Posted by Allen Bell on May 15, 2012 0 Comments
Beach Bocce Ball needs just two
things: A beach
bocce set and, you guessed it, a beach. This week, we’re taking a stroll
along one of the best Atlantic coast beaches in Florida: Jacksonville Beach. Just a few
minutes east of the city of Jacksonville, this laid-back community of just over
20,000 is a great place for taking it easy. April 28 marked the official
“opening” of the beaches, and the season is now in full swing.
Jacksonville Beach has everything
you expect in a great Florida beach—white sand, warm waters, and lots to do. You
can book a room in one of the oceanfront hotels, or go for something a little
more romantic. The Pelican Path B&B
is a quaint spot with fantastic views and a convenient boardwalk right down to
the water. Why not get up early and play some Beach Bocce Ball as you watch the
sunrise? With the wide and blue Atlantic as your backdrop, you can enjoy a
picture-perfect game that you won’t soon forget.
No doubt, it gets scorching hot
in Jacksonville. So cool off after an afternoon game of Beach Bocce Ball with
an Italian ice from Rita’s. Or mosey
into any of the local watering holes for a cold one. Jacksonville Beach has
everything you could want, without the hubbub and high prices of more
“touristy” places. Best of all, the beaches are just gorgeous and there’s
plenty of public access.
If you need a little break from
the summer sun—maybe you have fair skin and burn easily—the Beaches Museum & History Park
offers an educational slice of Florida history. See how the Seminole Indians
once lived, or learn about Florida’s early European explorers.
Jacksonville Beach has a pretty
hip nightlife, too. When the sun sets on your day at the beach, why not head up
to Mojo Kitchen for some
great pit BBQ and live Blues music? Looking for something a little more,
sophisticated? The Players by the Sea
perform stage plays year round, from Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams. See:
There’s so much more to do at the beach than just get your toes wet. Make Beach
Bocce Ball a part of your day, and it will truly be perfect.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on May 08, 2012 0 Comments
Tournament to benefit
United Way in Shinnston, WV
Bocce is officially making inroads in the coalfields. The
United Way of Harrison County, West Virginia is hosting a bocce tournament on May 19 at Shinnston City Park. Two
men and two women will make up each team. The entry fee of $100 will go to
benefit the mission of the United Way. We’ve seen before the bocce is one of
the best games for charity—it’s easy, there’s no learning curve, and everyone
seems to get a kick out of it. For information on registering a team for this
event, call the Harrison County United Way at 304-624-6337.
New Bocce League in
North Hollywood, CA
Attention, Dudes and Dudettes: There’s a brand-spanking new bocce league in North Hollywood. All the
action takes place on Tuesday nights in NoHo Park. Here’s what a spokesperson
for Cali Bocce said about the league’s mission: “The main goal of our league is
for people to meet other people in a fun/different environment.” I couldn’t
have said it better myself; Bocce is undeniably one of the best games and activities
for groups, and doesn’t require much (or any) athletic skill. Beach bocce is
even more awesome because you don’t need a “court.” The beach is your court!
Beach Bocce
Destination of the Week: Manasota Key
Does the thought of unspoiled, natural beaches make you want
to kick off your shoes and dive right into the water? How about an island that’s
still covered in oaks and red cedars rather than crowded resorts and parking
lots? Halfway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, lies just
such an undiscovered slice of paradise. Manasota
Key is home to relatively few people and even fewer vacationers. It’s a
well-kept secret and a fantastic destination for escaping the crowds.
Dr. Henry Heimlich visited the Key each season—the quiet and
tropical atmosphere no doubt helped him think of new maneuvers. Film directors,
sports stars and members of the Vanderbilt family have all settled here at one
time or another. Nelda Thompson, a realtor on Manasota Key, claims the area has
kept its “Great Gatsby “atmosphere, despite the march of progress everywhere
else. She sums up the mystique of her home island like this: “To me, Manasota
Key is a destination. You don't come here wanting to go anywhere else.”
Here’s what I’m thinking—wouldn’t this be a fantastic venue
for Beach Bocce Ball? Imagine you and just a few friends, completely alone on a
quiet, white sand beach. Does it get any better? These unspoiled locales really
add something special to a game of beach bocce. Navigating around driftwood,
seaweed and Spanish moss are all just part of the fun. So think of Manasaota
Key the next time you’re planning that weekend getaway.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on May 01, 2012 0 Comments
Summer means outdoor recreation, backyard barbecues and lazy
afternoons on the beach. It also means grown-ups getting together to have a
good time. Recently, the centuries-old game of bocce has become a part of many
people’s good time. It’s not for old Italian men anymore; Cities from coast to
coast are playing host to informal, community bocce leagues. Why not join or start
a league in your hometown today? It’s simpler than you think, and highly
rewarding.
