Valencia Shores

ARTICLE I: THE COURTS

1. To ensure safety, all players must wear closed-toe rubber-soled sneakers. Sandals are not permitted.

2. Friends, family and spectators are welcome to watch bocce matches, but shall not interfere in any manner with the playing of the games.

3. During match play, players, spectators, and team members are not permitted in the middle area between the courts or within three feet of the long side of the court.

4. In the event of thunder, lightning, or steady rain, or if the field becomes unplayable, the match will be stopped by the captains. If neither team has scored six or more points in a game or if the score is tied, the match will be considered a rainout. Otherwise, the team in the lead will be d the winner at the current score. Regular season rainout games can be rescheduled at the discretion of both team captains, and the first team with eight (8) points wins.

5. If court conditions are questionable, the captains of the teams playing in a match should visually check the court conditions prior to the match. If the court conditions are not playable, the captains should agree on a date and time to reschedule and notify their players and notify the league webmaster. All rescheduled games must be played within 14 days of the originally scheduled match.

6. The backboards can be removed to make room for players with disabilities, but they must be put back in place before any bocce balls or the pallino are thrown in that direction.

ARTICLE II: CAPTAINS, CO-CAPTAINS AND OFFICIATING

7. At the beginning of the season, each team must name a captain or co-captain. Either the captain or co-captain must be present at each match. If the captain or co-captain cannot be present at a match, the captain shall notify the opposing captain in advance of the identity of the person who will be acting as captain at the match.

8. It is the responsibility of the captain to provide their team members with all match schedules and communications. The captain shall urge ALL team members to attend ALL matches.

9. The captain or the co-captain or one player shall be designated at the beginning of the match as the individual to make all decisions for the team, including requests for measurements for determining which color balls are closest to the pallino. Only one person, being either the captain, co-captain or a player so designated, is allowed to be on the court to actually assist in measurements for determining which color balls are closest to the Pallino.

10. If there are no game officials present, each team may have one player at the scoring end of the court.

11. Captains may agree to reschedule a match at any time before a match and shall so notify the league webmaster. If a match has not been rescheduled, there is a 15-minute grace period for both teams to field enough players to begin the match. If a team cannot field enough players to begin the match, they will forfeit the match.

12. The winning team captain will report the game scores on the Top Dog website at the end of the match. Report only games won and lost by each team. If results are not reported, no points will be awarded to either team. Standings, team rosters, and schedules can all be viewed online at Top Dog.

13. The captains shall be responsible for seeing that their team complies with all Rules.

ARTICLE III. ROSTERS AND PLAYERS

14. Each team must have a minimum of twelve (12) players on their roster.

15. During each game, a maximum of four members from each team can play. Replacing a player with another registered player from that team during a game will be permitted for illness or injury only. If a player leaves a game that has been started for any reason other than illness or injury, including but not limited to leaving for an appointment, meeting or other sport, they cannot be replaced and the game shall continue with one less player for that team and balls shall be thrown in accordance with Rule 21 below.

16. The captain shall urge ALL players to attend ALL games. Each player present must play in a game in the match before a player may play in a second game in a match. The captain shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that all players during the season shall have the opportunity of equal playing time during the season.

ARTICLE IV. PLAYING THE GAME

17. The game involves a small ball, the pallino, four white and four black bocce balls. Two teams play against each other, with one team using white bocce balls and the other team using black bocce balls. All bocce balls must be thrown underhand and from behind the yellow foul line.

18. A match consists of three games, with one point being awarded for each win. Each game will continue until one team reaches eight points. (In the playoffs only, teams must win by 2 points.)

19. The objective of the game is for each team to get their bocce balls as close to the pallino as possible.

20. Before the start of the game, the team winning the coin toss can choose to go first or second. The team that goes first will use the white balls. For the second and third games, the team that won the previous game tosses the pallino first and then throws their bocce ball.

21. Two players from each team will throw two balls each from one end of the court during every frame. The players may alternate throwing the bocce balls, or each player may throw two balls consecutively. If playing with fewer than four players, there will be no rotating of players from one side of the court to the other during the game. When a team has three players, one player will play from one end and throw two, and two will play from the other end and throw two balls each. With two players, one will play at each end and toss two bocce balls each. Each game consists of multiple frames, with players from each team at each end of the court. When three games have been played, the match is complete. At no time will a player ever throw more than two bocce balls during a frame.

22. Each frame starts with the tossing of the pallino from the yellow foul line, rolling towards the opposite end of the court.

23. Throwing the pallino:

a. The pallino toss needs to be at least twelve inches from the sides of the court. If the roll is closer to the side of the court, the captain shall move it twelve inches from the side. In this case, the pallino is not tossed again.

b. The team with the right to throw the pallino has two chances to toss it within the designated area between the middle white line and the far yellow foul line. The entire pallino must be beyond the middle white line and before the far yellow foul line.

c. If the first person on the team fails to throw the pallino in the designed area, the second person on the team throws the pallino.

d. If both people on the first team fail to throw the pallino in the designated area, the opposing team has one chance for either member of that team to throw the pallino in the designated area, and if that person does so, that person throws the first ball of that game.

e. If neither team has been successful in throwing the pallino into the designated area, the captain of the first team that rolled the pallino in that game shall place the pallino within the designated area and a player from that team rolls the first bocce ball for that game.

f. If a player tosses the pallino when the other team should have tossed it, the frame starts over, and the pallino is returned. There is no penalty.

