Welcome to the Midwest Petanque Alliance BLOG. The MPA includes: Zanesfield Petanque Club, Chicago Petanque Club, Minneapolis Petanque Club, Rocket City Petanque Club, and Detroit Petanque Club. The main purpose of this BLOG is the promotion of petanque and petanque related news and photos for the Midwest community. See the links to actual club sites on the right...
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Stylish Club Clothing Available
Take a look at the club's merchandise area for cool duds for our Petanque meets and around town. www.cafepress.com/boules
Jeff is wearing the Detroit Petanque Club "Shooter's Jersey" - which has half-sleeves that don't get in the way of your throwing arm. Notice the DPC logo over the heart, and across the back.
Today's Lessons in Petanque - a Success
Amy points her boules as Pete and Rob look on and hope that she doesn't get "close" to the cochon.
We're sure they'll be showing up again real soon. The lunchtime petanque games offer up just enough relief in the work-day that we need.
Hal takes a Shot
Hal offers up a few lesson in shooting a boule. Pete (to the left of Hal) has played bocce which certainly was reflected in his game play.
Hal instructs the Troops on Pointing
Hal had his co-workers (Amy, Rob & Pete) come visit the terrain at the Renaissance center and learn some Petanque. Frank (red shirt/hard hat) was observing the game from the construction nearby and also joined in on the fun.
Amy and Rob - Introduced to Petanque
Amy and Rob joined Hal and Jeff over at the Renaissance Center for an introduction to Petanque. They quickly acquired a feel for the sport and played very well. Rob even made a few successful "shots" on opposing boules!
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Sharon and Gene Win 13/12
Gene showed Frank the finer points. Actually Gene is turning into a very good shooter. His shots are very reliable. Teamed up with Sharon's pointing, and you have an unbeatable combination.
Frank Adds Some Constructive Play to Petanque
Monday, August 29, 2005
DETOUR - DUE TO JAZZ FESTIVAL AT CAMPUS MARTIUS THIS SATURDAY (9/3/05)
Due to the Detroit Jazz Festival going on all Labor Day weekend at Campus Martius, the Detroit Petanque Club will meet down at the waterfront (the promenade walk area at the Renaissance Center). Bring water and your A-game!
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Summer Weather is still Warm Enough for Boules!
We're only a couple of weeks away from the time-setback for the fall, but you wouldn't have known it today! The picnic table was full of food and the piste was full of players; and luckily Greggory was there to sort through all of these boules! Cyrille returns from France this Friday:
"Get ready to go back to work Cyrille, and Welcome home!" :-)
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Haro Plays His First Game - of many!
Meet Haro, who stopped by to play petanque for his first time. He is hearing impaired, but with the help of Jeff and Joe's instructions -- he acquired a good grasp of the game, and played well for a first timer. And we gained some more insight into why petanque is such a universally acceptable sport. After a few initially long throws, he gained a feel for the boule and put in some close points. We hope and know he will come back as he certainly had a great time.
And that's one of the best aspects of Petanque - it allows for people to play regardless of age, gender, and disability. We welcome everyone to our club.
Maurice Shoots 6 out of 10 !
Petanque, for most of us, is something we discovered by chance (just walking by a park, or maybe reading about it in the paper). Maurice was sitting in the park at Campus Martius watching us play - and we invited him to join us. He turns out to be a natural for shooting boules. We set up a mini shooting competition, Joe, Jeff and Maurice. He made 60% of his shots. Not bad for a first timer!
Charles Joins the Detroit Petanque Club
Campus Martius - Saturday
We thought the rain would keep us from playing today, but that was definitely not the case. Joe and I played about 8 hours of Petanque. Here we see Charles about to point, and a new member, Natalie trying to hold the point.
Petanque in the Rain - of course!
The rain didn't keep the Detroit Petanque Club (and MPC represented by Joe Zajac) from playing three hours of Petanque in the rain. Sometimes the rain was so heavy, we could hardly see, but it definitely will prepare us for future play in Portland!
Marley Kept Score
Marley is a very smart Havanese. He even helped to keep score while Joe and Jeff played. Looks like a near fanny for M.P.C.!
The Renaissance Center Promenade Offers Up Lots of Amusements
Detroit Petanque Club Met at Renaissance Center
Due to a Fashion function over at Campus Martius, the DPC met by the Detroit river on Saturday. If you haven't been down there, you should take a look - it's clean, safe, and has lots of river activity (barges & ships).
Friday, August 26, 2005
Lots of Guests Getting Petanque Lessons Today
Petanque has very easy rules, and simple equipment -- a winning combination for bringing in people just strolling by.
Today at the Renaissance Center we had 6 new guests trying out the game and they all played pretty decently for their first times.
The Michigan Petanque Club and Detroit Petanque Club encourage the sport, and will always go out of their way to welcome anyone interested in playing.
Hal and Gene Win 13/9 at D.P.C.
Today, Jeff & Sharon were "sent down to China-Town" - with a 9 to 13 loss to Gene and Hal.
