Why is this a great game?  

    •  First and foremost, it is a friendly game which can be as competitive 

    or non-competitive as each individual wants.  

    •  Secondly, anyone can play--young, older, boys, girls, or physically 

    limited-- and succeed quickly, yet there is unlimited potential for 

    improvement for those who want a challenge.  

    •  We have equipment you can use and will teach you how to play for 

    free.  If you like it and want your own equipment, it can cost as little

    as $20.  

We would love to see you.  Come watch a game and try your hand.  See the right side-bar for times and location in yellow print.  

More on pétanque and the high school league

Each high school usually has a team of 10-15 players making our total membership 50-75 players per fall and spring season. Players receive a varsity club sport letter for participation.

The beauty of this game is that it is a very low cost sport at which players of any age, gender, or athletic ability can play successfully.  It also has a rich tradition of social and intergenerational interaction.  Following that tradition, each of our competitions is followed by a gathering where players mingle and share snacks.  Unlike any other sport played at high school, it has a low key and friendly atmosphere that highlights the positive aspects of competition and sportsmanship.  It is more like a pickup game at a community picnic than a partisan sporting event.  

Where do the high schoolers play?

As a high school club sport and as an independent FPUSA club, we are working to secure a dedicated space at each high school and within the city so that we can expand and regularize our league and our membership, especially to include the many adults who are showing interest in our club.  We are currently working with the city to renovate University Park softball field.

The space needed for our regular season competitions is about 300 square meters.  This accommodates 5 simultaneous games.  For larger tournaments during which there are 10-12 simultaneous games, we need about 660 square meters.  This is about the size of a softball field, which is what we use in fall when these fields are unused.  The surface of a softball field is acceptable as a sanctioned FPUSA surface for national competitions.  In the spring when the fields are in use for softball, we are forced onto grass.  Unfortunately, grass is not a sanctioned surface for competitions.

Naming Our Club

Originally, our club was simple named the Eugene Pétanque iClub.  We settled on International because it seemed the most inclusive and welcoming.  However, we don't want to forget that the "i" originally represented many other things including:

intergenerational - children and adults are members

independent - a school club sport, we are also in the FPUSA

industrious - it takes a lot of work to start a club

intrepid - sounds cool, and kids just need to learn this word

initial - because we are the first varsity club also in the FPUSA

The 2008-9 CHS Championship Team

Artwork by Genni Koberstein

2011 Junior World Championship

In Marin county, on July 17, 2010 an EPiC team competed in the US National Junior Championship hosted by La Pétanque Marinère club in San Rafael, CA.  Two teams competed in a very close best of 5 series which the Fresno team eventually won.  The point differential over the 5 games was 0!  Congratulations to the EPiC juniors who represented our club and region well.  Many involved commented on the quality of their play and their sportsmanship.  The Fresno team will represent the US well in 2011.

Teams for the Junior Worlds will be made up of 4 players so one player from the Eugene team will be a part of the team which goes to the World Championships next year.  The other two will be alternates.

2010 US Adult Triples Championship

A team comprised of EPiC president, Mike Stasack, vice-president, Ryan Baker, and Fresno Pétanque Club president Tim Channell won the FPUSA National Championship on August 26th, 2010.  The cinderella team playing in their first national tournament beat out the reigning champions from New York in the semi-finals and a Portland team including veterans and former national champions.  

Here is a link to the FPUSA blog report about the tournament.

 http://fpusa.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html 

If this link has expired, try this:

2010 US Adult Triples Championship

CONGRATULATIONS EUGENE AND FRESNO!!!

Site Maintenance 

We will not be maintaining this site on a regular basis.  

September, 2010