24. Rolling bocce balls:

a. The player that first successfully placed the pallino in play in the designated area shall roll that team’s ball first; provided, however, in the event that pallino was placed in play by the captain pursuant to Rule 23e, then the first player of the team that unsuccessfully tried to place the pallino shall roll that team’s first ball.

b. If the ball of the first player that rolls a bocce ball does not stop in the field of play, it is removed from play and that player rolls a second bocce ball. If that ball does not stop in the field of play, it is removed from play, and that player is done for that frame, as no player may roll more than two balls in any frame. The second player on that same team then rolls his or her first ball.

c. After the first bocce ball is successfully placed in play the opposite team tosses its color bocce ball. They continue to toss their bocce balls until either they toss one closer to the pallino or they are out of bocce balls to throw. Once that team has tossed a bocce ball closer to the pallino or they are out of bocce balls to toss, the other team tosses their bocce balls until they are closer to the pallino or out of bocce balls to toss. This alternating process continues until both teams have thrown all of their bocce balls.

d. If a team throws a bocce ball an equal distance from the pallino as a bocce ball thrown by the previous team, the second team throws again as they have not placed a ball closer to the pallino than the other team.

e. If a player accidentally tosses a bocce ball of the wrong color, the toss will still count, and the incorrect ball will be removed and replaced with the correct color ball by the captain before the next turn.

f. A tossed bocce ball hitting the sideboard will remain in play if it hits the pallino, another bocce ball or a mitered corner before hitting the back wall.

g. A tossed bocce ball is out of play and is to be removed from the court if it hits the sidewall and the back wall or just the back wall without touching another bocce ball, the pallino or a mitered corner.

h. If a bocce ball is tossed, hits the backboard illegally and then strikes a stationary bocce ball(s) or the pallino, the thrown ball is to be removed from the court, and the stationary ball(s) are to be placed as close to their original position as possible by the captains.

25. Foot Faults:

a. A foot fault occurs when no part of the foot remains totally behind the yellow line. It is permissible to step on the yellow line, but not completely over it.

b. If a player mistakenly steps over the foul line while tossing a bocce ball, the ball will remain in play. If the captains agree that a foul has so occurred, they will give a warning to all players on both teams. If a player has stepped over the foul line once and then, after warnings have been given, steps over the foul line again at any time during the match, the ball thrown on such subsequent tosses shall be taken out of play and all other bocce balls will stay where they are, whether they were moved or not.

c. If the captains agree that a player has intentionally stepped over the foul line, that player shall be ejected from the match. The tossed bocce ball shall be removed from play and the captains shall place any bocce balls that were moved by the tossed bocce balls as close to their original position as possible.

26. Measurements:

a. If the captains or the persons so designated in Rule 9 cannot jointly visually determine which team’s colored bocce ball is closer to the pallino, either such captain or person so designated may call for a measurement.

b. Both teams shall use their best efforts to limit the number of measurements in each match.

c. Only one person, being either the captain, co-captain or a player so designated, is allowed to be on the court to actually assist in measurements for determining which color balls are closest to the pallino.

d. Team members may not call for a measurement, may not enter the playing surface or stand too close to the courts when measurements are being taken and must maintain a respectful decorum at all times.

e. The only approved method of measuring the distance from the pallino to a colored bocce ball will be the league supplied measuring cup and tape device.

f. All measurements are from the center of the pallino to the front of the bocce ball.

27. When a measurement cannot determine which team’s colored bocce ball is closest to the pallino so that it is determined by the captains that each team’s closest bocce ball is equi-distance to the pallino, no points will be awarded for that frame. The team with the next closest colored bocce ball to the pallino will toss the pallino for the next frame.

28. The team that scores a point or points in a frame will toss the pallino for the next frame, subject to Rule 27.

29. A frame is complete when the allotted number of bocce balls have been tossed from one end of the court.

30. At the end of each frame, the team with one or more bocce balls closer to the pallino than the other team will receive points equal to the number of their closest bocce balls. Only one team can receive points at the end of each frame.

31. At the end of each frame, the scoreboard will be updated by either a captain or co-captain only.

32. At the end of each frame, the direction of play will alternate to the opposite end of the court.

33. At the end of each frame, all players from both teams playing in that game on the receiving end of the court shall assist in picking up the bocce balls.

34. Each end of the court shall have a ball retriever to assist in picking up the bocce balls. At the end of a match or a practice, the retrievers shall be placed into the bocce locker.

35. At the conclusion of each match, and after any team practice, the entire teams that participated in the match or practice, under the direction of the captains, are responsible to and must:

a. Clear the tables of all water bottles, snacks, thermoses, and garbage.

b. Return the chairs to the tables in the correct position.

c. If the match is the last one of the day, or if it is a practice, return the pallinos, bocce balls, retrievers and measuring devices to the locker and close all umbrellas and gates and, if applicable, turn off all lights.

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Unsportsmanlike conduct, including cursing, swearing, and arguing, is unacceptable and may be subject to suspension and, in the case of repeat offenders, removal from the league.

Please remember: We are playing for fun with our friends and neighbors. Everyone must act and treat each other respectfully and courteously.