By: Sophia Braida
Damon Jones, a junior at Wallenpaupack, has become a familiar and energizing presence on the Unified Bocce team. Known for being one of the most supportive voices on the court, Damon is always cheering on his teammates, offering encouragement, and stepping in with guidance whenever someone needs it. His supportive nature, outgoing personality, and willingness to lend a helping hand make him a natural leader and a key part of the team’s success.
Outside of bocce, he enjoys math classes, playing video games like Super Smash Bros. and Fortnite, and staying involved at school through art club, the ASP, and time in the weight room. After graduation, Damon plans to participate in Project SEARCH, a program that helps young adults gain real-world job skills through hands-on workplace internships.
Damon’s bocce journey began back in middle school, when teachers encouraged him to join the team. Although there were no meets in middle school, he continued to play every year. Once entering high school, he joined the high school’s bocce team and began steadily building his skills and love for the game. One of his favorite parts of bocce is thinking through strategies during practice and applying them in competition. He especially enjoys the competitive aspect of the sport and the excitement of playing in meets against other schools.
His hard work paid off last year when Damon and his team placed fifth at regionals, the furthest he has gone so far. Some of his favorite memories come from reaching regionals in tenth grade, where they competed against seven teams. During those tournaments, Damon scored a lot of points for his team and felt incredibly proud of what they accomplished together. This year, he hopes to help his current team return to regionals and, if possible, advance all the way to states. Currently, his team is in great position to advance to the league meet with only two losses and five wins. Overall, Damon believes bocce has taught him the basics of teamwork and how to develop his own strategies, lessons that extend beyond the court.
