We have had a great many new faces at our CCPC club play days and we hope to have more. Here are some guidelines to help folks understand what’s a good idea and what’s not such a good idea as we continue to see many new faces showing up to see what this game is all about.
The most important thing to remember when introducing someone to the game is that you should emphasize that it’s simple and FUN! Nobody will care about all the nuances, rules, strategies, etc. if the game isn’t fun.
When someone comes out to try petanque for the first time or two:
– make sure they have fun! They came to play a game – not to have a lesson.
– give them 2 minutes or less instruction and put them into a game
– throughout the game, give them a very, very short tip or two on some occasions – never more than 1 tip per end
– let them learn the rules through observation and asking questions; nobody needs to know all the rules on the first day
– invite questions but don’t volunteer too much information; petanque is fun but lectures are not
– Never forget that you’re in a game with other people, too. Everyone will welcome the new player and be happy to help but nobody will be happy if you are delaying the game with a long-winded explanation.