Air Scouts Take Aim Across Two Pétanque Sessions

3 hours ago

2 min read

Norwich Pétanque Club welcomed 14 members of the 15th Norwich Air Scouts for two evenings of coaching, games and friendly competition on Tuesdays 22 and 29 September.

Three scouts play Petanque on a gravel court; one boy in a wheelchair watches the ball, with trees in the background.

The first session began with a short introduction and safety briefing before Club Coach Mark Bell demonstrated the five key parts of a good throw.

The Scouts were then divided into three groups and rotated around a series of training exercises:

Pointing into a circle – helping the Scouts aim their boules towards a specific area.
Shooting into a tyre – encouraging them to lift the boule when shooting, rather than throwing it low and hard.
Landing-spot noughts and crosses – teaching the Scouts to select a landing spot and try to place their boule where they intended.

Three boys in scout uniforms play petanque on a gravel court, one tossing a metal ball, with a score board and leafy hedge behind.

Each group spent around 20 minutes at every exercise, ensuring everyone had an opportunity to practise the different skills.

Following a drinks break, the final 40 minutes were spent playing games. With 14 Scouts taking part, it was also a great opportunity for Mark to explain the difference between doubles and triples.

The evening finished with a short debrief about what the Scouts had learned. They were also set some homework: designing safety posters for the pétanque hut.

Boy scout in beret and glasses tosses a metal boule on a gravel court as other boys gather near a picnic table at night.

Putting Their Skills into Practice

The second session began with a fun multiple-choice quiz to see what the Scouts could remember from the previous week. They ran to the answer they believed was correct before helping Mark recap the main safety points and the five key parts of a good throw.

The Scouts were then placed into three different groups and went straight into games. There were some very competitive contests, with everyone becoming increasingly determined as the evening progressed, making for plenty of fun and excitement.

The club also received some excellent safety posters created by the Scouts, which will now be displayed in the pétanque hut.

A big thank you goes to Mervyn Bell, David Taylor, George McDougall, Jallal Talbi and Lesley Munday, whose support helped make both sessions possible.

All the Scouts appeared to enjoy their introduction to pétanque, and we hope to welcome some of them back to one of our junior coaching sessions.

More information about junior coaching at Norwich Pétanque Club can be found at www.norwich-petanque.co.uk/junior-coaching, or by emailing Club Coach Mark Bell at coach@norwich-petanque.co.uk.

Support the 15th Norwich Air Scouts

The 15th Norwich Air Scouts will be holding a fundraising bingo evening on Saturday 17 October from 7pm at the 15th Norwich Scout Hut, Plumstead Road East.

Please support them if you can!