“The opposite of play is not work – the opposite of play is depression.” — Brian Sutton-Smith
So who knew that there is a National Institute for Play… or a National Museum of Play. It turns out that “play” is serious stuff.
I started thinking about this a few years ago while watching a couple in their sixties playing bocce with a twenty-something Hispanic couple. Even though age and language were barriers… they were laughing, encouraging each other, and enjoying the game.
That’s when I realized the power of play to change our community… and that I could be an advocate for play in the public space.
Frederick Bocce
In 2016 I began advocating for public bocce courts. In January 2018 the Frederick Bocce working group was organized under Friends of Baker Park, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-staffed community service organization dedicated to fostering community involvement in the preservation, restoration, use, and maintenance of Baker Park.
In June of 2018 the City of Frederick signed an agreement with Friends of Baker Park outlining a public/private partnership to build the bocce venue. It was agreed that the Frederick Bocce working group would raise the funds for the required materials, and that the Frederick City DPW would provide the labor. Through the tireless efforts of the Frederick Bocce working group, by June 2019 we were able to raise $125,000 for the materials to build the bocce venue.
The new Bocce Courts opened to the public Spring of 2022!
The City of Frederick Recreation Department’s four bocce courts are located in Room 1 of Baker Park.
When not reserved, the courts are available on a first come basis. Players must limit play to 1.5 hours if other players are waiting. The reservation schedule and the bocce court rules/policies are located here.
Bocce ball equipment is available to the public at no charge. To check out a bocce ball set, go to the lower level of the William R. Talley Recreation Center located at 121 N Bentz Street, Frederick, MD.
Spring/Summer 2023 at the courts…
Below are some of the events that are planned at the bocce courts for 2023.
- Sunday night bocce pickup games hosted by the Frederick Bocce Club. These are free and open to the public.
- Tuesday night Frederick Social Sports runs a coed bocce league.
- Wednesday night Frederick Bocce Club leagues run from April through October. Details and sign up dates can be found on the Frederick Bocce Club’s Facebook page..
- Thursday night pick up games for Frederick Bocce Club members, begins on April 6.
- Friday morning the Frederick County Senior Recreation Council offers a senior’s bocce pickup games at the court.
Did you know?
- Bocce is the 3rd most popular sport in the world, ranking just behind soccer and golf.
- Bocce is being considered for the Olympics.
- The local DC Bocce League which began in 2004 has over 5,000 members.
- Special Olympics Unified Sports® promotes Bocce for individuals with & without intellectual disabilities. Frederick County Special Olympics has over 200 athletes.
- FCPS offers “Unified Bocce” at all ten high schools. Their 2017 tournament had 208 participants.
- Bocce is experiencing a surge in popularity across all age groups and can be an economic driver.
Chess Tables in the Park
In early 2017 while watching the program “60 Minutes: Chess in the Bible Belt“ my thought was, why is this not happening in Frederick?
OK, maybe that would be overly ambitious however bringing chess nerds (and wannabes like me) out of the house and into the public space… that might be doable.
At the time I was just starting to promote Frederick Bocce (Initiative #1) with my co-conspirator. Here’s what I’ve learned… it is a lot of work, and a long and slow process to engage stakeholders and secure funding. Not a complaint, just an observation 🙂
I searched for local chess clubs and could not find any organized groups back then. Recently I found the “Frederick Chess Club“… so it begins.