We reviewed the rules of Bocce and learned how to perform our duties for the day.
2
Judge and Keep Score
My dad was a line judge for the day and I was a scorekeeper. We both volunteered in ten different matches.
3
Cheer and be inspired
Being so close to the competition we couldn't help but cheer on the athletes and be inspired by their incredible performances.
Volunteer | 10 May 2017
Mike
I was lucky to volunteer at the 2017 Special Olympics Inland Empire Regional Bocce Tournament with my dad, Elliott. Right out of the gate one of the competitors came up and started talking to me and my dad. She mentioned to him that she liked his hat which had an American flag on it. Thrilled by the compliment, my dad handed her his hat as a gift and she seemed quite pleased to accept it. After a little more chatting with the players and coaches, we started with a training on the rules of Bocce and how to perform our duties for the day.
My Dad was a line judge, which meant that he would signal the head referee when a player had crossed the foul line while making a toss of the bocce. I was a scorekeeper, which meant that I kept track of the points that each team made during the game. I would also measure which bocce ball was closest to the pallino when it was too hard to tell just by looking at them. We were both fortunate to have a front-row seat to watch the athletes battle it out with each other and the record-breaking temperatures on that day. Some of the participants seemed to nearly touch the pallino with every throw of their bocce, which was truly impressive to see first-hand. Even though the heat was intense at times, we never saw the competitors falter and we cheered on their inspiring performances throughout the event.
Me and my dad are huge fans of the Special Olympics and the athletes that perform in them. To be able to have shared in the experience of volunteering in the games together was a dream come true and something that neither of us will ever forget.
The Organization
Special Olympics Southern California
Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities. They offer all-inclusive sports training and competitions, that encourage physical activity, promote confidence, and help athletes to feel empowered. Special Olympics offers 12 Olympic-style individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Sports offered are: Aquatics, Athletics (Track & Field), Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Floor Hockey, Golf, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball. Along with shining on the sports field, athletes have the opportunity to shine off the field through the Athlete Leadership Program. Athletes are empowered to utilize their voices to assume meaningful leadership roles, influence change in the Special Olympics movement, and help create more accepting and inclusive communities around the world. Special Olympics Southern California would not exist today without the expertise, time, and enthusiasm of its volunteers. They are on the sports field guiding the athletes through drills. They are behind the scenes ensuring events run properly. And they are giving and receiving more high fives and hugs than they can count.
We use only essential cookies necessary to the functionality of our website. Additionally, we use marketing cookies from the Zoho Sales widget to enhance your experience and provide personalized content. Read more on our Privacy Policy.
When you visit our website, we use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience. This information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies by clicking on the different category headings to find out more and change your settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site and the services we are able to offer. Further information can be found in our
Manage Consent Preferences
Basic cookie files(always active)
These cookies are essential for the proper functioning of the website. They are usually only set in response to actions you take which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling out forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will then not work. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Targeting cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by these companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.