Congratulations to The Alliance team for their 1st Place finish in the 2024 US Bocce Nationals in the Open A Tournament. Team Alliance is a combination of players from New York and Michigan. Brad Thayer, from Long Island and a staple of the American Bocce Club and Methuen Sons of Italy, is not a stranger to the US Nationals medals podium, including winning the bronze in the Mixed Doubles PRV event this week. Michael Scialdone of the BBN who worked hard all week and joined this first place team, is from Upstate NY. Rounding out the team are long time exceptional players from Michigan who play at Palazzo di Bocce, Sal Lini and Dr. Joe Masternick.

The I Amuse You team won the silver medal this year. This team is a mixutre of players, too. Miles Russell, who was on the 2022 US Mixed Doubles PRV Champion team and played in the Worlds in Turkey that same year, and Anthony LaBarbera, both play in the Chicago area at Highwood Bocce Club and Mazzini. Anthony had a spectacular performance at the Nationals this year, ending the week winning 2 golds, 2 silvers (including this event) and 1 bronze. Natale Scala, from Up State NY, is another fantastic player who has represented the USA in international events. Hunter Gallero has been on many top placing teams over his career and also finished 2nd this year in the Men’s Singles PRV contest. He’s been a member of the Palazzo di Bocce in Michigan for over 10 years, even working there for a few years.

The 2 Bronze medals are awarded to Volorama is made up of local players to the IABC, the host club in St. Louis, and Highwood 7. All the players from Highwood 7 are members of the Highwood Bocce Club, including Tom Holleman who won the Gold medal in the Precision Raffa Shooting contest and will represent the USA in Turkey at the Worlds later this fall.

Open A / STL Money (Open Bocce Rules), Fri – Sat, 6/28 – 6/29

Gold: The Alliance: Brad Thayer and Michael Scialdone (NY), Sal Lini and Dr. Joe Masternick (MI)

Silver: I Amuse You: Miles Russell and Anthony LaBarbera (IL), Natale Scala (NY), Hunter Gallero (MI)

Bronze: Volorama: Susan and David Zona, Rich Robertson, John Denando (all from MO)

Bronze: Highwood 7: Tom Holleman, Gordon Gruenes, Tim Tolari, Todd Mikell (all from IL)

Tom Holleman, President of the Highwood Bocce Club, can now add Gold Medalist to his list of bocce accomplishments. Holleman won first place today out of a field of 22 who are from New York to California and all across the USA.

With another fascinating display of bocce expertise during the past 5 days, Anthony LaBarbera earned 2nd place in this Raffa Shooing Championship. Rounding out the 2 Bronze Medals are Nick Imo, a spectacular St. Louis player and Todd Mikell from Highwood. Nick has also placed in a top 4 position in 3 other events this week.

Men’s Precision Shooting, Frid 6/28:

Gold: Tom Holleman – Highwood, IL

Silver: Anthony La Barbera – Chicagoland, IL

Bronze: Nick Imo – St. Louis, MO

Bronze: Todd Mikell – Highwood, IL

What a remarkable feat! Between Monday June 24th and today, Friday June 28th, Courtney Strickland won a hat trick of Gold Medals. Today she won the Gold Medal in the 2024 Women’s Precision Raffa Shooting Championship in addition to top place in the Mixed Doubles PRV and Women’s Doubles PRV events. Lauren McDermott, another great player from the Chicago area, took the Silver Medal. Lauren’s friend and teammate in other tournaments, Vanessa Garippo, won Bronze along with Margaret Shindelus. Margaret won 2 other Brozne Medals this week. For 2 decades, she has been a steady player who has won several championships and has played in a World Championship in China and Pan Am events in Brazil and Boston.

Women’s Precision Shooting, Frid 6/28:

Gold: Courtney Strickland – Chicagoland, IL

Silver: Lauren McDermott – Chicagoland, IL

Bronze: Margarett Shindelus – Northern CA

Bronze: Vanessa Garippo – Chicagoland, IL

Courtney Strickland. Wow! Incredible! Congratulations for winning the 2024 Women’s Singles PRV Bocce National Championship. Courtney also won Gold this week with Anthony LaBarbera in the Mixed Doubles Championship, and they finished 2nd together in 2023. Both hail from Greater Chicago and play at Mazzini Verdi and Highwood Bocce Club. In addition, Courtney was the Precision Raffa Shooting Champion in 2023.

The runner up is Teresa Passaglia. Teresa has been a fantastic player for 2-plus decades and used to play out of the Highwood Bocce Club as well, before going to Florida. Honorable mention goes to Brigid Reidy and Martha Crosley who won the Bronze Medals.

