Dear Fellow FPUSA Club Presidents, Board and Sport Committee Members et al,

As 2011 draws to a close, I wish you and your families "Happy Holidays!" and look forward to another great year in 2012. 

Here is a recap of the year past, and a look forward to the next. Please forward this message to your club members. Thanks!

Our Program

FPUSA experienced continued growth in our membership, now past 1,600 players in about 40 clubs. There was solid participation in FPUSA regional and national competition. 

We had great hosting for our Men's Qualifier by the Lamorinda Petanque Club, for the National Doubles Weekend by the Fresno Petanque Club and Boca 2000 Petanque stepped up once again to host our National Mixed Triples and National Singles Championships. It is unfortunate that our clubs are so vastly dispersed all over the country, but for those who were able to participate in the regionals and nationals, thank you all, and thanks so much to the host clubs and volunteers who make it all happen.

Our Regional program continues to be a 'smorgasbord' of formats, designed to give clubs and regions much to choose from, and to give more players a chance to compete for a medal. While interest is rising in most regions, improved participation is still a goal for 2012.

Our umpire corps is growing and becoming more proficient at ensuring higher standards at our tournaments. As our knowledge base and experience grow, the membership can count on fair application of the rules and a trouble-free environment in which to compete. I want to thank each and every umpire for their dedication and service to the members, and I appreciate the respect that our members show toward them at tournaments.

We also streamlined the FPUSA per-player national and regional tourney fees in 2o11. Instead of the $5 and $8 per player fee, with cash back for targeted levels of participation, only the cost of the medals comes out of the purse. This seems to be a popular solution among the players and host clubs.

The use of the plastic playing circles, required in the playoff rounds of FPUSA competitions, is becoming more widespread. The circles have become the standard in most international competitions and have proven to be advantageous in limiting mistakes in playing from the wrong circle, drawing non-regulation size circles, and in reducing foot fouls. A number of clubs are already in the habit of using them in their club and open tourneys. I hope to get more circles in "circulation" next year, so that they can be used in all rounds of FPUSA competitions.

Tournament Results

Attached is a list of medalists from our regional and national tournaments. But in this message I would like to especially congratulate the winners of our Men's Qualifier: Ziggy Kessouagni, Pascal Corschia and Juan Garcia. They prevailed over a tough field of 20 teams from across the country and were stellar in their final match, winning 13-5 against our defending champions from 2008, Xavier Thiebault, Eric Berin and Jean-Pierre Subrenat. The semifinals were very tight with the teams of Alec Stone Sweet, Ti Meas, Ernesto Santos and Mickey Coughlin, PJ Malette, Peter Mathis coming within a point or two from making the final.

Ziggy, Juan and Pascal, along with their selected 4th Player, Peter Mathis, and Coach John Rolland, will be competing in France next October — first against the countries in our PanAm Confederation (Canada, Haiti, Mexico, Argentina and perhaps Bermuda and Dominican Republic) for one of three slots in the Men's World Championship, set of the first weekend of October in Marseille, France. 

We were represented admirably in Turkey at the Women's World Championship by our team of Antonia Paulsen, Diana Jacobs, Pim Nielsen and Cynthia Stroud, along with our delegate and Vice President, Mary Albright. I know that the team went many months wondering when, where (or if) the Women's World Championship would be held. Their patience and poise in meeting the challenges of competing in a far off land is much appreciated.

For those of you who did not know, our Juniors Team of Peng Sue Norman, Hai Norman and Carly Stasack opted to participate in the 7th Annual UniCredit International Petanque Open in Luxembourg last July. In the spring FIPJP had announced that the Junior World Championship had lost its host site and would probably be cancelled. Responding to the situation, our team, along with Coach Paul Yang and Delegate Mike Stasaack, turned what was looking like a big black eye from FIPJP into a positive international experience. Diana, Antonia and Pim also competed in the women's division of this event, and both teams represented us well.

2012

Attached is a revised calendar for next year. We will begin our program of annual qualifiers for both men and women. These will follow, in alternating years, their respective FIPJP World Championship and FIPJP Confederations Championship tracks. 

Absent from the calendar is a Junior World Championship Qualifier. Due to the small number of junior license-holders in FPUSA, the event is arranged only if there is enough participants to make it viable. If your club has interested Juniors (and parents), please contact me directly as soon as possible. If there is a need for a Juniors' Qualifier, it would to be held in the summer, and announced in the early spring.

Also, new for the upcoming season is the "65 over/under" regional format. The intent here is to create new opportunities for different players to team up, and for more players to have a chance at competing into the later rounds or to win a medal. As of now, 3 of the 4 regions have it on their calendars. Let's hope it proves successful and fun.

As always, suggestions are gladly accepted, and even more so when accompanied by an offer to lend a hand in developing new offerings and services to our members.

Thank you for your support of your local clubs and for FPUSA. I hope to see many of you on the terrain in 2012!

Ed Porto

FPUSA National Sports Director