“It's up to us to ensure that the tambourine ball game continues”: elected officials from the Hérault Valley inaugurated the new field in Gignac

Italian Alessandra de Vincenzi cuts the ribbon alongside elected officials and players on August 18 in Gignac. Mathias Tuduri

Gignac Mayor Jean-François Soto gives a speech before the ribbon cutting. Mathias Tuduri

The Italian national team warming up on the new intercommunal pitch. Mathias Tuduri

L’équipe de la communauté de communes de la Vallée de l’Hérault à l’échauffement. Mathias Tuduri

The community of communes of the Hérault Valley has set up this year, in Gignac, an intercommunal clay court to continue its efforts to develop the tambourine ball game.

Tambourine took a new turn on Sunday, August 18, with the inauguration of a new intercommunal court. This sporting discipline, which is very well-established in part of the department, particularly in the Hérault Valley, “the birthplace of tambourine”, west of Montpellier, is experiencing a“symbolic moment” in its history, stressed Jean-François Soto, mayor of Gignac and president of the community of communes of the Vallée de l’Hérault (CCVH) in his presentation speech.

“It is the only field in the territory that has an international vocation for major events", declared David Cablat, mayor of Vendémian and vice-president of the CCVH in charge of youth and sports.

This new equipment is approved for international matches thanks to its clay surface. It includes safety nets, fences, benches, lighting and an automatic watering system.

For an envelope of 492,000 euros of work, the intercommunality “plays its role” in the development of the tambourine and it is “important to continue our efforts”, expressed the mayor of Gignac.

Located next to the high school to create vocations

“This land is part of the traditions to which we are attached and of our territory, launched David Cablat. Some will say that it is in our DNA. It is up to us, the elected officials, to take responsibility to ensure that our heritage is maintained and that the sport of tambourine ball game continues."

The 80-metre long and 20-metre wide field has strategically found its place next to the Simone-Veil high school and the Gilles-Fermaud sports hall to create vocations among the youngest. "Beyond the clubs,underlined the mayor of Vendémian, it is also the entire school environment that is targeted. If we want this sport to develop further, we will have to mobilize with the academic inspection and ensure that teachers are trained."

Patrice Canayer : "Modernity and tradition"

The inauguration of the field was to be followed by a friendly match between the Italian selection, invited for the occasion, and the CCVH team. For Alessandra de Vincenzi, advisor to the Italian national federation, present in this capacity, “There are no easy and simple ways to make young people love tambourine, to pass it on to future generations”, she insisted in French with a beautiful accent, despite “the commitment of many people”.

With 52 clubs for more than 5,000 members in France, this sport “little or not at all known” in France, according to the advisor's words departmental Nicole Morère, is struggling to spread.

Patrice Canayer, representing President Carole Delga for the Occitanie Region, which invested 70,000 euros in the construction of the field, strongly believes that the future will be brighter for the tambourine. “In the region, we are trying to develop the concept of modernity and tradition. I think it is compatible! The place given to traditional sports must be more important,” he insisted. I hope that the National Education system will respond favorably to the request to promote the tambourine."