SANTA PAULA, CA—One of the world’s oldest sports, which is also one of the nation’s fastest growing, will help kick off this year’s Ventura Corporate Games April 5 with a bocce ball tournament at the Limoneira headquarters ranch in Santa Paula. The tournament, comprised of four-person teams, is open to all comers, from novices to experts, and begins at this Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

“As usual, the Corporate Games offer everything from bowling to darts to poker, so we’re really excited that Limoneira has given us the opportunity to add bocce to the mix,” says Elena Brokaw, Ventura’s Community Services Director. “We think it’s going to be a huge hit and a future staple of the Games. Once people play it, they’ll be hooked.”

Bocce dates to the Punic Wars in the third century B.C., when soldiers used a small stone, called a “leader,” and threw it onto the ground some yards ahead, then tried to land larger stones closest to the leader. Today, the 1.75-inch leader is called a palladino, and the balls that players try to land close to it are called bocce. 

At present, more than 40 teams have signed up to play in the tournament, though more are welcome. All participants will receive a JD Probasco Spirit Award, named for the young man who lived so well and courageously before his untimely passing. 

Visitors and spectators are also welcome. A large plateau above the courts offers a splendid area for alfresco dining, snacking, and socializing.

Limoneira’s 12 easily-accessible courts, which are open year-around for groups and individuals, conform to strict regulations issued by the bocce’s governing body.

“I first got into bocce some years ago, when I was living in Italy,” says Harold Edwards, chief executive of Limoneira Company. “It’s the kind of game you don’t even have to be good at to have a lot of fun. Besides, the setting of our courts is so beautiful, nestled among the lemon and avocado groves with the mountains in the background, everybody wins.”

For more information and directions call 1-866-321-9995.