Central Coast Petanque Club (CCPC)
San Luis Obispo County, California
Petanque Talk!
Petanque Camp
The Central Coast Petanque Club membership is open to anyone living in SLO county - or outside the county for that matter!
The Central Coast Petanque Club is in its formative stages at this point. Members meet at Atascadero's Colony Park Recreation Center or at area wineries to play on their bocce courts, or walkways. Or anywhere that we can find a nice decomposed granite surface, or a bit of smooth dirt.
Petanque is a game very well suited to the California Central Coast area. The casual nature of the game is consistent with the sorts of folks that settle in SLO county (pronounced Slow county). And the fact that petanque terrain (playing areas) are unplanted means that backyard pistes (playing courts) are water efficient - they require no water! So unlike a croquet court, or lawn bowling (unless played on artificial turf) playing petanque makes you a good citizen of the earth in these times of global warming and careful water use!
Petanque is also an incredibly democratic game - anyone that can swing one of their arms can play! Even people confined to wheelchairs can participate and the rules provide for wheelchair access to the piste. Young and old, male and female, large and small, athletic and not athletic, everyone is welcome to play and can play very very well! Because petanque is a game of finesse and not strength or height or weight or gender. So no matter who you are, grab some boules and lets play petanque!
If you would like to join the SLO Petanque Club please contact me! bouleman@gmail.com
Score 12-12... after nearly two hours of play!
Petanque Classes!!!
Petanque classes are being offered through the Atascadero Recreation Department during the Spring of 2010. The class is being taught by Petanque Coach Nathan Doster and is open to all skill levels. Learn curving throws, high lobs, and shooting for carreaus! Sign up your friends and neighbors for an evening of fun and healthful exercise - bring the whole family! Classes are taught at the new Colony Park Community Center in Atascadero.
Coach Doster and the Graduating Honers Class of 2009!
The next class will take place in May 2010.
You can register online at www.atascadero.org (Residents>Classes & Online Registration).
To register off-line you can go to Atascadero City Hall (6907 El Camino Real), or register at the Colony Park Community Center Drop Box (5599 Traffic Way), or at the Pavilion on the Lake Drop Box (9315 Pismo Ave) or by mailing in the attached registration form. It is best to pre-register (so that we know we have reached the class minimum). However, if need be you can come to class and can register right then and there at the drop box the Colony Park Community Center Drop Box lobby.
Colony Park Petanque Terrain, Atascadero, California
California's Central Coast petanque players are in the process of developing a regionally important petanque terrain. Shade trees have been planted, benches installed and truckloads of top-dressing applied. When finished the terrain will be perfect for casual play as well as regional tournaments. There will be room for 16 pistes (courts) as well as nearby areas that will accommodate many more games. Plenty of room for a large tournament!
Located at Atascadero's Colony Park Recreation Center the terrain is open for public play every day.
There are numerous places to play petanque in the North County. Several wineries have bocce courts that they are happy to allow petanque to be played on. Some of the city parks have areas that are suitable for petanque play as well.
In Atascadero, there an area of dirt behind the basketball courts at the new Colony Park Community Center at 5599 Traffic Way that is used for petanque on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 until dusk, and on which a petanque class will be taught through the Community Center during the spring, summer, and fall of 2009.
There is also a good area to play near the maintenance garage, baseball field and picnic area at Paloma Park on the south end of Atascadero.
Wineries that I know have bocce courts in the Paso Robles, Templeton area include Donati Family Vineyard tasting room at the corner of Vineyard and Highway 46 (west of Paso Robles), and Eberly Winery tasting room on Highway 46 (east of Paso Robles). I have done petanque demonstrations at the Donati tasting room and they are glad to have us use their courts. There are picnic tables nearby and plenty of parking and shade. The pine trees might drop sticky stuff sometimes so you might want to rake the court before starting play - there is usually a rake nearby.
There is an area in Paso Robles downtown park near the restrooms that is perfect for petanque! Unfortunately during the summer of 2008 this area is being used to stage construction materials and equipment for the renovation of their historic library building.
Many of the North County Parks also have baseball/softball diamonds with dirt infields that can be used for petanque as long as no one is using them.
In 2007 SLO Petanque Club sent its first team to the SW Mixed Doubles Regional Tournament in Oakhurst and brought home the Bronze for their third place finish! Again in 2008 a CCPC team brought home the Bronze in the Regional Mixed Triples Tournament in Oakhurst. 2009 saw the Central Coast Team make the cut into the finals round!
l-r 2008; Oakhurst Petanque Club President Manny Sanz, CCPC captain Nathan Doster, pointer Pat Stampher, shooter Bret Halebsky. Trophies, FPUSA medallions, and cash prizes! Not bad for a day of fun!