Bocce ball has been undergoing a quiet revolution over the past few years as new portable courts allow enthusiasts to take the sport to exciting new locations.

No longer are players limited to parks and venues that have existing courts made of wood or stone. High quality inflatable courts made from heavy duty thermoplastic have allowed a new generation of players to transform almost any environment into a bocce lover’s dream.

Many bars, music festivals, breweries, luxury resorts and even cruise ships have become bocce hotspots, using portable courts to run pop-up events and social leagues. Some of the settings for these events are hard to believe – from bocce ball on the decks of cruise ships to high rolling in the open air at a Chicago whiskey bar, the modern game of bocce is reaching new heights.

Packaworld’s portable bocce courts provided an inflatable yet sturdy platform for Special Olympics athletes at the Munster Area Advancement event in Ireland.

More than 80 athletes from Munster took to the Packabocce courts, tossing and rolling their way ever closer to the palina (white ball) – and the Munster regional event, where it will be decided who qualifies for the next Ireland Games in 2022.

The event took place in February, prior to the recent COVID-19 pandemic and was held at the University of Limerick in Munster, one of five regions associated with Special Olympics Ireland. Similar to lawn bowls and petanque, the ancient Italian sport of bocce can be played by people of all ages and abilities, making it ideal for social and competitive competitions.

Thousands of Special Olympics bocce players in New York are now enjoying their sport on the same high-quality portable bocce courts used for many of the global organisation’s major bocce competitions.

The state’s Special Olympics body has brought in 14 of the courts to run events for the 4,600 athletes participating in Special Olympics bocce competitions and school programmes across the state. The courts have already been used for competitions in Capital District, New York City, and Long Island. In August and September they were used for a bocce exhibition at the New York State Fair.

Special Olympics New York Director of Digital Engagement Kyle Massa said the Packabocce courts were being used to grow the sport, with a particular focus on holding more unified competitions.

Special Olympics bocce players in Ireland will have access to high-quality playing courts following the purchase of 26 portable Packabocce courts by their national body.

The new courts are a major investment in the sport’s future and will help Special Olympics Ireland introduce bocce to athletes in new venues and locations.

Special Olympics Ireland Sport Development Manager Elaine Twomey said the courts arrived in the country in October and had their first outing last week at a two-day area advancement event attended by more than 190 bocce athletes in County Kilkenny. 

The event was a success and played an important role in determining which athletes would be eligible to advance to the Leinster Regional Games next year and Ireland’s National Games in 2022, she said.

Packaworld’s portable bocce courts made their first appearance at the birthplace of the ancient sport on the weekend when they were used for a special bocce event held during the Lions Clubs International Convention in Milan, Italy.

The event was run by Special Olympics and Lions Club International as part of an annual tradition that sees Special Olympics athletes and Lions Club members compete in a different unified sport at each international Lions convention.

Special Olympics Director of Sport & Development Christian Guiralt said the event was a great example of sport’s ability to bring people together.

“There was a lot of participation and everyone was so excited with the new courts.”

When it comes to what makes bocce special, there are few people better qualified to comment than Special Olympics Bocce Sports Resource Team chairman Mike Ryan.

Known to some as "Mr Bocce", the hardworking New Zealander has been involved in the sport for 25 years.

There’s no doubting his passion either – his car number plate is BOCCE and he has "bocce" tattooed on him in Greek, Arabic, Chinese and English – one for each of the Special Olympics World Games he’s attended as either a bocce coach or technical advisor.

We caught up with Mike to ask his views on what makes bocce so popular in the Special Olympics, and what it might take for it to achieve world domination.

Portable courts making bocce ball more accessible around the world were used last week to host the next generation of bocce ball stars at the Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games in Canada.

More than 2,000 student athletes from around the world descended on Toronto for the four-day event, which ran from 14-17 May.

The bocce ball competition was held at the University of Toronto’s St George Campus, where more than 240 young athletes competed for gold on 10 inflatable Packabocce courts.

The innovative courts feature a lightweight but durable design that makes them easier to transport, set up and store than bocce ball courts made out of wood or PVC piping.

Special Olympics athletes in Rotorua and Southland can now test their skills at the ancient Italian sport of bocce.

The Special Olympics chapters in both regions are expanding their bocce programmes after successfully sourcing portable ‘Packabocce’ courts that will enable them to bring the game to schools and other venues.

Special Olympics Rotorua committee member Christine Brewer said bocce was an internationally popular sport that was growing in popularity in New Zealand. It is similar to pétanque but is played within a walled court.

“Bocce has a strong international scene so we are really keen to give our athletes the opportunity to give it a go,” Ms Brewer said.