Bocce Bocce is a game of skill and strategy. The object is for one team to get as many of their balls (boccia) closer to the pallina (the smallest ball) than the opposing team's closest ball. Mario Palminteri, Special Olympics Italy, competes at the bocce singles event at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. [Photo by Gerry McGuinness, IRELAND OUT] There may be anywhere from two to four to eight players on a team. Each player is given two balls. Each player must then take turns rolling (lagging) the ball toward the pallina ball (also known as the jack, cue, beebee etc.), which has already been thrown onto the field. The players are given points for the balls rolled closest to the pallina ball. Players may also throw on the fly (volo), striking the ball to move the point ball. Balls, including the pallina, may also be displaced by the balls of other players. Special Olympics athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® bocce competition. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports bocce, a doubles team would consist of one Special Olympics athlete and one partner; a team would consist of two Special Olympics athletes and two partners. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender. Bocce Facts Bocce is one of Special Olympics' newer sports, having been introduced at the World Games level for the first time in 1995. The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games hosted 180 bocce athletes from 39 Special Olympics Programs. As of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report, 90,884 Special Olympics athletes compete in bocce. Bocce Events Singles (one player per team) Doubles (two players per team) Team Competition (four players per team) Unified Sports Bocce Doubles (two players per team) Unified Sports Bocce Team (four players per team)