ON 3/19/2026 THE BOCCE CLUB HAD ITS SECOND TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR
THESE ARE THE SKILLFUL PLAYERS THAT WON!
Sue, Tess, Rose and Randy
CONGRATS!
More pictures of the event, and a recap are slightly down this page. Right after the picture of everyone in their jammies!
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Welcome to the Solivita Bocce Club web site, where you find all the latest club news and updates.
NORMAL BOCCE HOURS!
- Saturday mornings at 9:00 AM
- Thursday mornings at 9:00 AM
- Tuesday evenings at 7:00PM
If you are new, come about ten minutes early.
Everyone is welcome to come and play with us, even if you never played before. If you like it, you can join the club. But first try it out a few times, and then decide if you want to become a paying club member. And again, beginners are welcome (we have great teachers).
We are the most relaxed and chill group of people you will ever meet. Some of us are so excited to play, we don't even get dressed in the morning--we come in our pajamas!
3/19/26 BOCCE TOURNEMENT
On a very cool Thursday morning we held the second tournament of the year. Our fearless club captain wanted to get one more tournament in before the snow birds left the area.
This was a great tournament with a simple 10 points you win, and if you lost you were eliminated. Winners played winners until two teams were left. And in the end it was a nail biter.
The day started with a breakfast of bagels, fruit, pastries, juice, coffee, and water. And then the games began.
Most of the games were quick, but there were a lot of close calls, and the measuring string was used a lot. That is how it is when good players come together, and gift cards are on the line.
The prize this time was a twenty five dollar gift card to Red Robin for everyone on the winning team.
In the end, the winning team, which was put together randomly, was Sue, Tess, Rose and Randy.
With a tie score of 9-9 it literally came down to one ball at the end!
It was a nail biter!
Although everyone can't be a winner, everybody can have fun.
Especially Bob who thought he was playing softball!
But Sue showed him the right way to throw a bocce ball, with grace!
It was a fun day of bocce and breakfast.
For all of the pictures taken at the event go to our PHOTO Page!
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ON 2/19/2026 THE BOCCE CLUB HAD ITS FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR
UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT A WINNER--BUT THESES SKILLFUL PLAYERS WERE!
Frank, Jodi, Bob and Steve.
CONGRATS!
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How To Play Bocce
Solivita has four well maintained bocce courts at Freedom Park. It is a beautiful place to play the game, and there isn't a better group to play with than the Solivita Bocce Club.
Bocce is a fun and easy game to learn, but a difficult game to master.
It can be played by young and old, and court number four has a swing open gate to accommodate persons who use a wheelchair.
So, how do you play?
I personally don't play that well, but that is a story for another time.
The basic rules are simple.
There are two teams. Each team gets four large bocce balls. There is also one small ball called the pallino (or pallina).
The team that goes first rolls the pallino on the the court. It must pass the half way mark, but not hit the board at the far end of the court. You can roll it down the center, bank it off the side boards, it doesn't matter.
After the pallino is rolled the same player rolls a large bocce ball trying to get it as close to the pallino as possible.
Then the player from the other team tries to get their large bocce ball closer to the pallino than the first team.
After the two large bocce balls are rolled, the team whose ball is furthest from the pallino rolls again trying to get closer to the pallino than the other team.
After each roll, the team whose ball is closest to the pallino steps aside and allows the other team a chance to get closer than them. This continues until all the balls are rolled.
Once all balls are rolled, the team with the bocce ball closer to the pallino wins the round, and if they have two or more balls closer to the pallino than the other team's closest ball, they get that number of points.
Basically, you want to have more balls closer to the pallino than the closest ball of your opponent. There are other rules, and once you start playing everything will fall into place.
That is the basics of bocce!
And you won't find a prettier place to play the game than here in Solivita!
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BOCCE UPDATE
1 - The Bocce Club has been having an awesome 2026 season. We now have monthly breakfasts, more tournaments, and a lot of new people coming out to play. So, welcome to the new players that have joined the team, we are glad you have joined us!
2 - If you scroll upwards you will see how things are going this year. If you scroll down, you will see how things were in the past, and what a fun time we have had. There are a lot of pictures and of course commentary by yours truly. So enjoy both the memories of now and then.
Howie...fall asleep. So, it will be completed as soon as we can keep ourselves awake long enough to complete the project!