Women’s Singles (PRV Rules), Wed – Thurs 6/26 – 6/27:

Gold: Courtney Strickland – Chicagoland, IL

Silver: Teresa Passaglia – Tampa, FL

Bronze: Brigid Reidy – Chicagoland, IL

Bronze: Martha Crosley – Northern CA

The 2024 US Bocce Men’s PRV Champion is none other than, Jose Botto. Botto has been a multiple time national champion over the last 20 years after moving to the USA from Argentina. For the past 12 years, in other tournaments, he has been teammates with runner up, Hunter Gallero. Gallero is also an exceptional player. They are both residents of Michigan and play out of the Palazzo di Bocce in Lake Orion, MI.

Nick Imo and Anthony LaBarbera are in the final four once again this week, both winning Bronze Medals in the Men’s Singles. Along with Hunter, they are all younger bocce players with long careers ahead of them. Nick won Bronze this week with Teresa Passaglia in Mixed Doubles and he finished with the Silver in the Men’s Doubles PRV with Greg Della Croce. Nick is from St. Louis and plays at the IABC, the host club for this year’s Nationals.

Anthony has been on fire all 4 days this week so far. Besides this Bronze Medal, he was the 1st Place Champion of both the Men’s Doubles with Maurizio Perrelli and Mixed Doubles with Courtney Strickland.

Men’s Singles (PRV Rules), Wed – Thurs 6/26-6/27:

Gold: Jose Botto – Lake Orion, MI

Silver: Hunter Gallero – Lake Orion, MI

Bronze: Nick Imo – St. Louis, MO

Bronze: Anthony La Barbera – Chicagoland, IL

Anthony LaBarbera and Courtney Strickland are the Champions of the 2024 US Bocce Mixed Doubles Punto Raffa Volo Tournament at the IABC in St. Louis, MO. Congratulations to the duo who are from the Greater Chicago area. They often play at the Highwood Bocce Club. This is Anthony’s 2nd Gold Medal this week. Yesterday he won the Men’s Doubles PRV with Maurizio Perrelli. Last year Courtney won the Women’s Precision Raffa Shooting contest.

Gerald Gilligan and Jean Godin, veteran players from Northern California who often play at Campo di Bocce in the Bay Area, took the Silver Medal.

Mixed Doubles (PRV Rules), Tues – Wed 6/25-6/26:

Gold: Ant & Court – Chicagoland, IL (Anthony LaBarbera, Courtney Strickland)

Silver: Gilligan/Godin – Northern CA (Gerald Gilligan, Jean Godin)

Bronze: Thayer/Shindelus – Long Island, NY / Northern CA (Brad Thayer, Margaret Shindelus)

Bronze: Nick/Teresa – St. Louis, MO / Tampa, FL (Nick Imo, Teresa Passaglia)

This year’s Men’s Doubles Punto Raffa Volo Gold Medal goes to the Anthony LaBabera and Maurizo Perrelli of Team Mazzini Verdi. They are from the Chicago area and play at the Mazzini Verdi Bocce Club as well as the Highwood Bocce Club. Congratulations, guys, on your top place finish in the US Bocce National Championships! Silver medalists, Greg Della Croce and Nick Imo, are from the host club of the 2024 US Bocce Nationals, IABC. The 2 bronze medals are awared to 2 bocce teams from Northern California.

Men’s Doubles (PRV Rules), Mon-Tues. 6/24-6/25:

Gold: Mazzini Verdi – Chicagoland, IL (Anthony LaBabera, Maurizio Perrelli)

Silver: IABC (Italia America Bocce Club) – St. Louis, MO (Greg Della Croce, Nick Imo)

Bronze: California Roll – Northern CA (Mark Wolff, Alan Knox)

Bronze: D’Amore/Nicosia – Northern CA (Oscar D’Amore, Benedetto Nicosia)

Congratulations to Gina Imo and Teresa Passaglia of the St. Louis Dreamers for winning the Gold Medal in the Women’s Doubles PRV bocce tournament. The event is the first event of the 2024 US Bocce Nationals this summer in St. Louis, MO at the Italia America Bocce Club. Gina is a local to the host club and Teresa lives in Florida, however played bocce for years at Highwood and Mazzini Verdi. 2nd Place is awared to Diane Kelley and Rena Harel from California who play at Campo di Bocce. Campo di Bocce has been a long time sponsor of the US Bocce Federation and the National Teams.

Women’s Doubles (PRV Rules), Mon-Tues. 6/24-6/25:

Gold: St. Louis Dreamers – St. Louis, MO / Tampa, FL (Gina Imo, Teresa Passaglia)

Silver: Left Coast Bocce – Northern CA (Diane Kelley, Rena Harel)

Bronze: Shindelus/Godin – Northern CA (Margaret Shindelus, Jean Godin)

Bronze: Bocce Gals – Northern CA (Joanne Lopez, Emi Fuji)