THE AUSTRALIAN CROQUET ONLINE MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021 WORLD CROQUET DAY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT May 1, 2021 Message from the outgoing ACA Board Chair Megan Fardon As the second edition of the ACA Gazette goes of knowledge and experience they bring to the online I have the privilege to address the croquet board. I would like to extend my gratitude to those community for the last time in my role as Chair of previous board members. I leave the board with the ACA Board. a great insight into this wonderful mallet sport of It has been an honour to hold the position of croquet. I am very proud of the body of work my Chair of the Board of Croquet Australia. My tenure on colleagues have undertaken and happy to leave the Board started as an initial director representing the organisation in good order. Western Australia. The acceptance of our new I wish my successors clear direction and every constitution saw the first nine-member Board come good wish as they administer our game. into being in March 2015. This was a move away Happy reading of this next edition. from an Executive Council. Over following years the Board has moved to a seven-member format. Yours in croquet I have worked alongside many fellow board Megan Fardon members, 16 in total and learned from the wealth Message from the ACA Board Chair Jim Nicholls I would firstly like to congratulate and welcome A lot of work has been completed to ensure we Barbara Northcott, KerriAnn Organ, Bernie Pfitzner can all achieve on and off the court in 2021 and and Alison Sharpe to the board, and thank Megan beyond. Some of the main priorities is to increase Fardon, Don Close, Jackie McDonald and Geoff participation at all levels, and to have thriving clubs. Crook for your valuable service to Croquet Australia. The National Coaching Program, certified by Croquet/Mallet Sports has been a huge part of Sports Australia, has now been rolled out across my life for 20 years. I have enjoyed the privilege Australia. The Australian Croquet Academy is and honour of playing at local, State, National and taking shape to provide support and expertise to International levels and am looking forward to all participants. A professional promotional and continuing to contribute in my new role on the ACA media campaign has been developed and will be Board. The past year has been both challenging available to all clubs. and rewarding. The impact of covid has resulted in The first campaign is World Croquet Day on 1st a number of challenges for croquet, from the local of May. It is great to see so many clubs already club level through to national and international getting behind this special event to promote our events. It is wonderful to see competitions at sport and utilising the video clips on Facebook. club, regional and state level have recommenced. This is a great opportunity to promote our sport. We look forward to the National competitions I hope you enjoy the latest edition of the recommencing in May with the Australian GC Australian Croquet Online Newsletter. Doubles and Singles championships. Jim Nicholls 2 Board Members Jim Nicholls Mary Marsland Barbara Northcott Served on the NSW Board for 4 State: South Australia Member of Southport Croquet Club, years. Previous Professional Coach Club: Norwood QLD, since 2006. and President in Florida. Represented Aust in 5 Commenced playing 2012. 2015-17. Referee qualifications in Association world championships. Committee member Norwood AC, Ricochet and Gateball. Coach Represented NSW 7 times and in a 2013–2020. Club Captain Norwood Trainer Presenter in all 4 codes. CAQ winning Eire Cup Team 3 times. 2016–2020. ACA Director 2018– Director of Schools /Junior Croquet Current holder of the Association current. 2011-14. CAQ Director of Gateball Patrons Trophy. 2018-2020. Played in 3 World Gateball Championships. Bernie Pfitzner Alison Sharpe Kerri‑Ann Organ My Club is Victor Harbor, South I have been playing competitive Catching the croquet bug in 2007, in Australia. I have been a Golf Croquet since 2005. I play both AC my first 11 years while in Victoria, I Croquet enthusiast since 2006 and and GC on a regular basis and I’ve served on two club committees as still cannot stop playing. represented NSW in AC for the last a secretary and treasurer. Personal I have had roles in relation to Golf 15 years. I have also represented highlights include winning the AC Croquet Refereeing at WCF, ACA and Australia in both codes since 2009. Women’s Eights, the AC Third Eights Croquet SA Level throughout that I have served on the CNSW Board and participating in the 2020 World time. Been an ACA Board Member and I have been an active State AC Championships. Croquet has since March 2021. Selector for both AC and GC. given me so much personally, so I I am also a professional Croquet look forward to giving back to the coach. sport at a board level. Max Kewish Jim Clement Rob Murray Busselton, Western Australia. Appointee to the board. State: Executive Officer. Time in role: Commencing playing croquet 2015. Victoria, Sarsfield Croquet Club. 2.5 years. Previous positions: 20 Joined Croquetwest Management Playing since 2005 when we years – Executive officer, Financial committee 2018. Management, Dept of Defence Elected President of Croquetwest established Sarsfield club. Appointed Croquet or other sport experiences: 2020. as ACA Secretary April 2019. Other Cricket Administration – Club Appointed as Director of Board, Experience: ACA – Asst Treasurer Executive Roles (President, Croquet Australia 2020. 