In the fall, an email made the rounds at Hampton High School seeking a coach for the unified bocce team.
Christine Larson answered the call.
“It was something that interested me, because I like kids, obviously,” Larson, a paraeducator who works with special-needs students, said.
“I like to be involved in what’s going on, and my mindset has always been to enjoy life to the fullest while making fun and lasting memories,” she explained. “I knew this would give me the chance to create those memories for our team, while at the same time to provide an environment where I could introduce some new kids — the partners, they’re called — to these athletes, and that they could hopefully learn from one another.”
Once she took over the team, going into its sixth season at Hampton as part of Special Olympics Unified Sports, recruiting was a priority.
“That took me going through the hallways and trying to gather up some of those partners. We have seven new members this year, which is nearly half the team,” she said. “Through practices and teamwork, we established camaraderie. They all work well together, and they do a great job.”
In November, Larson organized a bocce tournament to raise awareness about the sport, a form of which people have been playing for at least 7,000 years, while generating funds to support the bocce team. Among those who took notice were physical education teachers who agreed to implement bocce.
“I’m excited that it’s going to expose more of our students to it, which hopefully will help with our recruiting,” Larson said.
Principal Marguerite Imbarlina and a special-education teacher started the team in time for the 2018-19 season, drawing participation from the high school’s Best Buddies program, which helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities develop social and leadership skills.
“It kind of just grew organically, them working together, because many of the students participate in both clubs,” Larson said. “That certainly helped grow bocce to be what it is today.”
She’s noticed that the number of spectators grew this year as Hampton qualified for the Three Rivers Region playoffs, with a match scheduled for Feb. 28.
“It’s very nice to see the other sports teams come to support our matches, whether it was the wrestling team or the basketball team. Even the football team would come before their workouts, and sit in the stands and watch,” she said. “That was great to see the student involvement supporting our unified bocce.”