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2025 HALLOWEEN TOURNAMENT
And talking about the 2025 Halloween Tournament, it was a tough one this year. Twenty-eight people participated and rather than straight bocce, bowling pins were set on the courts as barriers. Knock over a pin, and you either lost a point, or the opposing team gained an extra point, depending on the score at the the time. And many pins fell. Who knocked over the most? My lips are sealed!
Here are some pics from the tournament. The complete set of pictures are on the PHOTOS Page.
Pins As Barriers
We did have one incident, two escaped convicts tried to crash the game. Luckily, a police officer was on hand to arrest them and take them back to their holding cells!
Whether people were in costume or not. It was a fun day, and everyone was in the holiday spirit.
And Of Course There Was Food Galore!
AND THE WINNERS OF THE 2025 HALLOWEEN TOURNAMENT WERE...
The Winners: Bob Bugielski, Joan Minicozzi, Nancy Barrington, and "Boston" Dave Cook
Remember, the complete set of pictures (over 150) are on the PHOTOS Page.
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People often ask, "What is the hardest thing about playing bocce?" My answer is, "The Sun!" Don't know what I mean? Check out these pictures here:
LOL
4 - We updated the Bocce Pictures Gallery with photos taken at the February and March tournaments. They are not all flattering pictures. But the pictures reflect the days as they were...people arriving tired and sleepy, but becoming energetic, playful and happy as the days progressed.
5 - And below are some of the pictures you will see in Bocce Pictures Gallery I hope you go there to see all the pics!
RECAP OF THE BOCCE HALLOWEEN TOURNAMENT ON 10/31/2024
The Annual Bocce Halloween Tournament was an interesting event to say the least.
It all began as it should. The courts looked great and people were excited.
Some folks arived in costume. And others in regular street clothes.
A nice spread was prepared with bagels, pastries, fruits, coffee and more!
After Bob did some last minute court cleaning it was time to mingle and eat.
But then...then, the sprinklers came on!
The sprinklers watered the golf cart parking area, which has no grass, just rocks.
The sprinklers watered the covered pavillion, which has no grass.
The sprinklers watered the bocce courts, which have no grass!
But nothing stops the Solivita Bocce Club from having a good time.
Hurricane Milton didn't stop us, so a little water on the court wasn't going to stop us either.
And the games began as scheduled!
The competition was fierce.
In the end, the winners were...
Sara Bugielski, Jackie Erickson, Andy Piscopo and Kathy Lightfoot
Congrats to you all!
To see more pictures from the event CLICK HERE
Remember, the photo page has all the pictures we took during the last year and a half.
Use the Drop Down Box to select other picture groupings.
A TRIP DOWN BOCCE MEMORY LANE!
The Bocce Courts Were Hit Hard By Milton
See what happened!.
Hurricane Milton attacked the bocce courts, but we fought back!
Despite the devastation, the courts are playable. We give our thanks to Shellie and Howie for doing some late night cleanup on the courts, and to Castle management for doing followup work in getting the courts ready for play.
Bocce Court Bocce Damage
Probably The Hardest Hit Area In Solivita
Bocce Cleanup
Shellie Getting Courts Ready
I Know, You Are Asking
Who The Heck Is Shellie?
Howie pretending to work while Shellie actually is working!
As You Can See
Nothing can keep the club from playing Bocce...not even a hurricane!
CLICK HERE FOR REGULAR CLUB DAYS AND HOURS!
Bocce Courts Repair Update!
9/30/24
All GOOD
Bocce is back.
Court Repairs are done.
YAY
BOCCE REPAIR TIMELINE
Hello everyone, this is Howie. Jim Carlton, and I, visited our old friends, the bocee courts, today, Sat 8/17, to check on the repair progress.
The courts are looking good!
It appears most of the concrete work, painting, major crack repairs and drainage is completed. The ball racks have a nice fresh coat of paint, and it appears all of the piping and valve work is done.
Although all of the boards are now looking good, one or two of the boards appear to be slightly warped.
The courts are now filled with fresh gravel, it and seems the gravel is level.
In a nut shell, it is all looking good.
Unless something unexpected happens, we should see other on the courts again the day after Labor Day!
Below are some pictures of the courts I took today, Saturday 8/17 and a few I took while the repairs were in progress.
CLICK HERE FOR CLUB DAYS AND HOURS!
