Four spots at the state finals were up for grabs Tuesday when Unified bocce teams from CCPS high schools rolled into the Capital Clubhouse.

The 17 teams made up of Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students from La Plata, Maurice J. McDonough, North Point, Thomas Stone and Westlake high schools take over one of the clubhouse’s rinks that has been transformed into a bocce court for the local competition.  

The top teams to advance to the state Unified bocce finals Feb. 10 at Hagerstown Community College are McDonough Team 2, La Plata Team 3, La Plata Team 4 and North Point Team 2.

Bocce’s origins reach back to the days of the Roman Empire with the modern game developed in Italy. Teams of up to four players roll a ball underhand aiming to get it as close as possible to the pallino, a smaller target ball. The goal is to get the larger ball — roughly the size of a grapefruit — closer to the pallino than an opponent’s ball.

High schools compete in Unified sports in teams made up of students with and without intellectual disabilities. A program of Special Olympics, Unified sports was inspired by the principle that training and playing together offers a pathway to friendship and understanding.

Other Unified sports offered by CCPS are tennis in the fall and track and field in the spring. The Cool Schools Plunge, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Maryland, is also supported by students involved in the Unified sports program.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. 

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).