CAMP SLOVAKIA 20121st International Summer Camp of Pétanque Youth

29 – 31 AugustManor House Kočovce

PlaceEducation and recreation centre

of Slovak Technical University BratislavaManor House Kočovce

The first records about municipality Kočovce date back to 1321, when Karol Róbert gave the settlement to Ján Kočovský.

In 1730, a man named Juraj Prílesný had a Baroque manor house built there. In 1880, it was rebuilt with Romanticism features and widened to a 1-floor three-wing building with an open veranda at the main entrance.

The manor house is surrounded by a rich and beautiful park founded in 1883 – 84. The core planting represents domestic types of broadleaved and coniferous species, later gradually enriched by exotic species or other modern elements.

The park paths offer excellent and varied pétanque surfaces of different technical levels and provide for organisation of pétanque competitions in beautiful park environment.

ParticipantsSlovakia

Fratrič Peter

Lampert Martin

Ľudvík Dominik

Radačovský Jerguš

Šurinová Tímea

Tomka Lukáš

Austria 1

Kristian Krauss

Jeniffer Sobayio

Sophia Nissrine Yahyai

Coach Gerald Schimak

Sweden

Simon Akesson

Daniel Eriksson

William Silfverberg

Coach Henri Patron

Educator

Henri Grange

FFPJP 3rd grade educator,

trainer of national teams of Thailand,

member of committee for selection of French

national teams

Organisers

Jana Lazarová

Andrea Fratričová

Igor Košík

Richard Gažo

Austria 2

Isabella Schimak

Carina Traub

Sven Thill

Programme and Results29 / 8 –

theory

- practical training with exercises

30 / 8 – training II– test of physical condition, International Pass / competition in shooting

Shooting - directly qualified best 4: 1. Lukáš (43 p.), 2. Daniel (32), 3. William (26), 4. Peter (26).

Qualified from repechage: Sven (41), Simon (34), Jerguš (24) and Mat (22).

Quarterfinal: Lukáš vs Mat 30:29, Daniel vs Jerguš 36:27, William vs Simon 33:13, Peter vs Sven 26:33.

Semifinal: Lukáš vs Sven 11:14, Daniel vs William 8:23.

Final: Sven vs William 36:39.

Medailists: 1. William Silfverberg, Sweden

2. Sven Thill, Austria

3. Lukáš Tomka, SR + Daniel Eriksson, Sweden

31 / 8 – competition of triplets (and 1 doublet)

System of play: each with each, 1 vs 4 + 2 vs 3, final / for 3rd place

Placement: 1. Sweden

2. Mix Slovakia (Dominik, Tímea, Mat)

3. Žilpek (Lukáš, Jerguš)

4. Austria (Jeniffer, Sophia, Kristian)

Camp in Words - 1

11 countries were invited to participate in the Camp. However, only 3 accepted – Sweden with 1 junior team, Austria with 1 junior and 1 Espoirs team, and Slovakia with 6 juniors/Espoirs. Other countries did not take place for various reasons, but promised their attendance in the 2nd year.

Very positive was presence of educator Henri Grange, one of the FFPJP educators, trainer who works with national teams of France and Thailand. Mr. Grange passed on valuable experience and both practical and theoretical knowledge to the participants of the Camp.

The hallmark of quality was also enhanced by turnout of the triplet of Swedish national junior team for 2012, who perhaps could not take so much from the trainings adjusted to Slovak and Austrian players, since their trainings at home are on a much higher level and their technical, physical and mental preparation verges on professional level. The coach – Henry Patron, national junior coach - has been playing pétanque for 21 years, beginning at the age of 6, and has much knowledge about sport physiotherapy. On the other hand, boys appreciated the shooting competition and gained a lot as far as team spirit, communication, solidarity, for which they do not have many occasions back home since they live far apart each other. It is very probable that this was what contributed to their victory at VARS Cup the very next day after the end of the Camp. For each of the players, it was the first big competition they have ever won. We wish them a lot of success at the European Junior Championship 2012.

The 6-member Austrian delegation was led by Gerald Schimak, our long-term friend in working with youth. Gerald praised the place – the manor house and its surroundings and also the whole idea of a camp. His delegation was the first to positively react and register to the Camp. We thank him for all his moral support. Part of his team will represent Austria at the European Junior Championship 2012. We support them and wish them too a lot of success.

Camp in Words - 2And last but not least, something about those for whom the whole idea of an international camp came about and materialised – our Slovak juniors and Espoirs.

We truly care that our youth keeps with the level and pace of the world's best and that they understand what the real top pétanque is about and that – as in any other areas of life – if you want to be good you must train for hours and hours, the best every day at least for 2 hours and the best with somebody who understands the training process – not to develop bad habits – both technical and mental.

It makes us happy to have seen the participants learning a lot, measuring their strength with peers, testing their own abilities and stamina, intensifying old friendships and creating new ones, international.

THANKS to the whole organisation team – to Jana Lazarová, initiator of the idea and main organiser; to Andrea Fratričová for support, advance and co-realisation of the idea; to Igor Košík for management of financial coverage; to Richard Gažo for additional transport, valuable practical help and photo documentation.

Our thanks also go to the Slovak Federation of Pétanque for lending us the shooting lanes, to Monarch Partner, s.r.o. for renting us a 7-seat van under favourable conditions, to Mr. Kudláček, manager of the manor house Kočovce, his wife Jana and the whole personnel of the manor house (Martina, Lenka and also the cooks for yummy meals). See you next year at the 2nd CAMP SLOVAKIA.