side line distance when throwing a ball. The player who threw the Pallino throws one of their Balls and then steps aside. The Ball must cross the midline to be considered in play. If not across, it is removed from the field. Due to grass height making the Pallino difficult to see, the Pallino can be marked using a flag to ensure visibility. Captains should decide before using a flag if they will keep the flag in the ground or remove it while the ball is rolling. If there is no agreement then the rule is that the flag must be removed while the ball is rolling).
+ Teams shall decide to place and rotate players to ensure as many players as possible participate. The team may keep 2 or 3 or 4 players at either or both ends if more than 4 players. A player may not throw more than 2 balls per frame and none may throw 2 Balls in a row.
+ Whenever a team gets a Ball closer than the opposing team, it steps aside and lets the other team roll. The other team throws until it has a Ball that is closer to the Pallino than the opposing ball. This continues until both teams have used all their Balls, at which point the frame is finished.
+ If, during play, the pallino is knocked out of the playing area, all balls shall be removed and the frame shall be restarted, with the team which threw the pallino to begin the frame tossing it again and play continuing.
+ When a ball is thrown with the result of a ball from each team being equidistant to the pallino, play will continue with the next throw going to the team that threw the last ball. If at the end of the frame a ball from each team is equidistant from the pallino, no points will be awarded, the frame is vacated and a new frame is started at the opposite end to the frame vacated.
+Only one team is able to score per frame. 1 point is given for each Ball that is closer to the Pallino than the closest Ball of the opposing team. For example, if at the end of a frame there are 3 green Balls closer to the Pallino than the next closest red Ball, the green team receives 3 points. A maximum of 4 points are possible per frame. (No bonus points for touching the Pallino).
+ The team which scored in the last frame now throws the Pallino to begin the next frame.
+ Matches are won by whichever team reaches 17 at the end of a frame. If one team fails to show up within 10 minutes, or does not have 3 players, they forfeit the game. A forfeited match results in a score of 17-10. If both teams fail to show up by the designated time, the result will be a tie score of 0-0.
+++++++++++++++++++++MEASURING AND DISPUTES++++++++++++++++++++
Teams should designate one player per match as “the Tailor’ for the team and they should measure any disputed Balls, or a team may request assistance from League Managers. No other players should be on the court or touching any Balls while the ‘Tailors’ are determining which Ball is scored. Balls should be measured with the start of the tape measure touching the closest part of a team’s ball and stretching the tape measure over the pallino reading the tape measure by looking down to the closest edge of the pallino to the ball.
FOULS AND DEAD BALLS
+ The large Balls must be thrown across the midline and within the bounds of the playing field to count.
If a Ball is thrown and lands/rolls or is knocked out of bounds the Ball is considered dead and out of play.
A Ball that touches the inside of the side line is considered in play. No dead Ball can count in scoring.
+ A team member can take steps before releasing the Ball, but their whole foot should not cross the end line of the playing field. Repeated violations may be called for a fault and the throw being called dead.
REGULATION GAMES
+ A regulation game is played to 17. The team that has 17 (or more) at the end of a frame wins. A Team may elect to try to score more than 17 if they still have Balls to throw in that frame. When all Balls by both teams have been thrown, the game is over.
Ties are possible if the game is ended by time or weather.
A game is deemed official once one team reaches 7 points.
+ At the end of the match, the captains of both teams must submit their game score to our Scheduler / Record Keeper Jim Mason (email – Katejimmason@gmail.com ).
A record will be kept of all team’s wins to determine the overall League standings and eventual playoff seeding.
2024 Season and PLAYOFFS
2024 Fall Season will consist of 7 weeks of play starting on September 3rd and 5th.
Tuesday and Thursday nights will each have 4 divisions. The first five weeks will be round robin play inside of each division. After the 5 weeks of round robin play the standings will be based on won-loss records and point differential as the tie breaker. There will be 2 weeks of playoffs where the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th and 6th place teams in each division will play each other. Final standings after playoffs will determine seedings and divisions for Spring Season. The 2024 championship between Tuesday and Thursday teams will be played October 19th, 2024.
