#347 – Bocce

Some variation of the sport of bocce has been around for more than 7,000 years. John Charles Carr is one of the directors of the bocce tournament that will be played for the FIRST TIME EVER at this year’s Huntsman World Senior Games. It sounds like it is going to a ton of fun.

Kyle and Lil also chat about Pickleball at the Huntsman World Senior Games.

Transcript

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Kyle Case  0:05  
Welcome to the Huntsman World Senior Games active life. My name is Kyle Case and I'll be your host on this amazing journey as we attempt to help you get the most out of your life. Joining me in our studio today is my co pilot Lil Baron. 

Lil Barron  0:20  
Hey Mr. Case, how are you today. 

Kyle Case  0:25  
I'm doing good. It's a good day. So I figured we would just keep going with our little tradition that we got going for the last several weeks if you've if you're a regular listener you know we've been talking about some of our amazing sports here at the Huntsman World Series Games today, I thought we would talk just a little bit about golf.

Lil Barron  0:48  
Well I have a love hate relationship with it

Kyle Case  0:51  
Everybody that I know has a love, hate relationship with it in the industry. So here are a couple of things, our good friends at Wikipedia, say that golf is a club and ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Now, you know, though, that I'm not a golfer right. I know that you are a golfer. Well, yeah, so does that sound right, does that definition sound?

It sounds so simple. So, our friends at Wikipedia also say that golf unlike most ball games cannot and does not utilize a standardized playing area and struggle with being with the there in terrains encountered on different courses is a key part of the game, say that that is also true, because like I said, I'm really not a golfer but it feels to me that this key part of the game, the coping with the varied terrains, is also the part that results in the most clubs being broken over knees and thrown into water hazards No, I don't know. I could be wrong. What do you think, 

Lil Barron  2:12  
I think that's true. Broken clubs cuss words, 

Kyle Case  2:20  
All the joy. No, no Golf is a great game, it really is, it's not my game, it's not, but it is a great game, so it's just, I don't know, I just want everybody to know regardless if you do play golf right, and I don't, but if you do play golf, and you're over the age of 50, the Huntsman World Senior Games are pretty good place to come and play. We've got some great courses and we have a variety of options available to golfers so we have, for example our metal golf, which, incidentally, that's one of the original sports of the Huntsman World Senior Games. We offer golf in 1987 to offer all the way through on so one of the original sports. I think that it's one that, medal golf, is probably the thing that you think of when you think of golf right and racing your games, you're playing for a metal, it's competitive, we do offer two different divisions in metal golf. The first one is what we call golf by age. And in this division you register and you play within the standard five year age groups you're 50 to 54, 55 to 59 So those are the divisions that we use for the vast majority of our schools within those groups medals are awarded for both your girl score as well as net score. So you have some great options there. We also have within mental golf, what we call golf by handicap. And that is where you're competing against other golfers by your handicap, irrespective of age, right, so he has nothing to do with it. So a couple of different options that you know you could do both, right, they're not they're playing a different time so if you want to do both, you're welcome to do that. In addition to our metal golf, we also offer social golf, which is more of a fun kind of get familiar with the courses, social Golf is a best ball scramble format so if you've ever gone to a charity golf tournament that is oftentimes the format that is used tons of fun. There are no medals awarded in social wealth, but we do have some fun. And so just, again, it's just it's just a great way to get together, have a great time. Get familiar with the courses just enjoy yourself. But wait, Well it's more or similar if you're into golf, like I said we have a lot going on. We also offer golf skills, which is played for metal soon, but it's also a ton of fun in golf skills we offer the longest drive competition so that's your power game. Whoever hits it, the furthest within your age group. We also offer a putting skills competition, that's, that's your specialty. The drive is no short, short game. We also offer pitching skills event within that the golf skills and a chip and run that as well. So just a ton of fun, lots and lots of fun. For all the information that you could ever want to know about golf balls in your games you can visit seniorgames.net and there you'll find the rules the schedules, and while you're there, you can register as well. Once again, Senior Games dotnet. Speaking of our 35 different sports. Today's guest is one of our amazing director John Charles Carr formerly from New Hampshire relocated here to Sun river here in St George Utah in May of 2017. He says after watching others play bocce ball, he decided that it looked like a lot of fun. He started playing in the spring of 2019 and found it to be very exciting and rewarding, and good way to build over 100 new friendships which is awesome, as all of our directors do John will be organizing and running the competition aspect of bocce which by the way, is a brand new sport at the Huntsman World Senior Games, has never been offered before we're going to give it a try this year. John, welcome to the show. Yes, well, it's great to be here. So bocce. Well we will wait wait, before we jump into bocce, I want to ask you about golf.

John Carr  6:26  
Is this what is this a family network? 

