TOM HAYES
BOCCE
By TOM HAYES FOUR local ladies have made their way back from New South Wales after competing for Morwell’s Italian Australian Sporting Club at the 2023 Bocce Australia National Championships. Over the long weekend from June 9-12, Diane Penney, Christina Finocchiaro, Maria Maselli, Mirella Alesi and coach Sally Fava took to the bocce courts in the singles, doubles and triples bocce events. Keen bocce players from all over the country made their way to the Marconi Club in Sydney to compete across the long weekend. “There probably would’ve been about 10 ladies teams, and about 14 men’s teams there,” Penney said. The team drove up to Sydney together, taking their time in an attempt to not get too tired on the long journey. “It was an adventure,” Alesi laughed. “But we had fun, because we go up as a group and we have ups and you downs, but generally it was pretty good,” Maselli said. Alesi competed in the singles, while Finocchiaro and Maselli took the reins in the doubles event. All four ladies competed in the triples, with one acting as a substitute, all while Fava was coaching from the side lines. “We went in there pretty positive, we did our best and at the end of the day that’s all you can do is do our best,” Maselli said. In both the singles and doubles, the ladies only made it is far as the quarter finals, which is still quite far into a national competition. But they went even further as a team in the triples event, making it all of the way to the final. In the final, the ladies would come up against Queensland-based side Bundaberg, which made it fitting that and Victorian team and Queensland team would meet in the middle for the final in NSW. It was all the more fitting that the two sides were from regional parts of their state too. Unfortunately, the Morwell team wasn’t able to go home with gold, losing 8-5 in the final. For reference, these ladies have plenty of bocce experience, boasting around 20-30 years of experience each. They have been competing at a national level for as long as 20 years, so there are no doubts about the ability of these well-seasoned veterans. Also attending the championships was a men’s team from Morwell; Frank Fava, Felice Prezioso, Frank Finocchiaro and Tommy Campbell. Morwell’s Italian Australian Club is looking forward to an upcoming event, which will have the place rocking with fun. Over July 1 and 2, they are hosting the 2023 Morwell Bocce Latrobe City Classic, which should see around 24 teams come from all angles of the country. On Saturday, they will have AFL and Hawthorn Hawks legend Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPerdomenico as a special guest for their gala dinner. As an ambassador for bocce, Dipper will be helping to raise money for the Australian Junior Bocce team who will be representing Australian in Monaco later in 2023. Also in attendance will be Morwell’s Kayla Dukes, who qualified for the national squad and will travel to Monaco. Regular tickets are $50 each, and included a three-course dinner, live music, raffles and much more. VIP tickets include all of the above, plus seating on Dipper’s table and a donation to the Australian junior team, costing $200. Tickets can be purchased at tinyurl.com/295wk3yn For more information on the Morwell Bocce Latrobe City Classic and the gala dinner, phone the Italian Australian Sporting Club, or email info@bocceaustralia.com.au