Registration for bocce leagues across the nation is
underway. Check out some of the hottest, most popular leagues in the country,
right here:
Atlanta Bocce League
Atlanta, Hotlanta, ATL, whatever you want to call it, it’s
one of the hippest and most cosmopolitan urban centers in the South. No
surprise, then, that Atlanta is also home to one of the most successful city
bocce leagues in the country. The Atlanta Bocce League
keeps getting stronger, and looks to build on their success this summer. You
can register for the league online until May 31. Summer league play begins on
June 10. Head over to the league’s Facebook page for lots of
cool pics and other information.
Major League Bocce:
Philadelphia
Yes, that’s right: Major
League Bocce is now a reality. Formerly known as DC Bocce, the founders of MLB
wanted to expand their reach into other East Coast markets. Do you need to be a
chiseled athlete who’s trained with bocce balls for years? Absolutely not. Major
League Bocce has returned to Philadelphia for a
second year after establishing quite a following in 2011. Penn Park and
Jefferson Square Park are the competition sites this time around. Registration
for spring closes on May 2. Sign up for the league mailing list to learn about
upcoming sessions.
Major League Bocce:
Boston
Boston has always been a great sports city. In 2012, you can
add bocce to the list of great summer activities in Beantown. Registration for
the spring session of MLB Boston
is closing on Thursday, May 3. Boston
Deals even has a coupon for 50 percent savings off the cost of
registration. So, for $30 you can enjoy six weeks of fun and games, cool
people, and great specials on food and beer. Major League Bocce will even make
a donation to charity on behalf of the city’s winning bocce team. How’s that
for a perfect spring in one of America’s best cities?
Somerset County, New
Jersey
Competition in the Adult
Bocce League of Somerset County, New Jersey, starts on Tuesday, May 1. The
deadline for registration is April 30. The league will consist of a six-week
season followed by playoffs and a championship. All matches will be held at the
Colonial Park bocce courts. Even if you don’t join the league, you should definitely
check out the action. Not every city park can boast of eight professional bocce
courts.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on April 24, 2012 0 Comments
Bocce tournaments, new leagues and cool events for
charity—that’s just a small slice of the action that is bocce ball in America
this week. Here are some of the highlights:
Tournament Action in
Florida
The folks at South Walton Beach, Florida just put the wraps
on their 2012
Spring Bocce Tournament. Judging from the video, the weather could not have
been better. Sponsored by Bombora Sun and Surf, the event has been going strong
for six years. As one of the best games and activities for groups, it’s little
wonder that South Walton’s bocce events are so popular. This year’s winners
were Gage Golden and Reese Harrison. We at Sea Turtle Sports humbly suggest
that Beach Bocce Ball be part of the competition next year.
New Summer “Casual”
League on Florida’s Gulf Coast
The Isles of Capri resort community has hosted a successful
winter bocce league for many years now. This year, in response to popular
demand, community leaders have organized a spring
league as well. Currently, the spring league has only six teams, but is
expected to grow. The emphasis of this league is on fun rather than
competition: no scores are recorded and there will be no official “winners.”
According to Sun Times columnist Ann Hall, “bocce has prompted several couples
who had been renting on Capri each year to purchase property.”
Save on Bocce League
Membership in Hollywood
If you’re cool enough to live in Hollywood, then you’re
definitely cool enough to join the local bocce league. And right now, you can
even join at a discount! Groupon is offering up to a 60% off membership
with the Cali Bocce League in North Hollywood Park. This offer expires on the
28th of April, so there’s still time to take advantage. Bocce is
easily one of the best games and activities for groups, so why not gather up
some friends and play today?
Cottage Games with
Glenn Close
How cool would it be to play games on the beach with a famous, well respected actress,
all in the name of charity? A few lucky people are going to find out. Bidding
just closed on the chance to spend an afternoon on the beach in Maine, learning
Beach Bocce Ball with Glenn Close.
The highest bidders get to turn the key on a 5-day stay in an oceanside
cottage. The proceeds will go to Bid
to Save the Earth, a charity event benefiting environmental nonprofit
agencies. We’ll be eager to see some candid photos of Glenn and her new friends
rolling balls on the sand.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on April 16, 2012 0 Comments
What better way to network with fellow bocce and beach bocce
aficionados than to join a local league? Now that summer is just around the
corner, league action is heating up from coast to coast. And because bocce is
such an inclusive, friendly game with a zero learning curve, anyone can feel
comfortable signing up or forming a new team.
