Why become a Pétanque North West regional member?

Well did you know, we are not like other regions. With Pétanque North West (PNW), things are a bit different here in this new region. Instead, your membership and commitment is essential to establish, serve the greater good and make the future better for everyone.

Why was PNW created?

PNW was formed because the North West of England has historically been neglected and underserved in pétanque. Things needed to change.

Being a geographical region with such a rich sporting heritage, it was unacceptable that the area lacked purpose-built pétanque terrains, facilities, playing opportunities and well established clubs, whilst over the border petanque was free flowing.

Change began with a single officially registered club in South Manchester, which grew rapidly in popularity. The lessons learned from this process sparked the local spread of the sport. So much so it now needed its own regional managed identity, thus separating from what was Northern Pétanque (now rebranded as Yorkshire Petanque).

Why your membership matters

PNW’s future success now relies on local players and representatives who are invested in the development and popularity of the sport.

It is not isolated individuals who will bring about improvements, but collaboration, teamwork, and unity that will drive things forward. Ask not what the region can do for me, and instead what can I do for the region.

Your membership can help create and nurture a sporting environment that can offer and enrich the lives of its participants. You can benefit from and get involved by helping with:

1. Wider social interaction

Pétanque is a social sport that encourages interaction and camaraderie among players. Joining PNW helps you to connect with like-minded individuals from a range of clubs and backgrounds who share a passion for the sport, and who can come together as a regional force.

2. Getting better with our player development

By joining PNW, you gain access to coaching sessions that offer personalised tips and feedback to improve your game. Our guidance helps members refine their techniques and strategies.

3. Competitive opportunities

PNW organises and supports a number of local, regional, and showcase competitions. Joining the organisation can open doors to competitive play, allowing you to test your skills against a variety of opponents.

4. Help PNW scale to match other regions

Regions like East Midlands, Yorkshire, Mercia, and Heart of England have multiple clubs and hundreds of members. We have a long way to go to match them. This makes it easier for their members to participate in events like the Inter-Regionals. Becoming a member helps us to generate the numbers required to enter this event and to also represent the region at pétanque events elsewhere.

In addition, up to now, most of the action takes place in the south. Do we want this to change? With your help and support we can run community outreach sessions, assist grass-roots development of new clubs and continually improve existing clubs in a way that brings about positive change.

5. Get help with the development your pétanque club

Get access to a wealth of information and experience that will help you evolve and improve your club’s offering. This could be as simple as how to best build a pétanque terrain, run a basic competition or how to attract and drive membership to your club.

6. Joining the PNW committee

Why not step up and join the core team driving change? It’s no easy task—you’ll need to demonstrate an awareness of not only the game itself but also of the hierarchical structure, methods for evolving and ensuring that petanque can be benchmarked alongside other modern sports, as well as handle dialogue and negotiations with outside organisations.

How to become a member of PNW?

Joining as a PNW regional member is straightforward. Simply sign up with the national governing body, Pétanque England, where you will be asked to choose your region based on your location. A portion of Pétanque England’s membership fee will then go to support your region.