• A game consists of 2 teams with 2 or 4 people playing on each team. NOTE: A Team constitutes five (5) registered players. Only players registered to the team on the roster may play in league games.
• Each team plays with 4 balls per team. A team may play a game with 2 players against 2 players, 4 players against 2 players or 4 players against 4 players. When playing with 4 players, 2 players must stay at each end of the court for the entire game.  Each player will roll 2 balls per frame.
• A match consist of 2 or 3 games.
• Personal ball sets may be used if they are I.B.A. approved. Check with rules rep.
• Only qualified players may play in a game. A qualified player is defined as a person who is properly registered; has signed a waiver, and is in good financial standing (have paid all associated league fees).
  • Only qualified players registered to the playing teams may enter the court during play.
  • Players from opposing team may not remain in playing area when the other team is shooting.
  • If a non-qualified player participates in a league game, the game will be forfeited by the team that had the unqualified player.
• No substitutions are permitted once the game has started.  Emergency substitutions are at the discretion of the referee, division representative, or BOD member.

Pallino

• A coin flip starts the match.  The winner of the coin toss has the option to choose the pallino or Bocce ball color.  Upon concluding this selection, the team that holds the pallino will roll it for the 1st frame.  In subsequent frames, the team that scored in the previous frame will roll the pallino. The pallino then goes to the winning team of each game.
• When throwing the pallino, it must come to rest between lines C and Al or Cl and A. Which means the pallino must completely cross lines C or Cl and must not break the leading edge of lines A or Al. The pallino MUST come to rest completely within the 'box'.
• When rolling the pallino, it must come to rest no less than 12" from the sideboard or that pallino roll is disqualified and the pallino goes to the opposing team. Measurement is to be taken from the sideboard in question to the nearest edge of the pallino.  Again, the pallino MUST come to rest completely within the 'box'.
• Only one bocce ball may be rolled at a time, except when rolling the pallino
  • Each team gets one(1) warning per match.
  • Subsequent infractions will cause the Bocce ball in question, to be disqualified, and removed from the field of play.
• The frame is void when the pallino leaves the court, at any time during a roll. When the pallino gets knocked out of the court, the team that originally held the pallino, at the beginning of the frame, will start the frame over at the opposite end of the court; regardless as to which team caused the infraction. 
• If each team throws a disqualified pallino, the pallino is placed in the center of the court (line D) by the referee.  The team that originally held the pallino will throw the first Bocce ball.

Rolling and Scoring

• A player’s feet must be behind line A (A1) when the ball is released. A player’s momentum may cause them to cross line A (A1), however the player cannot advance past line B (B1).
• Closest ball(s) of the same color to the pallino scores one point per ball per frame.
• Any Bocce Ball hitting the backboard without hitting another ball is disqualified and removed from the field of play.  Any Bocce ball displaced by a disqualified ball is returned to its original location.
• If a Bocce Ball is hit out of the court, the ball is disqualified for that frame.
• When rolling a bocce ball from line A(A1), the pallino must stay beyond line C(C1) or the frame is considered void.  The team that originally held the pallino will start the frame over at the opposite end.
• If a player throws the wrong color ball, it will be replaced with the correct colored ball, after the thrown ball comes to rest.  A warning will then be given.  Any subsequent mistakenly thrown balls will be disqualified and removed from the field of play.
• If a player rolls a ball out of turn, that ball is disqualified and removed from the field of play.
• A player may not advance down the court until they roll both their balls.
• Dropped ball: AN ATTEMPTED roll that crosses line A (Al) is in play.
• After all balls are thrown, any tie will be declared a draw. Another frame must be thrown (team holding the pallino throws from the opposite end of Court).
• When a team reaches the score of 11 and the other team is out of balls, the game is over.
• The Team with the pallino must establish initial point.
• If a bocce is rolled and any part of the ball does not completely cross line C (C1), that ball is disqualified and removed from the field of play. Again, the ball must be completely within the 'box'.
• If a player carries a ball past line A(A1), a warning is issued.  Any subsequent infraction results in the ball(s) being disqualified and removed from the field of play.

Referees

• Referee must be a qualified league member in good standing.
• Referee: agreed upon by both teams, makes all calls (final call, ties possible); players can ask the referee to make a measurement when it is their roll; they may ask the referee to make a second measurement.  The referee makes final call.
• Referee resolves all discrepancies during a match.
• Referee is the ONLY person to make a measurement.
• Only 1 representative from each team may go out on the court to see a referee's measurement. A team may ask for two measurements only on a ball in question. The referee makes final call.
• Teams playing may referee their own games.
• Referee is responsible for all scores to be written in scorebook and signed by the appropriate teams.
• No balls are to be moved until the referee makes his/her call. If any balls are moved, that are in question, before the referee makes a call, the referee may grant points for any ball moved that was in question under his/her discretion.
• When measuring all referees must measure from the bottom of the bocce ball to the nearest edge of the pallino, NOT to the middle of the pallino.

