Trafford Pétanque
 Trafford Pétanque Team Crest 2017 | |
| Highest governing body | The English Pétanque Association |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Bulls |
| First played | 2016 |
| Characteristics | |
| Team members | Individuals, doubles and teams of variable size |
| Mixed gender | Yes |
| Venue | Trafford Pétanque Boulodrome Stretford |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | United Kingdom & France |
Trafford Pétanque is Trafford's first ever officially registered pétanque club. The club currently plays at the Trafford Pétanque Boulodrome located within Victoria Park, Stretford, Manchester. Trafford Pétanque plays in accordance with the 2017 official rules for Pétanque as declared by the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provencal.
History
Trafford Pétanque was founded in July 2016. In January 2017, Trafford Pétanque officially registered with the English Pétanque Association and as a club which falls under the Northern Pétanque League.[1] This league covers teams from Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire.
In 2017, Trafford Petanque attended the International tournament of Petanque known as the Mondial la Marseillaise. Where some of its members meet players from Extreme Pétanque, La Pétanque du Pigeon Noir as well as notable players, Henri LaCroix, Dylan Rocher and Philippe Suchaud.
As the club evolved, and due to the limited Pétanque facilities within the borough of Trafford compared to the rest of the UK, the club now has members who play at various boulodromes in the UK and in France. However, the focus very much remains on developing the club and the sport within Trafford, with the aim to increase activity and community engagement.
Players
England International Pétanque player, Colin Smith who played in the Home Nations Championship in 2016 [2] played for Trafford Pétanque in their first season, alongside two former England youth Internationals. Colin Smith left the club at the end of 2017. In 2018, Trafford Pétanque continued to attract new players to boost their current squad.
Pétanque as a modern sport
Trafford Petanque are actively involved in helping to promote the modern image of the sport. In 2018 Trafford Petanque took part in the Mondial la Marseillaise à Pétanque. In the same year, members of the club were heavily involved in the campaign to launch the first La British Open, a Pétanque tournament which attracted players from Europe and was held at Heckmondwike Pétanque Club.
Team Kit & Partnerships
Trafford Pétanque currently play in red and black. For 2017, Trafford Pétanque were sponsored by four independent businesses, Reserve Wines, Honest Crust, Wolfhouse and Tender Cow. In 2018, the club agreed on a partnership with Venn Digital for the 2018 season.
References
- ↑ "Club list". 28 February 2017.
- ↑ "2016 HNQ Results" (PDF). 28 February 2017.