About Us
Mission Statement
The DC Bocce League was created by a group of friends to introduce and promote bocce in the Nation’s Capital. The recreational league provides an environment where participants can gather, socialize, and try a new experience. We provide an opportunity for area residents to enjoy one of Europe's oldest sporting traditions and celebrate their inner Italian.

Contact Us
Submit your email address here to be added to our mailing list, and feel free to contact us via email with any additional questions.

Charity
At the end of each season, our champions and other top teams are awarded donations to give to a charity of their choice. View our charity page to see a list of some of the organizations the League has chosen in the past.

What People Are Saying (from Yelp)

• A great social option for people looking to make new friends in a less competitive environment than other social sports leagues in DC.
  - Becca B. (Washington, DC)
   
• The DC Bocce League is run by a group of people that care about community. Each year, the league goes beyond just creating bocce courses and negotiating drink specials by organizing some sort of charitable donation or volunteer project. It's this volunteer work that makes me feel just a little bit better for imbibing so many of those aforementioned drink specials.
  - Craig C. (Rockville, MD)
   
• DC Bocce is a rare combo of extremely organized and super fun. The post-play bar time is a can't miss and the competition is friendly but not lame.
  - Leah R. (Washington, DC)

History
The DC Bocce League was created by a group of friends looking to bring a different social and recreational experience to DC.  The idea was sparked by first generation Italian-American Richie DiFranco, who grew up playing bocce with his family in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.  With the help of his wife, Gabriella de Ocampo, and close friends Rachael Preston, Gautam Chowdhry, and Sarah DeLucas, the DC Bocce League was born.

DC Bocce has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception.  Our first season in the fall of 2004 began with ten teams and 50 players in Capitol Hill’s Garfield Park.  After three successful seasons we were able to construct two bocce courts in Garfield Park, the first for public use in DC.  Now DC Bocce has grown across the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) metro area with over 2,500 players per season and games nightly.  We cover all four seasons between our Outdoor and Indoor Leagues, so now bocce lovers and newcomers can enjoy the game year round!  Even cold DC winters are included, when we bring the courts to you and play right inside your neighborhood bar!

In 2010 we added Premier bocce divisions, with games played in exclusive locations across the city year-round.  Then in 2011 we launched the national brand, Major League Bocce, to spread our love of the game to cities across the US. We currently offer friendly divisions in Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Bethesda, MD.  Visit www.MajorLeagueBocce.com to find a division near you!

We hope to continue bringing people together through bocce, and we are happy that many of you have been with us from the beginning helping to spread the word.  To everyone who’s ever played, thank you!

Board of Directors
(pictured. left to right)
John K. Groth
Sarah DeLucas
Rachael Preston
Gautam Chowdhry

Current League Managers