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Petanque Performance Academy
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22 contributions to Petanque Performance Academy
27d •
A change in your team after losing a number of ends
Played 2 games at our club yesterday. In one of the games I had a discussion afterwards about the change in the team after losing a number of ends. The shooter was not successful and wanted to change with me but I felt that I would not be going to shoot well this day. I suggested that I change with the pointer. We did and the result was that we won ends without playing better but still. The shooter indicated afterwards that we should have done it differently. I have the impression that the most important thing is that there is a change in the team because it somehow changes the dynamics in the game. Something magical and inexplicable that has nothing to do with the playing level of the players at that moment. A team change has 75% chance of success, is my experience. In addition, the place of a less playing player at that time can also be replaced by a better player, but that seems to me in principle secondary. If everyone in the team plays at his level but is still losing, then switching is also a valuable option. What is your approach to a change in your team?
3 likes • 26d
Swapping players around threw a game may seem stupid, but it does actually work, I have played plenty of times where we have been behind and losing, even when the shooter is on forum and the pointer is doing great, but we were still losing, so we had a choice to make, change or stay the same. We had nothing to loose by making a change ( we were already losing) but by making the change, we had the opposition wondering what we were up to, so they started thinking about our game and not their own. In the end we came back and won the game. It may not work every time, but we had nothing to loose and everything to gain.
29d •
Drove 4 hours on Sunday for Pétanque
It was absolutely worth it to play against German, French and Dutch players in Coevorden, in the north-east of the Netherlands close to the German border. Wind, rain and cold weather followed us for most of the day, but somehow that made the experience even more memorable. For the first time, I actually enjoyed having spectators watching me play. Usually, when someone watches me, I get nervous because I’m so focused on not failing. And, ironically, that pressure makes me struggle with both pointing and shooting. Yesterday felt different. I think I have finally put a full stop to that craziness. I simply played, enjoyed the game and let people watch. A small victory perhaps, but an important one for me. And 250 Euros gives some adrenaline kick to be honest 😆
1 like • 28d
Well done 👏
Aug 30 •
Competition reports
Let’s have your reports on the weekend. Did you WIN OR LEARN? For me, I was filming this weekend at Auch and learnt a LOT about French strategy and how they can be exposed sometimes. During the week I played twice with a local guy who is a bit of a lost case. No one really wants to play with him as he is so erratic it’s crazy. I won both meat competitions with him as it was a deliberate idea to bring out my best game. It forced me to play as close to 100% as I could in the shooting position and whilst we had 1/2 easy ish games the others were epic battles in the dark. Once I had the jack I threw it into the nightmare places that no one goes! Next to the string in case I needed to shoot the jack if he dropped 3 points…..I had to do this multiple times. And whilst it’s only a 3 game competition for meat it’s highly contested and I won lots of respect for my strategic play, accepting my partner and my utter determination NOT to lose. He was happy as he has not won anything for ages and went around telling everyone how great he was 🤣
1 like • Aug 30
Well done Kevin 👏 and you got your dinner too
Aug 23 •
Competition reports
Let’s have your reports from this weekend. What went well and what didn’t. What did you learn? For me I played a different comp every evening this week and was tinkering with my gesture. Nothing huge just attempting to replicate Kantaros style. I got battered today by a MUCH better team and I learnt that I need to change tactics much quicker when my instincts kick in. In addition I don’t need to focus so much on boule to boule shooting IF the terrain allows for rafle style as I only just beat a team who shot every boule that way with a high percentage of carreau and they didn’t care.
4 likes • Aug 30
Well, what can I say but " What a day" We just played our club singles competition today, the weather wasn't the best, between the wind and some rain, there was a little bit of sunshine. I personally had a very hard day, definitely not playing anywhere near my best, pointing and shooting was very hot and cold, I struggle to fine any real consistency but held in there to somehow come from behind to win the games in the last end (they were timed games) then it becomes sudden death semi finals, top 4 play off. The winners play a final. In the semi final I had to play against a very good lady and it was all tied up at the end. So we had to play golden ball rule ( 1 boule each, closest wins) won it by 10mm or 1cm. Next was the final, got off to a slow start, managing to in touch and catching back up, after a great game with a bit of everything in it, 2nd to last end I made my worst mistake and left it right open for my opponent, holding 1 and almost 2 foot away from the coche, he let me off by only pointing in a 2nd boule, his 3rd went far to long, leaving him on 12 and me on 10, last end he left it open for me to put a great point in, then fail to get rid of me. 2 more fantastic points and I got the 3 to steal the win and win the trophy 😁 Threw out the day I just kept saying to myself, 1 ball at a time and like Kevin says " Not playing for a row of house" so I just never gave up. Just a side note, this was the same tournament John Carter was talking about a few days ago, although I didn't have to play against him today, (phew ) I thought he did do well and was unlucky and just missed the cut for the semis.
Jul 24 •
Accidentally moving jack
In competition when marking the jack, I sometimes accidentally move the jack only a tad I simply move it back to where it was, should I be telling the opposition?
3 likes • Jul 25
I keep a small stick in my pocket and use that to mark coche and boules with, also I keep the start of the line about 5mm away, saves any accidental movement of what you are marking
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Auckland, New Zealand