Kyle Case  6:32  
I get the feeling That John and I have the same experience. 

John Carr  6:35  
I have played golf. Various few times, back when I was working in network company outings, and the most fun I had was when it rained and we could slide around on the golf cart on the grass was where I had the most fun

Kyle Case  6:51  
To me Golf is a great game I admire the skill, and you know just the dedication that it takes, it's just not my game. But those who play it and play it well I know get a lot of satisfaction. John and I we're in the other camp. We don't play. We don't play well and we don't get any satisfaction from it. 

John Carr  7:12  
Come over to bocce. 

Kyle Case  7:14  
So let's do that. Let's talk about bocce what, this is a brand new sport to the Games it's certainly not a brand new sport in the world, it's been around for a long time, 

John Carr  7:21  
over 7000 years according to painting, found in Egypt,

Kyle Case  7:26  
Those Egyptians now they love to play games. We just learned a week or two ago that the Egyptians kind of were the originators of bowling. Bochy is a very similar sport to bowling, but 7000 years of history of playing a game that's that's similar to old playing to that that's kind of cool. It's spotty history but they didn't have their Instagram accounts that were fully updated and ready to go on it but according to this painting, it's been around for a very very long time.

John Carr  7:56  
And it was a game originally started as a game for all ages and genders, and then it kind of morphed away. After about 5000 years and nobles decided it was going to be their game. And they wanted all the lesser than nobles, keep working, keep working practicing their game over games and stuff and building 

Kyle Case  8:21  
harvest crops..build the roads, whatever race, this is again for the nobles. Yeah, for the non workers. Well, if you are a non worker that sounds like a good way. 

John Carr  8:34  
That's how I got into it when I retired, I'm a non working. Look at all the time. 

Kyle Case  8:40  
history, nobles playing bocce. So tell us a little bit about those who are not familiar with the sport, how would you define or describe Bachi ball.

John Carr  8:49  
Well we've we played a bunch of ball on a court now, and Sun River and the courts about 75 feet long by 12 or 13 feet wide, with six inch sideboards and the object of the game is the throw of the Pollino or jack or target ball with small one on the court. And then teams or individuals tried to get their one to four balls as close to it as possible for a point for each one you get closer than your opponents and it's. And you alternate throws in unless there's a tie, and still now we're trying to integrate introduce alternating throws for that as well. And, after all, eight balls are thrown, or four depending on what you're playing with, they tally up the score and we played the 12 points. So again, and it is a lot of fun and there is skill involved because the courts. It's not like a pool table, There is some, although we don't intentionally put obstacles in there there's some silver spots in the sideboards or have some unfriendly spots. 

Kyle Case  10:07  
Which is all part of the fun of the game,

John Carr  10:08  
right, and we have four different courts we play on so it changes from court to court,

Kyle Case  10:15  
which is probably true, no matter where you play, you know, if you're playing in Italy or China or, St. Louis, you have to adapt to the court that you're relying on, right. So here's, here's my question, we, we had a staff experience where we went out to actually have to center over where you're talking about which is where our competition for the world so your games will be held, and we played. Somebody ridin. I can't remember. How do you decide who gets to throw the jack?

John Carr  10:44  
Well we normally would flip a coin. Okay. All right. And the winner of the coin toss, gets control of the jack. The other team gets to choose a color, and sometimes they introduce where the winner of the coin toss can figure out which end of the court you want to start from, but we're not that technical we always start from the thing. And so, some, I personally think the red balls are much more accurate. If I lose the coin jaw, toss, I tried to choose the red.

Kyle Case  11:21  
So, when, when people compete, are the balls are those things that most people own or are the property of the courts, or does it vary.

John Carr  11:34  
I think it varies most of the people that play in sun River, play with the clubs balls. That way they're kind of standardized that used to play.

Kyle Case  11:45  
So it's not like bowling, for example, like if you're a competitive bowler you don't use the bowling alleys ball you bring your own wellness with it is that is that also true of Bochy do people have their own sets or do do they typically try to standardize it and use the balls that are there.

John Carr  12:04  
I think some of the more enthusiast or more dedicated one to travel around will probably bring their own, but I have, I'm not

Kyle Case  12:15  
Within within your club, you're just playing with the club balls and again that kind of standardizes, some of the equipment. So I want to just I just want to clarify a couple things in my mind at least, so you flipp the coin, you win the coin toss. You're the one who gets to throw the jack or the Pollino, is that what you call you know you have to pollino. And so you toss it down to the other end, is there a distance that it has to go Can you can you drop it close by or,

John Carr  12:42  
Nope has to go by the middle line of the court, and it can't strike the end. Because what happens if the Pollino strikes the end walls and then it goes back to the other team and they can set it to enable okay. And so it has to be set legally by one team, or another, hopefully the first team, but the, no matter who sets it, the team that one control the pollino and the core class will for the first.

