Top bocce juniors to battle at upcoming championships

The Wollongong, NSW Fraternity Club will come alive to the sounds of bocce balls smashing, clunking and clashing as the Junior and Invitational NextGen Bocce Championships is played.

So, come along and support the next generation of bocce players on Saturday, July 23 from 9am to 6pm and on Sunday, July 24 from 9am to 3pm.

Some of the best Australian junior bocce players will head to Wollongong to compete in the Australian Junior and Invitational NextGen Bocce Open Championship. Players from QLD, ACT/Cooma, NSW and VIC will all try-out to win slots to represent Australia at the World Titles later this year.

The championships will see junior, under 15, under 18 and under 23, plus the NextGen elite male and female athletes compete across five bocce disciplines: the traditional Singles, the Bowl Throw and the more spectacular throwing events of Precision Throw, Progressive Throw, and the exciting Rapid Relay Throw. Time permitting, the final rapid set State of Origin battle between VIC, QLD and NSW will be the climax of the weekend.

The championship will be held over two days – Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 – at the Fraternity Club in Wollongong, NSW under the auspices of Bocce Australia, with the support of Bocce NSW and the sponsorship of the Fraternity Club.

This is the first time that Fraternity Club has played host to a major national Bocce Australia event and we look forward to many more in years to come.

Local community residents have a great opportunity to witness future bocce stars as they compete in the bocce dome of the Fraternity Club, not to mention the fact of having access to some fabulous club facilities, bistro, and its many other offerings.

Bocce Australia’s President Frank Funari said: “Hosting the 2022 Junior and NextGen Open Bocce Championships had to be put on hold due to the COVID pandemic but community sport is back and so is Bocce Sport! Thanks to the support of the Fraternity Club and keenness of the current junior squad, we were determined that the event go ahead as soon as possible and we are looking forward to a spectacular bocce championship”.

Sports Director Sonia Fava said: “We are confident the event will continue to attract interest across the country and inspire the next generation of Australian bocce players to take on the sport for both sport and recreation. Following the success of the recent senior men’s and women’s nationals, which was streamed live, many younger players have come back to the sport”.

Bocce Australia’s National Sports Officer Vinay Singh said there was already interest from a number of schools in taking up bocce.

“The Rapid Throw and the Precision Throw events are two of the more spectacular fast paced events which many have not seen and will surely inspire interest from many looking for a non-contact athletic team sport,” said Mr Singh.

This year we see the return of QLD, thanks to the good work of the Redlands Bocce Club under the guidance of the Junior Club Coach Kerrie Reitano. The state has resurrected a healthy junior squad of six to eight players, many still in the under 15 age group. It’s good to see the return of Carlo Bunin, with newcomers Vinay Singh, Chiara and Ava Tomasi, and Kiara and Kayla Sadlier. It is great to see the tradition carry on with both Chiara and Ava Tomasi who are the daughters of the current reigning Australian Singles Champion 2022, and former Australian International Junior representative, Enzo Tomasi.

From NSW, we have international medallist Daniel Samsa, along with young woman international Nicole Samsa, plus a number young bocce hot shots including Aaron and Lara O’Callaghan, the Chiandotto sisters, Nina, Ava and Mia – the daughters of Bocce Australia Hall of Famer and super star Stefano Chiandotto. Also competing for the first time will be Ava Scalia and Melissa Danelutti.

ACT/Cooma are back with Michael and Daniel Pevere. Victoria will be represented by up-and-coming star and international representative Max Tricarico. Making his return will be the young and promising Lucas Mikolic, who will carry on the Mikolic Bocce tradition of his father, Bocce Australia Hall of Famer and international medallist Dino Mikolic.

Also, back after a few years of absence are Morwell Bocce juniors Nick Cooper, along with Aiden Rispondino, Tommy Campbell, and first-timer at the nationals Kayla Dukes.

All the U15/U18 and U23 players will be vying for a slot in the squad to represent Australia at the World Junior Titles later this year in Monaco and France, plus the NEXTGen players will be trying for one of the progressive rapid relay slots for the Seniors in Mersin, Turkey.