The 2024 Spring Dinner Was A Big Hit
Read All About It And Check Out The Pics
Click Here!
About The Bocce Club
How To Play Bocce
News And Updates
About The Photos Page
SPRING 2024 SOLIVITA BOCCE CLUB DINNER
When I arrived it was quiet. A few people were there getting things set up. As I walked, with my camera in my hand, I said to myself, "This time will be different. Maybe I will get some flattering pictures of the group."
As I continued walking I also continued talking to myself, "Who are you kidding, Howie, for every nice picture you take, you will take five pictures of people with their eyes closed!" So I decided I will ask Lottie to take a few pictures during the evening. This way, I can blame her when people complained about the pictures. "Yea, I know, Jackie, that is not a good picture of you. I feel what you are saying. I even told Lottie we shouldn't post that picture, but you know Lottie...once she makes up her mind about something there is no stopping her."
Actually, the truth is, with Lottie's help I knew we could get some very nice pictures. And that is what happened. We may have a missed a person or two (sorry if it was you), but the shots we took of the Spring 2024, Solivita Bocce Club Dinner, came out very nice. (And no, I am not patting myself on the back because most of the nice portrait shots below were taken by Lottie, not me).
But at the start of dinner I took some typical, Howie, random shots of the people arriving, sitting around, and getting settled. Here are a some of those.
And as usual, our host and club president, Jackie, did a great job putting the event together; as did the many club members who helped her set things up, carried things in, arranged the tables and chairs, and helped serve all of us hungry folk. As they say, it takes a village to have a terrific evening at the Venezia Club House.
And during the evening, Lottie and I annoyed everyone to pose for some pictures. The following are the results of our perseverance.
For those of you that couldn't make it, the dinner was a very nice evening. The food and company was great. Everyone was in good spirits. Jackie, thanks again for putting it all together. We all know it isn't easy coordinating the get togethers. So thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts.
And a special thanks from me and Lottie to Shellie for taking a few pictures of us. Who is Shellie you ask? That's Jim's wife. Who is Jim you ask? That's the person you don't recognize if you don't see him without his hat, right Frank?
That's it for this, but don't forget, you can see all the pictures Lottie and I took in the picture gallery by clicking here!
OUR WINTER TOURNAMENT 2/15/24
It was on a pleasant Thursday morning we held the Solivita Winter Tournament. The morning began with coffee, juice, bagels and pastries, and ended with the crowning of the Winter Bocce Winners. The games were close and there were many rounds of extremely competative play. Everyone was rolling their best...well, not everyone--your humble writer/photographer, Howie, rolled so bad the opposing teams thank him many times over!
Although the games were serious business, everyone seemed to be in good spirits--warm, friendly and playful at times. The club is comprised of a great bunch of people and the pictures below, and in the gallery illustrate what I mean.
Players Enjoying Breakfast As Others Select Cards At Random To Determine Teams
The Club's Fearless Leader, Jackie, Is The Super Woman That Makes It All Happen
The Club Has Some Of The Nicest People You Will Ever Meet
And The Club Has Some Cut Ups as Well
In The End It Is About The Game
The Games were Close
And The Winners were Joan, Steve and Sara
CONGRATS!
That's it for this, but don't forget, you can see all the pictures Lottie and I took in the picture gallery by clicking here!
There are about 300 pictures to check out, and you know what? Maybe you will see one of yourself I didn't mess up!
And don't forget, You can us the drop down box on the gallery page to cycle through all the different sets of pictures from other events.
HALLOWEEN GAMES
It was a lovely evening for the Halloween Bocce Tournament. Some people arrived in costume, some in Halloween colors and others, such as myself, were not so bold. It was a beautiful evening when the games began, but when the sun was setting, it did present a challenge to the players facing west. The tournament was a real nail biter. In fact, it was so competative, the games continued well into the dark, and still a winner could not be declared until the final, sudden death round that was held on Thursday morning, 11/2, at 9:00 AM.
Below is a pictorial summary of the event including a shot of the winning team, but the complete set of 300+ photographs taken can be seen in the Picture Gallery by clicking here or on the PHOTOS link at the top of the page in the left hand column.
Getting Ready For The Games
The Courts Are well Groomed
A Bewitching Jackie Chilling Before Her Work Begins
Jackie's Work Begins--Getting Ready To Feed The Hungry Players And Observers
The Members Arrive In Great Holiday Outfits
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