Kyle Case  13:10  
Okay, so you want to play placement is important. And you want to get into, into the right place. So then, that was my next question, so he goes first. The person who wins the building you know they go first. And like you said that the idea is to get your red or green or red or more accurate we understand. Write that down to get those balls as close as you can to that we know. Do you have four balls, four at a time or do you alternate. Okay,

John Carr  13:46  
Well you alternate. The first one is rolling gets to set the first point, so it's the only one there, it's the closest. The other team throws there's if they're closer than you throw again, if they don't get closer, they keep throwing until they get closer. Closer than the first one they whoever is farthest away is the next one to throw until you've exhausted all eight.

Kyle Case  14:08  
Okay, so, okay, I didn't remember. That's interesting. So let's say that I throw a ball down there and it's really close to the Pollino, and if you throw one that is not, and then you throw again and it's not, and then you throw again, and it's not, and then you throw again that I just get one point or do I ever get to throw my other three balls yeah,

John Carr  14:28  
all right for you, I would call that a bad day, because that is the point of the game if you can set your ball real close to it you can exhaust all of theirs and then you have to try to get as many more points, You may only end up with one but you try to get closer than their closest one to four points if you can,

Kyle Case  14:49  
okay, but I only go after they have exhaust or oil they're stolen the point. So is it, so what's the possible number of points that you get you can get four points.

John Carr  15:02  
They are supposed to weigh we play it there, there was a lot of backyards rules that say well, and I would like at times to get a point for hitting the pollino, I would like to get a point for the parking right next to the play No, but these are, these are bonuses that you can add in a non tournament play, but I haven't seen any such extra points and

Kyle Case  15:25  
so hitting the Pollino is not an advantage, you know, but you'd be surprised how often you do that, you don't get it, you don't get points out of here if you throw the Pollino down there and then you set your ball right next to it and then you know the, it's also under balls and you throw your ball down there and you've got to clean away. That could be to your disadvantage. 

John Carr  15:45  
That's another like another instance of a bad day. You, you could hit that and not to pull it over to their fault, so we move on to decide whether to go for more points or four just throw these three away. We call that a chicken. And it's obvious that you didn't even try. We call it a chicken. Chicken ball.

Kyle Case  16:22  
That's how I was like, a chicken ball. I like that. That's that is also a rule that I was unfamiliar. 

John Carr  16:35  
But it's part of a strategy, different players will have different strategies 

Kyle Case  16:40  
yeah so I was gonna say, I mean, obviously there's a skill element here but there's also as a strategy. So, I think, I think this is obvious, but I just want to make sure you also could potentially try to knock their balls away that could be a strategy, right, right, and that your backfire on you 

John Carr  16:58  
if you think that you think the red balls are that accurate, you can do that and sometimes it just happens, there's a balance between luck and skill. Just like the whole game Sure.

Kyle Case  17:10  
Now you mentioned that there are sideboards, are those within play or out of play,

John Carr  17:15  
They are within play so you can, you can go around things by bouncing it. A lot of players, always use the side bores. Okay, I'm done one of those, straight but you will have to be able to do it because there are times you have to go around, what I call, they've exhausted all their balls, and they're all in the way. Yeah, we've got to find a way through, or around them and sometimes around is the best chance

Kyle Case  17:43  
to great wall there that 

Lil Barron  17:46  
that was their strategy, right,

John Carr  17:49  
because if they're in the way you take that chance of knocking their ball into steel that happens. As part of the game.

Kyle Case  17:57  
Yeah, well that sounds like. Sounds like fun. So, so you said you played to 12 and Is that pretty standard that's, I guess. So with that, our courts, it is used so again is to 12. And then, I feel like we've been mostly describing a singles game. How does a doubles game or a triples game differ. Well,

John Carr  18:20  
a single scan you would both state from one end to the court and okay going on direction. Doubles game that would be your partner would be at the other the other end of the quarter you would you would throw one way and then they would turn around and come back. 

Kyle Case  18:34  
So it's not like you're standing together and you all you both have four balls and maybe we don't have your eight well okay I get it.

Unknown Speaker  18:40  
You would each throw four balls at each, each end. And then when you get to four person. Each person throws only two bucks. So there's four people that eat each and two from each team. Okay. So, you would only get to throw two balls. 

Lil Barron  19:00  
So that's a plus for me,

Kyle Case  19:04  
chances are better as

John Carr  19:08  
well I want another plus is the more you throw the more you'll know the court, and how the balls are going on the court and. And believe it or not, that temperature changes the speed of the ball rolls down the court, it will change from eight o'clock in the morning to 10 o'clock. And you just have to adjust you haven't noticed as it goes it's different from either end. As far as speed, because believe it or not the carpet, it's like an indoor outdoor carpet and the pad under, maybe have on the concrete and the pad, actually has a comprehensive nap to it, which changes the speed the ball rolls, depending on what you're actually don't see so there's, there's lots of factors that you have to learn and should go. 

