Four Ideas on the Bocce Court

At Saturday's bocce club, Amara hurried onto the grass court with Niko, Luz, and Dev. A sign had the heading “Bocce Practice.” Beneath a photograph, a caption read, “Roll toward the small target ball.” Coach Elena set out a white target ball and a rope circle around it.

“For this practice challenge, help each teammate roll a colored ball into the circle,” she said. “Then we'll play a game.” Amara was team captain. She could roll farther than anyone in the group, so she stepped forward to demonstrate.

Her ball raced past the circle. Dev copied her swing, and his ball passed it, too. Niko started to suggest a shorter swing. “We just need better aim,” Amara said. She fetched the balls before he could finish.

On her next try, Amara rolled more gently, but the ball drifted left. Luz crouched to study the ground. “There's a little slope here,” she said. “The grass tilts toward that fence.” Amara looked from the ground to the scattered balls. Perhaps her arm wasn't the whole answer.

“Niko, what were you saying?” Amara asked. He showed her a short, low swing. Luz suggested aiming slightly right because the slope would carry the ball left. Dev placed a leaf beside Niko's shoes to mark his starting spot. “Let's each try from here,” he said.

They took turns and watched every roll. When a ball went too far, they shortened the next swing. When it curved too much, they adjusted their aim. After several practice rounds, Niko, Luz, and Dev each rolled a ball inside the circle. Amara went last. “Short and steady,” Niko reminded her. Her ball stopped beside Luz's.

Coach Elena came over. “What helped your team?” she asked. Amara glanced at the leaf, the slope, and her teammates. “I thought being captain meant having the best idea,” she said. “But we needed everyone's ideas.” Before their game began, she gathered the team. This time, she asked a question instead of giving an order.