Athletes & Family
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Torch Run
Crossing the Finish Line

Get Certified!

Get Certified!

Do you want to get certified in this sport? Do you need to be recertified? Contact Andrea Stamm or visit Coaches Education.

Is This Sport in My Area?

Is This Sport in My Area?

Check your local program to see if they offer this sport.

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship Course

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) developed a complimentary course to give you a better understanding of sportsmanship and how it impacts your specific role in modeling it at all practices and competitions. Insight is shared throughout the course from fans, players, parents, coaches and officials.
The free course takes about 15 minutes to complete and can be found in the NFSH website. This is an extra resource for local programs and coaches, but it is not currently a part of SONC's certification process. Once the course is complete, each coach will receive a certificate. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Stamm.

Bocce

Bocce originated in Italy and is also known as “boules,” which is similar to bowling. At the 1992 Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) Summer Games, bocce boasted the largest increase in participation of any sport, from 40 athletes in nine local programs in 1991, to 108 athletes from 18 local programs in 1992.

Meet Bocce Athlete Al Arnold!

Rules

Resources

Events Offered

SONC offers singles, doubles, Unified Sports doubles, team, and Unified Sports team competition.  Bocce is a game of skill and strategy. Depending on the event, players take a turn rolling a bocce ball toward the smallest ball (pallina), which has already been thrown onto the field. The players are given points for the balls thrown closest to the pallina.

As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped into competition divisions according to ability level and age and gender when appropriate.

Competition Opportunities

Area/Divisional Qualifiers are offered for bocce in the month of September. Particpation at a bocce qualifier is mandatory to be eligible for state-level competition. Doubles and teams must be consistent from qualifiers to the state-level competition.

SONC Bocce Tournament is split into two separate regional state-level competitions in October.

 Bocce Calendar

All forms must be submitted by the local program coordinator.

Qualifier Registration Forms

Qualifier Coach Roster
Qualifier Entry Form

Bocce Tournament Sport Registration Forms

Below are the sport-specific registration forms which must be submitted by the local program coordinator along with the remainder of the Bocce Tournament registration. Click here for a full list of Bocce Tournament registration forms.

Bocce Tournament Entry Instructions

Sport Development Team

These volunteers advise SONC staff regarding sport rule modifications, officiate at competition, and also train coaches in their sport! For more information on the bocce sport development team, contact one of the members below or Michael King, SONC staff liaison.

Rob Holmes, SDT director
Kitty Hawk, NC

Addie Carmon
Tarboro, NC

Richard Evans
Greensboro, NC

Betty Lewis
Concord, NC

Linda Logan
Sharpsburg, NC

Deb Pontenberg
Cedar Point, NC

Lisa Reynolds
Asheville, NC

Charlote Webb
Tarboro, NC

Certified Clinicians

In addition to the sport development team, these volunteers are able to conduct local sport specific training schools on behalf of SONC. Contact the clinician in your area if you would like to schedule a training (their county of residence is located under their name). For more information on becoming a certified clinician, contact Andrea Stamm.

Scott Boucher
Hoke County