Hopewell Athletics
Unified Bocce Makes Hopewell History- Photo Slideshow, Coaches Comments, and Player Insights
On March 11th, the Hopewell Unified Bocce team traveled to Geneva College to compete in the regional championship game with the added chance to advance to the state championship game held in Hershey, PA. The following students,Eileen Chen, Chris Nguyen, Addy Davis, Bella Ceccarelli, Sky Ross, Bri Inderelst, Jordan Sirianni, Hayden Opatchen, Jason Givens, and Kaitlin Moskes, all competed at the competition. The students bolded are the three outstanding seniors that had a major impact on the bocce team, congratulations to all of them for making it this far!
Unified Bocce Purpose
Unified Bocce is meant for all individuals to feel welcomed and have a place to compete as they do in any other sport. The sport promotes social integration and breaks the common stereotypes associated with students with disabilities. Unified bocce provides equal opportunities for all participating in a more relaxing and less stressful environment than a contact sport such as football. One final value that unified bocce is strongly related to is team collaboration and allowing everyone with an equal opportunity to participate no matter the mental or physical deficit. Hopewell coaches, Chris Nee and Morgan Singletary, do an extraordinary job of promoting these key core values that Unified Bocce stands on and are based upon.
The Competition
At Geneva College’s Metheny Fieldhouse, Hopewell, Blackhawk, Ligonier Valley, Central Valley, Franklin Regional, Highlands, Shenango, and Laurel all came to compete against each other for Regional Unified Bocce Champions. The teams would compete in single elimination rounds, giving it their best and collaborating for strategic ways to win. All games would last 30 minutes and IF there was a tie, Overtime would be called and the team with the most points at the end of the overtime period won the round.
The Game
Hopewell’s first competition was against Ligonier Valley and it was a very tight game with excellent collaboration and support from each other, parents, and coaches. In the end, Hopewell and Ligoneier Valley tied, competing with their best foot forward. In the overtime period, Hopewell and Ligonier Valley both put up a tough battle, and there were some very close calls, there were some tense moments in the competition that had the audience on the edge of their seats due to the events that could potentially happen or could not happen. When over time was called, Hopewell came out victorious, winn
ing round 1. Hopwell would then move on to play the winners of game three, which was Blackhawk. The teams switched courts and started their competition, strategy and focus were very important during this round, and although Hopewell did not win the second round, everyone still put their best foot forward and supported each other regardless of the result in the end. In the end, Hopewell had their best season so far, placing 3rd overall, with hopes to improve even more so that next year Unified Bocce can advance into the state championship.
Coaches Comments:
Ending the season well, Chris Nee, Head Bocce Coach, said “I felt our Gold and Blue teams were the top two teams in the tournament. It was unfortunate that we had to play each other in the 1st game. Our Blue team scored 16 points twice this year, I think they will be even better next year. Our Gold team was mostly new players. However, most of them are volleyball players and have had experience playing in big games. We also had some players who were four-year players and others that have gained experience in our Bocce Buddies program at our Junior High.
Overall, our season was a great success. Not only in wins and losses, but our teamwork was always evident. Part of the focus in Unified sports is to have students “run the show.” Most of our volunteers at our matches are students. They make signs, keep score, and even announce the matches. They do a great job! The environment at a Bocce match is always very positive. Teams compete and fans cheer for both teams. Personally, I think other High School sports fans could learn a lot from what goes on at a Bocce match. It is a great experience for everyone involved.”
Player Insight:
Chris Nguyen, Unified Bocce Player, said that “Bocce has taught me many valuable lessons and allowed me to meet new people while exploring places I never imagined visiting. The experiences and opportunities it has provided have had a greater impact on me than I ever expected. Most importantly, bocce has given me a new perspective on individuals with special needs, helping me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for their abilities.”
Sky Ross, another Unified Bocce Player, had this to say about the season. “For me Bocce was something that I joined on a whim because Mr. Nee offered to buy me a hotdog from the Viking Vault if I did. But I’m so glad I joined because I got to do a sport with my friends and make new friends along the way. Bocce has impacted my life as a student because it allowed me to get involved in extracurricular activities where I was hanging out with students who are in different classes and grades than me. It was easy to be more outgoing during bocce since I was surrounded by people that made me feel comfortable. It’s a very rewarding experience being able to befriend and talk to so many wonderful people.”
Procession Video at Geneva Championships