There are several sites on the Web that offer directories of
local and regional bocce leagues. BocceBallSetsandBalls.com
has a league directory organized by region and state. Squidoo hosts a similar
page entitled Bocce Leagues
in the United States. Yahoo! Groups even has a section dedicated to bocce leagues and
clubs. You can also check with your local parks and recreation department
to see about bocce tournaments and events in your area.
Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular bocce
leagues around the country:
DC Bocce
brought bocce to the nation’s capital in a big way. As a group, this league has
contributed more than $85,000 to charity. Registration is open every season of
the year, and usually sells out in a hurry. The Spring Season is closed for
registration now, but summer registration will be opening soon.
Also located in Washington, DC, Capital Bocce hosts bocce matches at six
locations around the city. Because Capital Bocce is more “under the radar,”
it’s easier to get your team registered for competition. If you’re going stag,
you can sign up as a free agent and get teamed with other free agents.
With pleasant weather nearly all your long, Florida is the
de facto bocce and beach bocce capital of the United States. The Southwest
Florida Bocce League is among the most popular in the state, as you can tell
from this article
on NaplesNews.com. The league pulls in people from all walks of life in Collier
and Lee Counties. The league secretary, Richard Curreri, said that neighboring
communities are eager to participate. The future definitely looks bright for
bocce in Florida.
If you want to take your bocce game to one of the furthest
corners of the United States, then Southernmost
Bocce is right up your alley. Located in Key West, Florida, you literally
cannot go any further south and still be in America. While you’re there, you
can dip your toes in the warm waters of the Florida Straits, check out Ernest
Hemingway’s old stomping ground, and just enjoy the gradual pace of life in the
sub-tropics.
For a league organization with a truly nationwide influence,
Bocce League fits the bill. City
leagues hold competitions in Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Charleston and
Virginia Beach. The Bocce League website has photo galleries and contact
information for organizers in each city.
So now you see the big picture: Bocce is thriving, and on
the coasts of these United States, Beach Bocce is thriving, too. The
easy-going, democratic nature of the game is a big part of what makes it so
popular. For many people, bocce evolves from a simple hobby into a lifelong
passion. Why not get out there and play today?
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on April 10, 2012 0 Comments
Now that
warm weather has finally arrived, it’s time to get together for a party at the beach,
park, or backyard and toss some Beach Bocce balls. But you don’t want to go out
there looking like a schlub, do you? Beach Bocce fashion really boils down to
two elements—looking cool and feeling cool. If you’re smart, the two will go
hand in hand.
Bold colors
are always a good decision. For guys, brightly colored swim shorts and Panama
shirts are a good combination. For the women, consider a printed sundress,
which never goes out of style. Unlike the boardroom, the beach is a place where
it’s OK to stand out in a crowd. Beach Bocce Ball is one of the most colorful
games out there, so why not dress to match?
Too many people
neglect headgear when they step outdoors. When you’re out playing games on the
beach, a wide-brimmed sunhat will keep you cool better than any other accessory
and look snazzy in the process. Unless you’re down on the farm, you can
probably do better than a run-of-the-mill straw hat. A white or tan safari hat
looks great no matter your age and stays in place if the wind picks up. Ladies
have a lot of room for creativity in terms of lids. Pretend it’s the Kentucky
Derby and just go crazy.
Here’s the
easy part: Shoes are optional. Flip-flops, sandals and deck shoes are welcome.
Ski-boots? Don’t think so. This is summer, people, get with the program!
I’ll leave
you with one final tip: Have fun. This isn’t the runway and it’s not the Summer
Olympics either. It’s a party at the beach. Enjoy the camaraderie of a good
game but don’t get too serious.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on April 02, 2012 0 Comments
Color: It’s the first things you notice about Beach Bocce
Ball, the new kid on the block of outdoor leisure sports. The vibrant colors of
the bocce balls are part of the character of this game, part of its DNA.
Inspired by life on the Gulf Coast, we wanted to capture something of that life
in our game. When we think of Beach Bocce Ball, we think about fun, sun, relaxation
and creativity. Yes, that’s right, creativity. Because when you’re shaping a
shot around seaweed, shells and driftwood, you have to bring some creative
energy to the party.
So let
Beach Bocce Ball bring out your inner artist—that playful, magical side of
yourself that’s too often stuffed into a cubicle or doing what it’s told. Colorful
games like Beach Bocce, after all, were made to inspire us
and awaken the spirit of fun. To get you “in the mood,” just think about the
wonderful images inspired by Beach Bocce Ball colors:
Green—like
seaweed, fresh grass, or a cold mojito in your off-hand.
Blue—like
the water and the sky.
