Officers

President Arsene Dupin

Arsene Dupin has been playing pétanque since he was five years old. His grandfather taught him in Bordeaux, where they won many tournaments together. First prize was often a several kilos of sugar, which delighted his grandmother, who made the most wonderful cakes with it.   Arsene founded the Heart of Texas Pétanque Club after he moved to Austin. He recently won the 2010 and 2009 Heart of Texas Pétanque club  Tournament.

Vice President Sasha Evans

Sasha Evans never saw it coming. The day she first threw her first pétanque ball in May of 2008, she fell head over heels for the game. Her weekly schedule started being formed around the 2 or 3 days a week that the game was being played in several places in Austin, Texas. She dragged her partner to the game. It happened to him as well. Petanque was in their blood. Friendships formed, wine was drunk, life was a little better. May this happen to you.

Treasurer Dan Powers

I first began to play petanque in 2007 after being invited to come to a game at the French Legation by a good friend of mine, Guillermo Quirroga.

I soon learned that the basics of patanque were easy to learn and that there are no real limitations to who can play the game.  I also learned the the people that were to make up the Heart Of Patanque club are a very eclectic, warm and welcomimg bunch of people from all walks of life who have a commonality of loving competition, friendship, food and libations.  What a wonderful thing to find in the middle of Austin.

Secretary Ed Priest

Ed Priest has been trying to figure out the game of petanque for years.  On a walking tour of Provence in 2002 Kay my wife and I viewed this mysterious game being played.  We were not able to figure out how the game was played, but knew it was a fun event that was enjoyed by all ages.  So the same trip I purchased my first set of boules in a flea market in Paris.  After I returned to Austin, I had to find a group to start playing the game of petanque.  I first found the Alliance Francaise d’ Austin, and was informed that the boules I had purchased were for la lyonnaise and not petanque.  Through my connection with AF I found The Heart of Texas Petanque Club and now that I have been getting more than my share of “fannies”.  I still enjoy the game and have met some great people.