NILES — The end of summer brought the conclusion of outdoor adult bocce leagues in Niles, Girard, Howland and Youngstown.

However, thanks to 8-year-old Christina Groves, the playing continues as a new generation of participants was created with a children’s league at Sons of Italy in downtown Niles.

“It was Christina’s idea to have a kids bocce league,” said her mom, Monica Belmaggio Groves, owner of Sons of Italy with her husband, James.

“I saw everyone playing and I thought, ‘I want to play,'” Christina said.

In the 5- to 12-year-old coed league, many of the kids are carrying on a recreation brought over from Italy with some of their ancestors.

Laura Biamonte’s 6-year-old son, Luca, is learning to play the game she plays on the Sons of Italy adult league.

“I like bocce. It is in our blood. I am glad he is learning to play,” Biamonte said.

THE RULES

Bocce is a ball sport. A game is made up of two teams, with typically two members on a team. Teammates have the same color of balls to throw. Whichever team throws first, that player throws the pallino, a smaller white ball that is the target at which bocce balls are flung — or bowled. Balls closest to the pallino than the nearest opponents’ ball achieve points. Each side has four colored balls to toss and individual players throw two balls a game. If there is a question about which team’s ball is closer, a tape measure decides the distance.

Leagues in the Mahoning Valley have regulation courts. They are 90 feet long and 13 feet wide with wooden barriers that surround it, which allows balls to be hit off the walls to make strategic moves. The ground is made of asphalt or clay, but professionals prefer sand, crushed stone or oyster blend.

The court is raked to make it smooth since players walk on it and the balls rolling affects the surface and the movement of the ball on the play area.

There are many different opportunities to play bocce in the area. There are women’s leagues, men’s leagues, competitive leagues, charity games and co-ed leagues.

“This year was the 10th annual Carmine Cassese Memorial Bocce tournament,” Darren Landis, organizer of the MVR Tournament, said.

Money raised in honor of the former owner of Cassese’s MVR provide for a scholarship at Youngstown State University and pancreatic cancer research. The restaurant has had bocce played there since 1978.

TRADITION

The one aspect of the game that makes it attractive for all ages is that there is no strenuous running or tackling — just bending and throwing.

Randy Manley maintains the bocce courts in Howland for the SCOPE league. Manley’s father, Matthew, joined the league a few years ago.

“He is our oldest player at 93 years old and one of our best players,” Manley said.

Belmaggio Groves said she became aware of bocce at home.

“We played bocce on the grass in my dad’s yard,” she said.

Everyone who plays bocce has positive reasons to do so.

Rosemary Tice of Niles has been playing in the Girard Tod Park league for six years. She continues a family tradition.

“My grandfather had a bocce court at his house,” she said.

Some of the bocce players are former co-workers and playing in the league gives them the opportunity to continue to socialize.

“I retired from Packard and then I started playing,” said Mary Anne Justice.

Sharon Gilmore is also a retired Packard Electric worker playing in the Tod Avenue Bocce League in Girard.

Matthew McGuire of Niles plays in the Sons of Italy competitive league. His dad, Mike, and brother, Michael, also play in that league. But, his reasons for playing are not so serious.

“I play for fun and to get out of the house,” he said.

Gianni and Alta Roberts of Niles play in the new bocce league, continuing a tradition from their parents, Adrian and Jay.

“I play bocce and my grandpa did,” said Jay Roberts.

He views it as an opportunity to pass the game to the next generation.

“My dad, Tullio Belmaggio, gives good bocce tips to the kids league. He is passing on knowledge of the game to the youngest players,” Belmaggio Groves said.

She offered a six-week introductory bocce league for young players that recently wrapped up and is planning a teen league to start next spring.

And although the kids outdoor league ended in October, indoor bocce will begin shortly. The Italian Fraternal Home (IFH) in Girard started its fall league in October. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society in Lowellville started its mixed league in October and it goes into the winter of 2023. Their next leagues will start in late January / early February.

As bocce player Keir Macmillan of Niles says, “Bocce never stops around here.”

And anyone can play.