AN INVESTIGATION INTO ASSESSMENT CRITERIA OF THE PÉTANQUE MOVEMENT CONTEXT AMONG STUDENTS AT TRA VINH UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

Abstract

Pétanque, also known internationally as boules, originated in France over 110 years ago and found its way to Vietnam in the 1940s. Players stand within a circle ranging from 35 cm to 50 cm in diameter, positioned about 1m from the end and side boundaries of the playing area. In Vietnam, the Pétanque scene is primarily active in some main areas of cities, namely Ho Chi Minh City, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, and Vung Tau. The sport was officially introduced into Malaysia's SEA Games program in 2001. This article aims to shed light on the context of the Pétanque movement among students at Tra Vinh University. To achieve this, various methods, such as referencing documents, conducting interviews, and utilizing statistical analysis, were employed to gather and process relevant data. The outcomes of this study illustrated that it offered insights into the Pétanque landscape among Tra Vinh University students through many aspects, including the number of regular participants, the presence of instructors and coaches, the existence of clubs and teams, as well as the frequency of competitions held within the university. Moreover, the findings revealed that students at Tra Vinh University engaged in regular Pétanque practice approximately 16.7%. Moreover, Pétanque instructors and collaborators constitute around 60% of the total sports training and competition staff at the university. The university boasts 10 teams and 2 official Pétanque teams, with 15 dedicated courts spanning an area of 60 m2 each. In the academic year 2021-2022, Tra Vinh University organized two Pétanque tournaments, showcasing the growing interest and participation in the sport within the university community.

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