Kyle Case  19:50  
Yeah. Now, one more question. I know. We also offer the sport of long balls, and it's a similar concept you have the jack, you toss it down, you're trying to get as close as you can. A lot of the strategies are very similar. the balls and lawn balls are oblong, what about what about bocce and

John Carr  20:09  
In bocce they are perfectly spherical. Perfect, but I refer to lawn bowls as crooked ball because always goes crooked. 

Kyle Case  20:21  
Okay so this is this is straight ball cricket ball 

Lil Barron  20:25  
kinda like bullying depends bowling. 

Kyle Case  20:30  
Bowlingyou can, but you can, yeah, when Lil bowls. She puts out a eautiful curve from the side and knocks all those pins down.

Lil Barron  20:43  
He's dreaming again. 

Kyle Case  20:45  
No speaking. Really you have actually registered to play logical i have the games this year, I have. 

Lil Barron  20:51  
Yeah, we're doing the store format for person. Yes, very good. Yeah, So, what we need to come and practice,

John Carr  21:03  
I bet you would like to. The sad part is, we've only set up one day so practice but, you know, I know a guy

Unknown Speaker  21:16  
will introduce you to this guy. Yes. Could you.

Kyle Case  21:22  
Well, this really this sounds like just a ton of fun. And as I said this is a brand new sport. Yeah this available for the first time ever we tried to offer it in 2020 Yes, and obviously things didn't work out the way that we hoped to 2020 so we reintroduce again as a brand new sport in 2021 Really looking forward to it. It's just one of those games you just come out and have a ball with so even if it's not something you're super familiar with, you might consider taking a look at it. If you're here with a guest who's specializing in another sport, and just want to get involved, this might be an option just to kind of figure it out go play some singles bocce.

John Carr  22:09  
So does does Bochy in the huntsman Senior Games have a distinction of being the new sport, and we've had that for a year already, or is it been something else added that all summed up don't know about we actually

Kyle Case  22:21  
have a couple of other sports that are brand new as well, so you're tied. You're just like, you're just like the was at the high jumpers that decided to share the gold medal this year at the Olympics anybody see that they were they were tied they both have perfect meats, they didn't miss anything until they decided, you're sharing a gold medal with a couple of other sports. Okay. Yeah, it's still exciting were really looking forward to John bocce and seeing where it goes and trying to just put on a great event and have a great time and looking forward to October. Yes, absolutely.

John Carr  23:06  
I hope it's a wonderful event. 

Kyle Case  23:09  
It will be well thank you so much for joining us. Yes, thank you, little good luck.

Lil Barron  23:14  
 I know I need some practice, just some practices. It's not like my golf game.

Kyle Case  23:21  
I want to hit a couple of things just to wrap this up here yes I mentioned at the beginning but I want to mention again registration for the Huntsman World Senior Games is still open, it is, but you got to remember that it closes on September, 1, so don't dawdle Don't miss your opportunity we blasted through 10,000 registered ago so athletes are excited, they're ready to come you can check out all of the schedules rules the dates as well as our updated COVID-19 That's all at Senior Games dotnet, so don't don't know Donald, right, there's still time, but now's the best time to get it done, Get to get that registration taken care of. It's also worth mentioning as well that you can now register to volunteer at the games and we need a truckload of yours that means it takes about 3000 volunteers to pull this party out, we have opportunities to go more into your area you can even help out with sports is sports aren't really your thing, we have lots of opportunities to help out in other areas. You can register to be a volunteer, by day or by interest, so whatever works easiest for you it's very easy to do. Also when you register to volunteer, you'll be entered in a drawing for a brand new eBUY charge by x yeah so you might as well give it a try. Once again, Senior Games dotnet, that's where you register as an athlete that's where you re stress volunteer, you want to remind you to tune in live next and every Thursday at 5:30pm Mountain Time on AM 1450 or FM 93.1 for the Huntsman World Senior Games active life. We take this live show and turn it into a podcast, and you can also subscribe anywhere that podcasts are found. If you are listening by Podcast Take a moment and give us a rating or write a quick review, one of the best and easiest places to leave a review is at pod chaser.com, slash, the act of life, and you can find this, as well as previous shows when on our website once again sr games.net So check that out. So these inspirational thought comes from Olympic gymnast, and gold medal gold medalist in the all around competition Gabby Douglas, and she says, the hard days are the best, because that's where champions are. Until next Thursday, stay active.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai