Club Focus Interview with:
Jamie Lewis from Baldock Town
- Team Role: Shooter & Middle.
Have you ever played in a tournament where the rest of your teammate's results matter in order for your team to progress?
this Is Pétanque presents a special Club Focus Interview with players from Baldock Town Pétanque Club, to gain an insight into life on the terrains as a collective team.
The Interview ...
How does playing pétanque as a team sport, where your teammates results matter as much yours compare to other formats?
It’s an interesting dynamic because you know all points matter but at different rounds some matter more than others. Also you find yourself supporting your other teammates mid games, whilst still playing. The feeling of team is huge. You feel definitely that your role and point scoring is collaborative. So for example in a round of doubles if you win the first game you know this will give your other two doubles games added help because their opponents are now a little more under pressure to win. The dynamics of club boule are more nuanced.
What would you say are the physical, mental & emotional challenges of playing a team (club) event?
The physical pressure is the same as playing at big international tournaments that run over consecutive days but it’s even more demanding because usually at these types of events there is a set amount of games 4 maybe 5... EuroCup there is always 6 a day and because these matches are linked importance (3 rounds each match) it’s more gruelling. The mental side of these competitions is like nothing else you can experience in the game because it’s not just your own matches you are aware of and emotionally and mentally engaged in. You focus on your own match, then others after you’ve played your own. Even if you’re not involved in a round it’s mentally gruelling too. Probably even more so than playing because you have no way of affecting the round other than supporting your teammates.
Do you think from a marketing/sponsorship perspective there is more potential in building a revenue stream for the sport at club level rather than individual level?
I think in truth it would be great to generate revenue for both but potentially it’s easier to build a revenue for individuals or small teams (doubles/triples) but I’d much rather like to see sponsorship being gained for a club side and then individuals within that club being able to bring more sponsorship to their club. I’ve for a long time seen myself as an individual who plays for Baldock Town, and even when I play singles events or team events outside the club cup format I’ll be in my BTPC gear.
Do you think it would increase clarity & encourage more teams to participate in the PE EuroCup if it was called The PE Club Cup and treated as a standalone competition much like in France with their Coupe de France? EuroCup qualification being a by-product, rather than the end-goal.
I think it probably would. The carrot for many teams is the Eurocup but for many others it’s the chance to compete in the English club cup and play against the “best” teams and players in the country. I don’t think always following the french blueprint is necessarily fitting for us because of the disparage in membership sizes but the ethos behind Coupe de France is what we should have too.
How does it feel when you look around the terrain and see your teammates playing, easily identifiable in your matching kits? Is this an important part of club/team pride and motivation?
When I joined the club over 7 years ago the goal was to create a team of players who could firstly compete to win the English club cup but then to make in roads into the European club game. Walking out onto the piste with my teammates in matching kit gives me a huge amount of pride, mainly because of the people I am playing with. It may sound cliched but our club has a great spirit and that is because of the mixture of people we have within the club. Playing for BTPC gives me huge amount of pride.
If pétanque was a big money sport like football and another club wanted to sign you, what do you think your transfer fee would be? Hundreds, thousands or millions?
What an interesting question... this is a question of how others see you. Current football climate I’d see myself as a Marc Albrighton type player. Really good player who doesn’t always get the credit he deserves but is always ready to play to a high level when asked to.
