2013 Pétanque Season Starts 12 May @ 2:00 p.m.

Come join us for fun and friendly competition.  Newcomer lessons, tutorials, and tournaments.  We have boules you can use;  just bring yourself or come with friends.  We have a egalitarian way of choosing teams that is fun and instructive.  Contact the Senior Center in Burns Park if you want to borrow boules on other days.

Season's End. Boo Hoo Until Spring - Burr ! Getting Cold !

What a great season, great weather, and great play.  Regular and Tournament play saw a lot of new players and great fun.  Weather today and beyond seems to be colder, so we must bid farewell for now.  Stay tuned in for our Spring Restart.  à bientôt'.

Pétanque in Family Field Day 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012, from 1 to 5 p.m. we will again be teaching pétanque in the Family Field Day sponsored by A2A3 to raise funds for research towards effective treatments and ultimately a cure for ALS (Lou Ghrig's Disease).
Activities include:
• Fun relay races for kids and adults
• Pétanque (similar to bocce) – Join for a lesson or a tournament
• Sports clinics — NEW THIS YEAR. Two 45 minute blocks of clinics so kids can participate in two different sports with the area’s best coaches! Choose from: lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, soccer, ultimate frisbee
• Group games for kids and adults: Join in a big game of kickball or Volleyball
• Get to know the park with a Scavenger Hunt
• Get a chair massage!
See their website for more information.
Ann Arbor Against ALS

Tournament: August 19, 2012 in Ann Arbor at 2:00 p.m.

Fun and Prizes.  Everyone is welcome.  Space is limited to 24 players.
Confirm attendance at:  howard@petanqueannarbor.org.

Tournament on June 2, 2012 in Royal Oak, MI

The Alliance Francaise of Michigan will be having a Pétanque Tournament for all ages (over 8 years) with prizes, food, and a Playoff Round for the top finalists.  Fun for all !!  More details. 

Playing Together Builds Community

Pétanque, similar to bocce, is one of the world's fastest growing outdoor sports. Simple to learn; challenging to master.

• What is Pétanque ?
• Why is Pétanque the Ultimate Social Sport ?
• What are the Rules of the Game ?

What is Pétanque ?

A distant relative of horseshoes and a cousin to the Italian game of bocce, pétanque developed in France in the early 1900’s. It is one of Europe’s most popular outdoor games and is growing fast in the US, Canada, Australia, and Asia. It is also a professional sport.

The aim is to toss a number of hollow steel balls (boules) as close as possible to a small target ball, called a jack or cochonnet (meaning "piglet" in French). Players take turns and the team that ends up nearest to the target ball, once all balls are played, wins.

While in horseshoes the aim stake is fixed, pétanque’s target ball may be hit at any time, which can completely turn around the score at the last second. And whereas bocce calls for a smooth court, pétanque is played on a rougher, more informal surface.

Why is Pétanque the Ultimate Social Sport ?

• Way to meet neighbors and make new friends
• Plenty of time for chat
• No special athletic ability need
• Good sport for grandparents and grandchildren
• Ideal pick-up sport: come alone, with partner, or with family
• All ages and abilities, play from a wheelchair
• Teams informally formed and reformed
• Free, no club or game fees
  

What are the Rules of the Game ? (from Pétanque America)

1		The game is played by 2 teams of 1, 2, 3 or 4 players. Teams of 1 or 2 players use 3 boules per player. Teams of 3 or 4 use 2 boules per player.
2		Toss a coin to choose which team will start. A player on this team chooses the starting point by drawing a circle of about 20 inches in diameter.
3		This player tosses the little target ball between 18 and 30 ft away, but not closer than 20" from any obstacle or boundary. The thrower's feet must stay inside the circle until the target ball has reached the ground.
4		Any player from this team then throws the first boule, trying to place it as close as possible to the target ball. Again, both feet must remain inside the circle when throwing.
5		A player of the second team comes into the circle and tries to throw a boule even closer to the target ball. Or knocks away the first team's leading boule. The boule nearest to the target ball leads.
6		It's up to the team not leading to throw until they get a leading boule. Then it's up to the other team again. When a team has no boules left the other team throws their remaining boules and tries to place them as close as possible to the target ball.
7		When neither team has any boules left the points are counted. Only the leading team scores: as many points as it has boules that are closer to the target than the best one of the losing team. In the example on the left, the "blue" team has 3 boules closer to the target ball than the nearest boule from the "green" team, and thus gets 3 points.
8		An "end" is over when each team has thrown all its boules. The winning team starts a new end, by drawing a circle where the previous end finished, and tossing the target ball again. The game continues until one of the teams has accumulated 13 points.

Open Tournament - September 11, 2011 - 1:00 p.m.

We had twenty three beginners and advanced players.
Teams of triplets and doublets were randomized.
Thanks to all who participated
Congratulations to the winners:
  1.  Jeanette
  2.  Bo
  3.  Gilbert and Michel who tied
Photo:  Gilbert, Jeanette, Bo, and Michel.

More photos by Jeff Widen:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwiden/sets/72157627525821021/show/