The World Games

FOR THOSE OF YOU who aren't aware, petanque will be featured at this summer’s World Games in Birmingham, AL, with Bekah Howe, of Port Townsend, WA, and Janice Bissonnette, of Fresno, CA. representing the USA. They will be competing in a doubles tournament and a precision shooting contest against top-notch teams including women from France, Belgium, Canada and Thailand. 

Team USA was selected from participants at the Women’s World Games trials last September in Sonoma, CA. Bekah and Janice came in first and second, respectively, with Juanita Celix and Ghia Yang coming in third and fourth, thus acting as the alternates.
​
Our intrepid reporter, Bleys Rose, spoke with Janice and Bekah earlier this year.

---

Rebekah Howe

Rebekah Howe was pulling beer tap handles at the Pourhouse, a pub on Port Townsend’s waterfront, when she noticed customers regularly gathering to play a game that involved chucking metal balls at each other. Well-aimed balls obviously counted as good points in this game; badly thrown ones skidded off, heading for the nearby beach.

“The bar where I was working had put a petanque court in its beer garden area and was hosting doubles league games. I started competing in the league and soon I was hooked. From there, I discovered this game actually had formal rules, strategy and official tournaments.”

Ever since that time, about 10 years ago, she has been an avid petanque player, participating in regular tournaments in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Bekah, as she prefers to be called,  will represent the USA as half of a women’s doubles team, along with Janice Bissonnette of Fresno, CA., at the World Games in July in Birmingham, AL. During competition, they will face traditionally powerhouse teams from France, Belgium, Canada and Thailand along with lesser known women's squads from Tunisia, Cambodia and Denmark. 

As the host nation of this year’s World Games, the USA automatically has a team seeded into the final competition. The World Games are a collection of about three dozen non-Olympic sports; the USA has not hosted the games since the first event in 1981 in Santa Clara, CA.  

There is a GoFundMe site for collecting donations for travel expenses of the women’s team. Click here to make a donation.

Bekah, 35, grew up in Port Townsend, WA., attended high school there and is currently enrolled at the University of Washington while working as a Certified Surgical Technologist. Before petanque, she had little interest in competitive sports. 

“I played on the junior varsity soccer team in high school, but that was more for the fun of playing with friends. I ran a marathon once, but only for the challenge of finishing it.”

Her favored terrain is her home turf at Fort Worden State Park where in 2016 the Port Townsend Petanque Alliance found a place to play on a quarter-acre lawn across from decommissioned military barracks. Until then, the Alliance was hosting games at the Pourhouse or on the nearby beach where players struggled with gradually disappearing terrain during their infamous “low tide” tournaments.

Now, during the run-up to The World Games, she practices four times a week, tossing up to 200 boules each day at a variety of different ranges, in preparation for any scenario during competition. The precision of her shots on the boules of her opponents will be crucial in taking away possible points from the other team.

The cold and often inclement weather in the Pacific Northwest makes it difficult for petanque tournaments to be held other than May through September. Even then, temperatures can be unkind to handling metal balls and sunsets can descend as early as 4 pm.

“I carry hand warmers in my pockets to keep my hands from going numb with cold, and I put a hot water bottle in the bottom of my boule bag so I can cycle through warmer boules while playing. Since we do not have a terrain with lights, finding a place to practice after work is usually a struggle. This winter I have been able to practice in a covered and lighted horse arena after work.”

She says she finds it useful to watch Youtube videos of high level competition as a way to study everything “from the etiquette to strategy to playing form.”

Although Bekah enjoys reading, hiking and running, she says she finds something in yoga to have application to petanque.

“Yoga has helped me to stay limber and has also been a good reminder not to hold my breath when I’m nervous.”

Her goal for The World Games is internal, and much broader than keeping pace with some of the best women players in the world.

“It is to keep learning and challenging myself, and to enjoy the experience. To stay calm, focused and relaxed.”

Janice Bissonnette

Before discovering the sport of petanque about 14 years ago, Janice Bissonnette had been an avid runner, a dedicated cyclist and a scrappy soccer player. That was until she attended a nonprofit fund-raising picnic and was mesmerized by petanque players, immersed in their century-old game. She was attracted by the intricate strategy, the hand-eye coordination and the physical finesse necessary to excel at petanque.

“Most people ask ‘What is that?’ so I try to compare it to bocce, or curling or even marbles for a different generation,” she says. “I find it fun and addicting because it requires stamina, both physical and mental. I love the game, being a competitive person, but this one is an enjoyable team sport with a surprising amount of camaraderie.” 

Janice will represent the USA as half of the Women’s Doubles team, along with Bekah Howe of Port Townsend, WA., at the World Games in Birmingham, AL. in July. During competition, they will face traditional powerhouse teams from France, Belgium, Canada and Thailand along with lesser known women's teams from Tunisia, Cambodia and Laos. 

As the host nation of this year’s World Games, the USA automatically has a team seeded into the final competition. The World Games are a collection of about three dozen non-Olympic sports and the USA has not hosted the games since the first event in 1981 in Santa Clara, CA.  

There is a GoFundMe account for collecting donations for travel expenses of the women’s team. It can be found at: (insert link here).

As owner of her own business and a CPA living in Fresno, CA., Janice, 55, says she’s challenged to find time to practice the pointing and shooting skills that petanque requires. And neither has she given up biking or hiking, walking or running, or caring for her two dogs and garden.

“During my free time, I can spend three to four hours a day, six days a week either practicing or playing, My challenge is to manage work, my family and petanque.”

Her play likely benefits from the West Coast’s generally dry, drought-tolerant  weather, making attendance possible at tournaments from San Diego to Washington state almost year round.

“I play in competitions twice a month from March through October. There are two or three National Men’s champions that I play with on a regular basis who coach me.”

In 2019, her pursuit of petanque skill improvement was featured in a Wall Street Journal series called “What’s Your Workout?”  A link to that article is here.

Janice grew up in New Jersey, lived in Baltimore for a time and then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended San Ramon Valley High School and later graduated from St. Mary’s College, both located in East Bay communities.

She has been president of the Fresno Petanque Club for four years and was National Sports Director of the Federation of Petanque USA for two years  before becoming the Federations Treasurer in 2020. 

When first learning to play, she used to study Youtube videos of high level tournaments traditionally held in France. But nothing, she says, beats more practice.

“Honestly, I get the most improvement from practice and drills. Videos are mainly good for learning strategy.”

She finds walking and running help her improve her game because she can focus on petanque strategy while building stamina for lengthy tournaments.

“My goal in the World Games is to be the best, most consistent player I can be,” she says.

​

Links
USA Women's World Games Team 2022
​Wall Street article, featuring Janice