2010–13/Treasurer 2013–15/First Secretary, Treasurer), Recruitment Director 2015–16. VCA – Secretary Officer, Junior Development officer 2010–16, President from 2016. and Sponsorship Co-ordinator. 3 Official Positions of the ACA Events Committee Assistant National Coaching Coordinator Peter Freer (chair) Barb Piggott Peter Tracey Ricochet National Coordinator Tournament committee Lynda Davis Trevor Bassett (chair) Gateball National Coordinator AC selection committee John Park Martin Clarke (chair) GC High Performance Manager Greg Fletcher (Australian Team Captain) Martin Clarke Peter Landrebe (High Performance Manager) Simon Hockey GC Refereeing Coordinator Jim Clements GC Selection Committee Chris McWhirter (chair) National Handicapper John Arney Gareth Denyer Martin Clarke (High Performance Manager) Archivist Peter Landrebe (Current Australian Captain) Martin Clarke Under 21 Committee Australian Representation Jacky McDonald (chair) WCF AC Laws Committee Kate Patrick Elizabeth Fleming Barry Haydon WCF GC Rules Committee Kay Chynoweth Bernie Pfizner Peter Tracey WCF Management Committee AC High Performance Manager Peter Landrebe Peter Landrebe Public Officer AC National Refereeing Coordinator Nick Chapman Mike Cohn Complaints Officer National Coaching Coordinator Rob Murray Greg Bury General Manager Association Croquet High Golf Croquet High Croquet Australia The Australian Performance Manager Performance Manager Finance Assistant Croquet Academy Peter Landrebe Marty Clarke Ann Mann Greg Bury 4 A Wonderful Croquet Life In September this year Wilma Bath will turn 100. home. Wilma has Wilma has been a member of the Drysdale known Stephen Croquet club since its formation in 1950 and in since he was a small those 70 plus years has held every committee boy, being taught to position several times over, including 18 occasions play croquet by his as President. mother. She has been both Belmont Club Champion and Now all these Geelong Croquet Association Champion. years later, Wilma In 1994 she was appointed Victorian State and Edna are still the Selector. best of friends. Wilma has been a level 1 coach since 1982 and Although no longer able to play their beloved AC was a qualified referee. they attend tournaments across the road at Drysdale But her proudest croquet moment came Croquet Club, when they are able and Wilma is only in 2010 when she was awarded the inaugural too willing to use her coaching and refereeing skills ‘Meritorious Service Award’ by the Australian to assess the players and their games. Croquet Association in a ceremony at Cairnlea. These two women and their friendship define The medal is on display in the Drysdale clubhouse. the most important of suburban croquet club In her early days at Drysdale, Wilma became benefits. friends with Edna Peel who is her junior by It’s not the competition that keeps us going to 10 years. Edna too served many terms as office our local club, it’s the friendships that we make. bearer including 28 yrs as treasurer over a period We would love to see Wilma receive that letter of 40 plus years. from the Queen and the Prime Minister when she Both dedicated association players, they won turns that magical 100. She has earned it. many tournaments in singles or playing together Acknowledgement: Thank you to Verna as they did in the 1974–1975 Pennant and again McLennon and Gillian Horvath from the Drysdale in 1984–1985 Pennant, winning the Combined Croquet Club for your help in putting this article Divisions 1 and 2. together. Dianne Wilson. By 2002 both Wilma and Edna had been made Life members of Drysdale in recognition of their services to the club. Many forget one of the very first dates between In 2009 Wilma was awarded the first Life Elizabeth and Phillip was a game of croquet at Membership of the Geelong Croquet Association. Dartmouth. A special start to something special. Wilma and Edna’s respective husbands, Graham Bath and Harold Peel were also heavily involved with Drysdale Croquet Club, both as office bearers and in maintaining lawns or building whatever structure was needed. The two croquet courts at Drysdale have been named the Wilma and Graham Bath Lawn and the Edna and Harold Peel Lawn in their honour. When Australia regained the MacRobertson Shield in 2017, team member Stephen Forster took his World Team Champion medal to Wilma’s 5 Introducing the South Gold Croquet 2020 Australian Presentation Day President This event was held at Hyde Park on Saturday Lyn Parnell 13th February 2021.Heath Jackson, GC Director President, SA Croquet conducted the presentations with the help of many people, including Di Helier and Bernie Pfitzner My work career was predominantly with Pennants, Medals and Certificates.