Yellow—like
the sand under your feet, the sun in your eyes, or that pretty girl’s dress.
Orange—like
the blazing sunsets of the Gulf Coast, or any coast.
What do the
colors of Beach Bocce Ball make you think of?
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on March 23, 2012 0 Comments
Thanks to its ease of play and laid-back spirit, bocce is
surging in popularity. From the East Coast to the West Coast and everywhere in
between, the simple Italian game of tossing balls is seeing a huge revival. And
Beach Bocce Ball is shaping up to be one of the best games for summer since the
invention of the Frisbee. So imagine this: You have a new Beach Bocce Ball set,
a couple of friends who like to play, but you want to really get the community
involved. There’s a simple solution—Start a Beach Bocce League. Here are some
tips on how to get started:
·
Choose organizers for the league. You and a
couple of other real enthusiasts should be fine. Decide whether you want teams,
individuals, or both, but don’t get too carried away with micromanagement. The
point is to have fun, after all.
·
Go to places where you’re likely to recruit new
players. A public park or beach is an obvious example. Also, consider senior
living centers. Because it’s a low impact sport, Beach Bocce Ball is one of the
best activities for seniors.
·
Print some flyers for community bulletin boards.
Use Internet message boards and social media to spread the word about your
league. Ask people to sign up and begin drafting a schedule for games.
·
Plan to have all competitions take place on the
same night of the week, if possible. That way, league members can mingle and
bond with each other. Remember that Beach Bocce Ball is a social game. Provide
drinks and comfy seating for those not playing.
·
Involve local merchants. Ask a well-known restaurant
or bar to sponsor a Beach Bocce Tournament. It’s cheap advertising for both of
you. Schedule it for the last good weekend of summer, like Labor Day, so the
winner can spend the whole winter basking in the warm glow of victory.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on March 16, 2012 0 Comments
This St.
Patrick’s Day, the Wailea Old Blue Golf Course on Maui is the site of a golf
and “extreme bocce” charity event to benefit Hospice Maui and Backpack Buddies,
a program for hungry children. Backpack Buddies is actually a nationwide
program for children in need. Students who sign up simply drop their backpacks
off in a designated office and return at the end of the day to find their packs
stuffed with a weekend’s worth of nutritious food. With so many children on
reduced lunch programs, it should come as no surprise that many don’t have
enough food through the weekend.
This year’s event is hosted by four
civic-minded local businesspersons: Mike O'Dwyer, Patrick Kilbride (PK), Rob
Manning, and Barry Helle. We asked Mr. Kilbride to give us the low-down on
“extreme bocce,” and he was very obliging. A game that combines the ease of
bocce with the variety and challenge of golf, extreme bocce uses the land as it
is. Tree trunks, hills, rocks and whatever else all make up the course. Players
can even add obstacles to the course in the form of leaf piles or sticks.
We at Beach Bocce Ball think this is
a great event, and encourage anyone who can to attend. Not only does it sound
like a world of fun—beautiful setting, island breezes—the event also benefits
two very good causes. When you can have fun, engage the community, and help the
less fortunate all at the same time, you know you’re taking care of the
important things in life. So get out there and enjoy some extreme bocce.
You can find out more about this
event by visiting the Hospice
Maui website. The event is scheduled for this Saturday, March 17.
Read More
Posted by Allen Bell on March 09, 2012 0 Comments
March is
here. Spring is definitely in the air. The Gulf Coast is prepping for Spring
Breakers, the sun is riding higher in the sky and the water is really starting
to look inviting. You may already be planning a bonfire and party at the beach
for you and your best friends. And how do you keep a party going smoothly,
apart from the adult beverages? Beach games, of course.
You probably
have a truckload of tired old beach games to keep the party alive. Let me
guess—You’ve got a worn-out football, a couple of warped Frisbees and a
volleyball that looks like it spent time on that island with Tom Hanks. I’m
bored just thinking about it. Let’s try something different this year, can we?
Why not give Beach Bocce Ball a whirl?
Here, I’ll
give you three reasons why Beach Bocce Ball is the perfect game for Spring
Break: Number One, it’ easy—easy to learn, easy to play, easy all around. When
you’re on your third pina colada, you need things to be easy. Number Two, it’s
fun without being so competitive. You stand next to your opponent, like your
best friends. Isn’t that nice? Number Three, it never gets old. Beach Bocce
Ball has really been around forever, in one form or another. It’s so simple,
and so fun, that people just never get tired of tossing the old balls around.
Take a break
from the usual Spring Break beach games. Put Beach Bocce Ball in your beach
games rotation and you won’t be disappointed.
Read More
