Boccia at the Golden Age Games: A funny name for a fiercely focused game
With a name that sounds like “botch-uh,” boca may be hard to pronounce for many, but easy to love. On 2026 Golden Age of Veterans National Games in Tampa, the pace on the courts may seem slower than track or basketball, but the intensity is just as real. Every roll, angle and inch counts, and athletes of all abilities compete on a truly level playing field.
For VA recreational therapist Marina Leander, bocce ball is more than a game. Leander, who primarily works in the spinal cord injury unit Tampa VA Medical Centerthis year he was the manager of the bocce competition and the head referee. She helped oversee 12 courts, coordinate officials and volunteers and guide veterans through rounds that often came down to a single, carefully measured inch.
“Boccia uses a white target ball called a jack,” she explained. “Two sides – red and blue – each have six balls, and the goal is to get closer to the bag than your opponent in four rounds.” Ties are common, so tiebreakers and precise measurements become part of the excitement.
What impresses Leander the most is not just the skill level, but the way the veterans lift each other up. “They are very competitive, but they like to encourage others,” she said. “Every day we remind them: you are here to have fun, to support each other and to enjoy yourself.”
That’s one of the reasons why bocce has quickly become a favorite among veterans looking for a sport that’s strategic, accessible and social.
“We’re not in Kansas anymore!”
Among the athletes competing in bocce this year is Marine veteran Mike Born. Originally from Topeka, Kansas, he arrived in Tampa with his teammates, the Fighting Toto’s. Asked how they chose the name, he laughed, “Where do we come from? Like, Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore! That’s where it came from.”
Born, who receives care through the Topeka VA, first learned about the Golden Age games when a fellow veteran asked him if he had ever tried them. That simple conversation led him to his first Games in Des Moines, Iowa, and he’s been coming back ever since.
This year he competes in bocce, shuffleboard, cornhole and billiards, but bocce is his favorite. “I like it because it’s an easy sport,” he said with a smile. “There’s no real stress or strain on your body. I just like to play. If I win, fine; if I lose, who cares? I’m here to have a good time.”
For Born, the most important thing is to stay active and connected. Seeing veterans of all types of physical abilities compete and support each other is one of the highlights.
He also appreciates the officials who keep bocce fair and fun. When the punches land near the back, the referees step in to weigh in and make a decision. “They make sure whoever is closest gets the point, and I like that,” Bourne said.
Games have taken him to Des Moines, Salt Lake City, Memphis and now Tampa, and Cleveland is already on his list for next year. His advice to veterans over 55 who may be hesitant to try adaptive sports is simple: “Just try it. It doesn’t cost anything to try it. If you don’t like it, fine — but you’ll probably like it.”
For Leander, that kind of reaction is exactly why the ball is important. The sport offers a safe, structured space where veterans can challenge themselves, travel, stay active and ease their families’ concerns about aging. Most of all, it gives them a place where they belong.
Boccia may have a tricky name, but for veteran players, the sport is simple at its core: strategy, precision and the joy of competing together.