During playoffs, a playoff match will be forfeited if a team fails to have 4 players appear before 10 minutes past the designated start time.
EQUIPMENT
The official balls will be provided in the storage bins, consisting of 4 red/yellow balls or 4 green/blue balls and 1 pallino. Note: If each team agrees to use a set of larger and heavier balls that one team or the other provides, then they may do so. HOWEVER, if both teams cannot agree upon this then the League provided balls must be used.
The League Balls will be provided as well as Court lines, and flags.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
+ All players must be 18 years of age or older
+ All players must be properly registered through Ye Olde Bocce League
+ All players must agree to and sign the Release Form/Waiver.
Friends and guests may be allowed to play with a team during the regular season as long as they have filled out a waiver form and it is deposited in the notebook in the left hand storage bin prior to playing with a notation of which team they are playing for.
To be eligible to play in the playoffs, a player must be registered and have filled out the waiver by the mid-point of the season.
TEAMS
Teams will consist of 4 or more players. As noted below, teams may play with only 3 players during the regular season. Each team will have an identifying shirt with the team’s logo on it and be encouraged to wear this shirt when playing.
+ All members of a team present for a game must be given the opportunity to play that evening. This does not mean that someone who is on a roster who does not want to play or someone who might not feel up to play, must play. It is established simply from the point of view that if someone shows up with the desire to play, he or she will be allowed to play.
+ A regular match will be forfeited if a team fails to have 3 players appear before 10 minutes past the designated start of the match.
+ During the playoffs, a match will be forfeited if a team fails to have 4 players appear before 10
minutes past the designated start time.
+ Each team must designate a captain and co-captain who are responsible for the team.
+ Players can be substituted only between frames, unless due to injury or illness.
+ If a team has more than 4 players, the team will decide how to place and rotate players for each frame. If a team has less than 4 players, the team will still play with 4 balls, and one player will throw twice. No player shall throw more than 2 balls per frame, and then only if there are not 4 players.
Reminder: a player may not throw 2 consecutive balls.
If playing with 3 players, the whole team of 3 must change ends at each frame and they must rotate the order of players so that all players will rotate the first throw and thus rotate who throws twice in a frame.
+ If a player arrives during play, he or she may join play only at the start of a new frame.
GAME CHANGES
Any league schedule change (weather or otherwise) will be e-mailed to the captains no later than 4:00PM on game day. Should a Captain and or Co-Captain wish to be alerted by text message they must provide their phone number and indicate their request on the registration form.
- If a team is unable to play on the designated date, they are to contact the opponent team’s captain and they should work together in good faith to reschedule. The captain of the team (team A) which cannot make a scheduled game must advise the captain of the opposing team (team B) within 24 hours. Team B’s captain checks with his / her members and determines 2 alternative dates and times for playing the game and provides that to the captain of Team A. Team A then picks one of the dates. If Team A does not select one then it forfeits the match. Should the selected re-play date be rained out, the process begins again. Games must be made up within 2 weeks of the originally scheduled date.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
o Regulation Game – Played to 17 points. A team does not have to win by 2 points. The first to reach 17 wins, however all points in the final frame count, (eg. if you start the final frame tied at 16 and get three, you would finish with 19 once all Balls for each team have been thrown.) A game is official once one team has scored 7 points.
o Designated Starting Time – The time that the players are to arrive and the games are to start. For example, in the Spring the games may have a Designated Starting Time of 6:00 pm. In the Fall, the Designated Starting Time may be 5:30 pm. The actual times will be set at the time of formal announcement of the schedule. ing the Byers.give it a try!ee It is from this Designated Starting Time that the regular season “10 minute limit” for a team to have 3 players begins. This also applies to the playoffs when there is a 10 minute limit for a team to have 4 players appear.
o Frame – Consists of all 8 Balls and the Pallino being thrown. Frames make up a game.
o Pallino/ Jack – Small target ball.
o Ball – One of the 8 Large Balls