Come on down to the Renaissance Center during the work week. We meet at Noon and play for an hour. There's lots of people walking by, big ships in the Detroit River (15 feet away) and it's a bit cooler near the water.
Meet Sharon & Gene
Sharon and Gene have been coming everyday to the Renaissance Center promenade to play and practice petanque. They've also come to every game at Campus Martius. But beyond this, they've played many early morning and late evening games. They certainly have the "Petanque Passion."
Jeff and Gene - Shooters
Jeff and Gene, the designated Shooters - at the Renaissance Center - riverside - petanque grounds.
"It takes some guts, calm, and a little luck to be a great shooter."
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Gene Slams in a Winning Shot
Beautiful Day for Triplettes
(CLICK ON IMAGE TO MAKE LARGER)
It was a magnificent day for Petanque. The cool wind over the Detroit River, the friendly people stopping to watch and ask questions. We had a few people who want to arrange for their office to come down to learn/play.
Meet Maestro - the newest member of Detroit Petanque Club
Kelvin just joined us today, but his pointing looks like he's been playing for 10 years! That's why we call him Maestro (which was good that he was on my triplette's team today). Kelvin threw a boule so close, it hopped over the cochon, landing on the other side and staying (biberon).
It was Me (Jeff); Maestro; and Gene against Hal; Sharon; and Tony. The score was even at 8/8, then the tables turned with the oppositon gaining, until it was 11/10 (us) - then the final boules were thrown, (and so well that I didn't even need to throw mine!) - 13/10. We look forward to seeing him at our training field at the Renaissance Center, and our tournament play (against Michigan Petanque Club) on our stomping grounds (Campus Martius Park).
Sharon Concentrates on the Point
Sharon loves this game. Here she is, in typical deep concentration. She's reliable too - getting the close point 90% of the time. How? Practice Practice Practice - and some prayers!
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
A New Powerful Team's Shooter!
Pasqual (owner of Fenouli, the great French Restaurant in Portland, who sponsored our team) did some worthy shooting damage in our first National tournament... but don't forget our Milieau player, Bruce, who happened to miss these pictures. We made it to the finals, but had some trouble getting our game together the next day to move to the next round... But for a first showing, we have some serious promise in our future, I can feel it!
Parking Lot Petanque
After the awards ceremony on Sunday night, petanque wasn't over for the night! Loi sees a used car dealership's parking lot across from the hotel is playable... so we all go across the street and start playing until after midnight. Have you ever thrown a petanque ball on a gravel parking lot!? We even had a chance to describe petanque to a curious Portland police officer who wondered what we were doing in front of the dealership... He just passed by and said "have a nice night fellas"
Monday, August 22, 2005
Tony Turns to Shooting
Never satisfied with what is, Tony looks to the future player he will become. He's taken up shooting now, and is doing a heck-of-a-great job getting rid of "offending boules." As for Sharon, her pointing is right-on. If you need it, she can roll a boule 20 feet to within a couple of inches. Gene's been working on the tactics side, but also giving his all to shooting.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Joe travels to Portland, Oregon for National Triples
Introducing T'Choupi
Newest Member of the Petanque Club scene, T'Choupi (pronounced: Chew-Pee) is being trained to retrieve the cochon, pace out 6 and 10 meters, keep score, and point to which boule is the closest to the cochon.
For that last task, we ask that all members rub their cochon with a piece of bacon before play.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Melissa's Dad Visits from Maine
At Campus Martius today, we received a visit from MaineGal's Dad. He joined in on the game and played quite respectably for a first timer.
"His great playing must be due to lots of croquet or bowling," guessed Jeff Widen, "and I certainly hope he spreads the word about Petanque back at home."
Here we see him holding aloft a boule captured in a "boule lifter" - one of many obscure pieces of Petanque equipment.
Gene Sends in Another Successful Shot
Gene has realy taken to the game, and here we see him trying out the role of "shooter."
The natural progression in petanque is that we all start out as pointers, then after a few chances taken in games, work on our shooting.
Training to be a Shooter?
- The best method for shooting practice is to lay out a line of boules at the closest distance (6 meters); stand in the circle; and try shooting the boules directly (rolling shots).
- then line two boules front and back and using a lob - try shooting just the boule in "back"
- After getting moderate success, move the boules further and further away ( eventually to 10 meters).
James Coaches His Team to Victory
One of the most crucial parts of playing in a triples team is getting the right captain to direct the players. James has certainly taken to that position, with strategy in player use, to theorizing how to "attack" the boules on the ground.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Gene Places a Great Plombee Shot
Meet Sharon - New Player - and Already a Great Pointer
Sharon, Gene's Partner, has played plenty of Bocce but she decided to try out Petanque for the first time today and guess what -- she's an excellent pointer. Sure, it took about 3 or 4 rounds, but then she was getting ALL of the points! In fact, she won that last game of the day with a daring 13th point (squeezed just past Hal's closest boule.
Hal's Throws are Worth Studying
One of the ways you can tell a good petanque player is by the consistency of their throws. Watching Hal point and shoot, you can clearly see he has defined his techniques.