Bocce ball is back in Cochrane for its fourth season at the Bow Rivers Edge Campground.
The league was originally supposed to get underway on May 1, but due to snow it was delayed to May 9. The league will run every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and Friday at 11 a.m. from May to the end of September.
Bocce is similar to Lawn Bowling and curling. A small white ball that is called the pallino is thrown down the lane and the teams plan to have their bocce ball closest to it. We play two or three games consisting of 10 ends of play. The scoring is like the scoring in curling.
"Our version of bocce is played on grass lanes. The game originated in Italy with packed sand lanes with the same basic rules, I believe," said league organizer Joey Hyde-Wilson. "The interest for a bocce league began when one of our 'sturler' players asked us to join a bocce league here in Cochrane. He and his wife have been playing bocce for quite a few years and progressed in their abilities to go onto provincial and national playdowns."
"Little did I know that Cochrane didn't have a league so I asked around and found some interest in forming a league. I went to the Seniors on the Bow and asked if we could do this and they were on board. We use their bocce balls and the original couple supplied their score boards. We've finished three years and are going onto our fourth year with the league having grown so much over those years."
Hyde-Wilson said anyone who wants to join the league is more than welcome to do so, including people who are staying at the campground.
"We do include any of the campers that show interest in coming out to join us and they are welcome to use the bocce balls that are kept in the campground office," Hyde-Wilson said.
"Some of our players have thoughts of going onto championship play but most of us are there more to have fun as well as meet new and interesting people. The growth in Cochrane has been kind to us in that more people are showing interest."
"We are very fortunate to have the grounds keeping staff at the campground prepare our lanes twice a week on Wednesdy and Fridat to ensure that our league can continue to run."
For more information, those interested can contact Hyde-Wilson at 403-932-6043.
