The Bocce Ball club is made up of 16 athletes in differently abled student pairs. Since the season started in mid November, the team has won two matches and lost one.

After just under five weeks of practice, the team had their first match on December 19. The team went to Urbana High School and won.

The second match took place on January 8. The team traveled to Governor Thomas Johnson High School. The eight talented pairs won again with TJHS players being no “match” for their skills.

With their winning streak, they were geared up for their home game only a week later against Tuscarora High School on January 16. The team lost the match, mostly because Tuscarora has a much larger team. Despite the loss, the team still competed well.

Class of 2022 member Natalie Hartmark said, “Even though it’s a bummer that we lost, I think it still went well.”

Class of 2021 member Jaylin Graziano said, “Winning and losing isn’t the main idea. Ultimately, it’s about giving back and having fun with students you wouldn’t normally see or talk to in school.”

The next match takes place on January 23 at home against Urbana High School at 3:30 p.m.. Last year, in the 2018 Bocce County Championship match, the Urbana team won. This year, Linganore plans to win both games against them for their shot at winning counties.

Coach MaryCate Henry said, “Multiple teams in the county win every year. It’s more based on skill level.”

The sport ¨Bocce ball¨ is a team sport that has been growing, and is not just in schools. Bocce is played in Italy as a pastime and competitively.

Sierra Rossman, a member of the Class of 2021, has been playing bocce ball for two years. Rossman says she like to play and came back for a second year because “being able to help is fun, and I love that everyone is encouraging.”

Pairs go up one at a time and roll one of their balls down a lane. The idea is to get the bocce ball closest to the target, or pallino, the closer competitors get their ball to the pollino compared to the other team, the more points for the team.

Suscha Campbell, a member of the Class of 2019, said, “I am very good at rolling the pollina.” The pollina is the ball that the first player up rolls down the court, as it acts as the target for the rest of the match.

Practices for bocce ball are three times a week run by special education teacher and Bocce ball coach, MaryCate Henry. At practices, the partners play mini matches.

Anyone can join the club for the 2019-2020. See Ms. Henry in room A133 for details on joining.