League Policy & Procedures

• Rainouts must be called if the 1st matches of the day/night can not start within one (1) hour of the scheduled starting time or the 2nd matches of the day/night can not start within 30 minutes after the completion of the 1st matches.  The Division representative or B.O.D. representing their day/night will make the final call on a rainout.
• To win a forfeit, one (1) team (at least 2 players) must be present at the courts for what would be two (2) games.
• Forfeits will occur at one (1) minute after a teams scheduled starting time (1g game) and sixteen (16) minutes after that teams scheduled starting time (2'd game and match).
• Second matches of the day/night must have two team members present by their scheduled starting time regardless of whether the early matches are still in progress or not. If the early scheduled matches are completed before the later match's scheduled starting time, the late matches may start earlier than scheduled if both teams agree to it, but it is not penalized if a team decides not to do so. If two representatives are not present by the scheduled starting time of the late matches, they will forfeit at one (1) minute after that teams scheduled starting time (1g game) and sixteen (16) minutes after that teams scheduled starting time (2'd game and match). Again, regardless of whether the first match is finished or not.
• If the early scheduled matches run past the scheduled staring time of the later matches, it is still required that two representatives from each team be present or a forfeit will be called at one (1) minute and sixteen (16) minutes after their scheduled starting time, for both teams.
• Regardless of what time the first matches end, late matches will have no longer than a 15 minute warm up period from the end of the first matches.
• If a team forfeits five (5) games (NOT MATCHES) throughout the course of one season, that team will not be invited back to join the NBL the following season and will be placed at the bottom of the 'Waiting List' if they chose to do so.
• There will be a break of no more than 10 minutes between games.
• There will be one rule or BOD representative each night to call rain outs or forfeits; and to settle any rule questions/concerns.
• Team rosters must be final by the beginning of the 3rd week of the season. A team may not add players to their rosters after the beginning of the 3rd week of the season. A team may replace a player or players on their roster after the 3'1 week of the season only due to an emergency situation which will be decided and approved by the BOD.
• Any one that would like to be placed on the 'Waiting List' for any of our league's must see Dave Fusco, Jerry Milice or NBL Registrar directly.
• All Team names are subject to approval by the Board of Directors.

Court Etiquette

• One minute between rolls.
• Only sneakers or soft, smooth soled shoes may be worn on the court.
• Cursing of any kind will not be tolerated.
• There will be no excessive arguing or abuse permitted for any reason.
• Any physical or verbal confrontation of any kind will not be tolerated. Anyone involved in a confrontation may be suspended or expelled from the League pending an investigation by the Board of Directors.

Interleague Play

• Five weeks with all divisions playing each of the divisions playing the four other divisions once.  All teams play two matches on their home night and two matches on away nights. Each division enjoys a bye week.
• All matches follow Norristown Bocce League rules and count toward each teams overall win/loss record.  Interleague match pairings are randomly drawn.
• Matches cancelled due to inclement weather conditions, nullify all matches involving the teams in these two divisions. This ensures that all teams in a given division play an equal amount of matches at the seasons’ end. To avoid this situation, every effort must be made to play and complete all matches, even if weather conditions are not favorable.

Division Playoff Format

• Top 3 teams from each division compete in the playoffs.
• Playoff games must start by their scheduled starting time. Playoff games may only be rescheduled due to unplayable weather conditions. If weather conditions stops play at anytime after games have started, all completed games count and all points scored up to the point play is stopped count. When play is resumed the team holding the pallino when play was stopped will start at the beginning of the frame where the game was stopped.  NOTE: When in doubt make every effort to play games out.
• The top division team on each night receives a 1st round bye
• If there are any ties for the top 3 spots:
  • 1st Head to head record of teams involved in the tie
  • 2nd Team with least amount of losses (verse team in tie).
  • 3rd If there is still a tie
    • Between two (2) teams – 1 Head to Head game to 11.
    • Between three (3) or more teams – Round Robin games to 7 points.

In case of ties from the regular season record, every effort must be made to rectify these ties the last night of play, even if weather conditions are not favorable.  Play must be completed before the 1st round of playoffs.
 

Five Team Playoff Format

• Each of the five divisions determine their night's champion using the division playoff format.
• The five division champions compete in a five team round robin playoff, determining two finalist that advance to a best-of-five championship match.
• The round robin consists of 10 total games in which all five teams play four games, one verse each of the other division champions,
• All teams will play games on first available court.
• Upon completing the round robin, two teams advance to the championship match, determined by:
  • Win/Loss record
  • Head to Head result
  • Total point scored in four games
  • One frame roll-off

THE NORRISTOWN BOCCE LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO AMEND OR INTERPET ANY RULES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

Note: These rules are used in all NBL tournaments.