Coaches Notes

2025 Marin Bocce Regional Competition 

Coaches Notes 

                 Division Breakdown  

• Divisions Yellow, Pink, Green, Orange, Teal, Red and Silver: 

• Teams in Divisions Yellow, Pink, Green, Orange, Teal, Red and Silver will play the other 2 teams in their division for a total of 2 games. Teams will be awarded based on record within their division. 

• Divisions Blue and Purple: 

• Teams in Divisions Blue and Purple will play the other 3 teams in their division for a total of 3 games. Teams will be awarded based on record within their division. 

• Please make sure your teams are at the correct court at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled game time so that we can stay on schedule. 

• All teams should have 4 athletes. Teams must start the match with a minimum of three players. Teams starting with less than three players will forfeit the match. 

• Coaches are not allowed to verbally coach their team during a match.  

• Each team must designate a Team Captain for each match, who can request measurements and make decisions on fouls and penalties during the match. 

• Once athletes enter the court to begin the match, coaching is not allowed (verbal or otherwise). 

• Coaches are not allowed to step onto the court to coach their team. 

• Coaches may physically assist an athlete to a position, but may not roll, throw or otherwise move the ball during play. 

• For any penalties and fouls below that provide an option for the non-offending team to decline, the designated Team Captain will communicate on behalf of their team with the Court Official. 

Substitution of Players (For different matches) 

• Officials and scorekeepers must be notified of substitutions prior to scheduled game time or it will result in a forfeiture of the match.  

• Coaches must submit their rosters to the official/scorekeepers for the match prior to the scheduled start time. 

• Once a player has registered to substitute for one team during the tournament, he/she may not substitute for any other team during that tournament – the original registration forms for the tournament are considered final. 

• Substitutes must play in at least one full divisional match if they are on your roster and attend the competition. 

Substitutions During a Match 

• Only in the event of a medical or other verified emergency may a player be substituted during the process of a match. Emergency substitutions will only be made at the end of a frame; if this is not possible, the frame will be considered dead. However, once the substitution has been made, the substitute must complete the match. 

Winning Score: 12 points (or highest score at end of 25-minute time limit). 

• All points will be counted in the final frame (even if it exceeds 12 points). 

Game Time: 25-minute time limit.  If the time expires during the frame, the frame will be completed (all balls will be rolled).  No new frame may begin after 25 minutes, unless a game is tied, in which case, one additional frame will be rolled to determine the winner. 

Game Play 

• A coin toss by the Court Official will determine which team has the pallina and the choice of ball color to start the match.  

• No individuals other than registered athletes and officials are allowed on the court during competition.   

Sequence of Play 

• The pallina is delivered by a member of the team having won the coin toss to start the match. 

• The pallina must be past the half court mark and with initial delivery and must be at least 3’ from the back wall.  After the initial delivery, all walls are considered in play. 

• Three attempt rule:  The team possessing the pallina will have 3 attempts at placing the pallina within the acceptable playing area described above.  If these 3 attempts are unsuccessful, the opposing team will have one opportunity to deliver the pallina.  If this attempt is unsuccessful, the referee will place the pallina in the center of the court at the half-court marker. At no time does a team lose its earned pallina advantage of being able to deliver the first ball.  

• The player delivering the pallina must deliver the first ball, establishing an initial point.  The opposing team will then deliver their bocce balls until one of their balls is nearest to the pallina or they have exhausted their 4 balls. 

• The players of any given team may elect to play their ball in any rotation provided the player who tosses the pallina delivers the first bocce ball.  The rotation may vary from frame to frame; however, no player may deliver more than his/her allotted number of balls per frame.  In 4-person team play, each player delivers 1 ball each from their end of the court in each frame. 

• If a 4-person team starts the game with 3 players, all 3 players must rotate who delivers a second ball in each frame and may do so in any order. 

• Example – Team A has 3 players. In Frame 1, ball delivery is: Player 1, Player 2, Player 2, Player 3. In Frame 2, ball delivery is: Player 1, Player 2, Player 3, Player 3. In Frame 3, ball delivery is Player 1, Player 2, Player 3, Player 1. 

• This “nearest ball” rule governs the sequence of played balls.  The team whose ball is the closest to the pallina is called the “in” team and the opposing side the “out” team.  Whenever a team becomes the “in” team, that team steps aside and allows the “out” team to deliver. 

Ball Delivery 

• A player can grip the ball by placing his/her hand over or under the ball, as long as the ball is released in an underhand delivery.  

• An underhand delivery is defined as releasing the ball below the waist. 

• Athletes must be able to deliver the ball independently and without the physical assistance of another person. 

• No player may play his/her ball until a pallina or another ball has come to a complete rest. 

Checking Position of Bocce Balls 

• Players may only proceed to the half court mark to check position of bocce balls before delivering their balls. 

• If a player proceeds past their half of the court to check the position of the ball, they will receive a warning. Subsequent warnings will result in the loss of a ball delivery. 

End of Frame 

• At the end of each frame, all players will walk to the other end of the court, to verify ball placement and score.  

• For matches including a team that has at least one athlete who is not physically able to move from one end of the court to the other for each Frame, and has been granted approval, all frames will begin from one designated end and balls are returned to that end after scoring is determined for the Frame. 

• The subsequent frame will begin from that end of the court, with play in the direction of the starting end. 

• This continues until the time or score limit for the match is reached. 

Scoring:  At the end of each frame (when both teams have exhausted all balls), points will be determined as follows: 

• Team will receive a point for each ball that is closer than the opposing team’s closest ball.  This can be determined by viewing or by a tape measure. 

• The scoring team for each frame will also win the pallina advantage for the subsequent frame.   

Ties 

• Tied during frame:  In the event that two opposing balls are equidistant from the pallina, the team that rolled last will continue to roll until the tie is broken. 

• Tied at the end of frame:  In the event that the two balls closest to the pallina belong to opposing teams and are tied, no points will be awarded.  The pallina returns to the team that delivered it and the same side which it began.  (The same athletes will re-play the frame.) 

Wrong rotation of play: 

• Initial roll: If a team wrongly delivers the pallina and its first ball, the referee will return both pallina and ball and begin the frame over from the same end. 

• Subsequent rolls of proper color in improper sequence: If a player delivers his/her ball when his/her team is “in” and the other team still has balls left, the official shall replace any ball(s) disrupted by the improper delivery, including the pallina, to where they were before the out-of-rotation delivery took place, and the ball delivered out of turn will become a dead ball and removed from the court. 

• The team fouled against has the option to decline the penalty imposed by the official and accept the lie of the ball(s) and the frame continues. 

Intentional delays 

• Intentional delays (by either players or coaches) deemed unnecessary by the official will result in a warning. If play does not resume immediately, the team causing the delay will forfeit the match. 

OTHER 

• Lunch is available from 11:00 am-12:30pm for registered coaches, athletes and volunteers. 

• Parking will be available in the San Rafael Community Center parking lot, Albert Park Ln, or street parking. 

• Water will be available around the courts and teams are encouraged to bring water bottles to refill. 

• NO SMOKING is allowed anywhere at or near the venue. 

• NO Pets are allowed anywhere at the facility – Facility and SONC rule.  Service animals are permitted. 

• Seating for teams will be provided in designated areas, and spectators are encouraged to bring their own seating, as long as it does not interfere with the officials, scorekeepers or teams. Spectators are allowed to use the bleachers as well.