Age-old game of bocce flourishes in Encinitas
North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
ENCINITAS —- With grapefruit-size instruments in hand, approximately 20
players on Thursday night at Encinitas’ Oakcrest Park repeatedly tried to
get …

ENCINITAS —- With grapefruit-size instruments in hand, approximately 20 players on Thursday night at Encinitas’ Oakcrest Park repeatedly tried to get their team’s balls closest to the target —- the pallino ball —- to win the age-old game of bocce.

The game is the “hottest sport in Italy,” said Joseph Granata, who has been playing since he was 10 years old in Italy.

Granata said the sport is “like a family,” because it brings people together in a friendly and enjoyable activity.

In fact, Granata is such a fan of bocce that he worked with Encinitas city officials and donors to create the first coastal North County public bocce ball court, which opened March 27, 2006.

While there are courts in Poway and Rancho Bernardo, Granata said, he wanted a place in the coastal area where “everybody could come play bocce.”

Since it was created, Granata has helped organize weekly competitions Thursday nights at Oakcrest Park. People who are interested don’t need any previous experience and should be there by 6:45 p.m.

“You show up, and we will teach you to play,” he said.

Mike Punaro of Encinitas said he has been playing bocce with his wife for years. He said the sport was created approximately 7,000 years ago by the Romans using rocks.

While the equipment has become more sophisticated —- large red and green bocce balls and a small white pallino ball —- the idea has stayed the same.

“It’s a game for young people and young people at heart,” he said.

Punaro said the best part of the game is that anyone can play despite their age or background.

“As long as you can roll the ball, you can play,” he said.

Paul Cook of Leucadia said he learned to play in Connecticut and has been involved with the sport since he moved to California.

He said the goal of the game is for one team’s red or green balls to get closest to the pallino. Then the teams get a point for each ball that is closer to the target than the other team’s balls.

While Cook said the game can be played purely for fun, he also said strategy is a big part of the competition.

Part of the strategy involves how hard to throw the ball and which direction to roll it.

“It’s like playing golf, because you have to read the grounds and play for the break,” he said, adding “each side has a different vibe to it.”

He said his favorite part of playing bocce is the range of people he meets.

“Everyone is friendly, and it’s relaxing and fun,” he said.

Joe Spadaro of Rancho Bernardo said a game of bocce is the best cure for a tiring day of work at his barbershop in Vista.

He said the best parts of the “beautiful” game are being outdoors, the competition and the laughter that apparently goes hand in hand with each game.

While Spadaro already belongs to an 80-member bocce club in Poway, he said it is worth it to play on Thursdays in Encinitas, because “I just love the game.”