Two years. Two gold medals.
The ladies of Palazzo di Bocce are on a roll ? literally.
Members of Palazzo’s ‘Dream Motivators? captured their second straight gold medal in the Open B Tournament at the 2006 U.S. Bocce Championships in St. Louis, Missouri June 19-25.
Formed in January 2005, the team consists of Oxford residents Anne Smith, Cathy Cole and Sue Suddeth, Lake Orion resident Annette Battaglia and Angie Sickle, of Troy.
For these wives and mothers, who balance work and family every day, to win the gold yet again is ‘a heck of an accomplishment,? according to Battaglia.
‘To me, the real story is the struggle to get in here and practice,? she said.
‘Awesome? was how Cole described her first gold medal. She didn’t compete with the team last year.
‘My family couldn’t believe it when I called and said we won the gold,? Cole said.
For Suddeth’s daughter, Hannah, who recently turned 6, mom’s gold was the fulfillment of a little girl’s wish.
Playing bocce is a social affair and good time for many people. And while the ladies do have fun on the court, they don’t take their play lightly.
‘When we’re in a game it’s serious,? Smith said. ‘I like to have fun and I do have fun doing it. But I wanna win too.?
‘We’re more prepared,? said Battaglia, comparing her team to other’s women’s teams that view bocce as a ‘more social? activity. ‘Look what we’ve done in two years.?
Playing in bocce tournaments and big events like the nationals can be quite stressful, according to the ladies. ‘When you know you need the points, like when it’s tied, that’s where I get stressed,? Suddeth said. ‘Especially, if you’re the one that has to try to make that last point.?
‘It’s always come down to the last game, the last bocce ball for us in most of the events we’ve been in,? Battaglia said. ‘It’s been that tight.?
‘I don’t like the stress during tournaments,? Suddeth said. ‘I have a really hard time with that.?
Suddeth admitted the stress almost caused her to quit, but she stayed on thanks to a supportive husband.
Smith said the stress doesn’t get to her anymore.
‘I’ve played enough,? she said. ‘I used to be nervous. I used to get a sick feeling and now it doesn’t bother me.?
On the flip side, for Cole, bocce has become an escape from her everyday duties and stress. ‘It’s my way of relaxing, if I want to get away from my family for a while or I have a bad day,? she said.
Winning the gold a second time has given the ladies the motivation to move up in the bocce world.
‘That gave us a definite confidence boost to go forward,? Battaglia said.
Right now, the team plays Open Rules bocce, which is generally played in North America and very different from the game played in the rest of the world in that it’s rules are much less strict.
The Dream Motivators hope to play in the Open A Tournament at next year’s national championships.
‘We know our competition,? Battaglia said. ‘We’ve got enough practice under our belts to move forward.?
The team also hopes to begin playing and competing in a type of bocce known as ‘Punto, Raffa, Volo,? which is governed by international rules.
International play is highly structured, a bit complicated and the rules are very stringent. ‘The game takes a lot more time. One game can last four hours,? Battaglia said. ‘It gets very technical.?
Unlike winning the Open Rules tournaments, winning the Punto, Raffa, Volo at the national level means an automatic trip to Turin, Italy to compete in world play.
The team credited former member Carol Wenson, with convincing them and motivating them to play at the national level. Wenson played in last year’s national championships less than one month after finishing her cancer treatments.
‘That was her goal and that’s what got her through all her treatments,? said Battaglia, noting Wenson was unable to play this year. The team came up with the name ‘Dream Motivators? before its first trip to the nationals as a way to honor her. ‘She saw something in us we didn’t see,? Battaglia said.