Click Image to purchase mugLeo Nikora tipped off on his e-newsletter that the official Navy store is offering a Navy Croquet Shirt. Pretty simple, but still, an interesting development. In addition, Nikora has added a slew of new croquet photos, illustrations and advertisments to the Maui Croquet Club site. Check out the recent additions list at the bottom of this page.

The USCA has offered the following spring 2011 dates for instructional schools to be held at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. For more info, contact Erica Sherman at 561-478-0760.

• January 13-15
• February 3-5
• March 10-12
• March 13-15 = Tournament play school, April 7-9

The Mission Hills Croquet Club in Rancho Mirage, California has announced that Phyllis & Jim Butts have decided to “retire” from their croquet club roles after seven years of dedication and hard work to make the Mission Hills Croquet Club “The Best in the West.” Among their many their many accomplishments for Mission Hills, they were successful in bringing many National and International croquet events and players to the Mission Hills venue and continue to continue in that capacity going forward as the Mission Hills USCA liaisons. Ron Hendry has accepted the President’s role and Genie Hendry be taking up Phyllis duties of planning the catered events. Mike Orgill is our new Treasurer.

The Sydney Morning Herald offers this piece on how croquet has given a man with cancer a new activity to pursue.

Jenny Clarke continued her hot streak with a win at the Women's Invitation held in Masterton, New Zealand.

A recent article in the The Bayside Bulletin describes the burgeoning croquet scene in Australia:

"2010 has demonstrated that Australian players are proving to be very competitive internationally in the mallet sports disciplines of golf croquet, gateball (Australia's newest mallet sport), ricochet and traditional association croquet."

Though this article from the Brimbank Leader seems to temper that enthusiasm a bit (also includes a few photos);

Mr Reither thought the sport’s popularity was increasing but that croquet was still trying to rise above the stigma of being “the old people’s game.” “We’re having trouble convincing people it’s not,” he said.

And it is hoped that the young rising stars of croquet will help lead the way. Three of the country’s best are teenagers from the same family, including 17-year-old Robert Fletcher who is Australia’s number one.

Mike Orgill sent a recent announcement that the 2011 North American Open will be held at the Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards in Windsor, California from May 8 to May 14, 2011. The tournament will be played under association rules and limited to 16 players. Tournament entry will be based on world rankings. Details about purse and other information will be forthcoming in January.

Martin French gave an interesting tidbit about future schedules in a recent post on his WCF blog:

"One of the big improvements I hope we can make very soon is to publish a 10 year rolling schedule of when we'd like to hold each type of championship - and then start asking for bids for the next couple of years."

In case you missed it in the forum or on Facebook, the Morehead/Fargo High School Croquet League is looking for equipment donations. More details are in the Croquet Network forum.

The ACA recently announced their roster for the Trans-Tasman team. The Team will travel to Cairnlea, Victoria to compete in the Trans-Tasman Test Series from April 15-20, 2011. 

Men
Ian Dumergue
Greg Fletcher
Robert Fletcher
Stephen Forster

Reserves
Malcolm Fletcher
Peter Landrebe (Captain)

Women
Rosie Graham
Margaret Melville
Miranda Morgan
Alison Sharpe

Reserves
Trish Devlin
Charlotte Morgan

The ACA has also provided the PDF entry form for the Inaugural Golf Croquet President’s Tens to be held in Melbourne February 11-14, 2011

Croquet New Zealand recently announced results from the North and South Island GC Grade Championships:

North Island GC Grade Champs / Taranaki Association, New Plymouth

Premier: 0-4 handicap
J.Christie; Morrinsville 1st
N. Morrow; Warkworth 2nd
B. Bullen; Wanganui 3rd

Intermediate: 5-7 handicap
J. Kermode; Palmerston North 1st
B. Reader; New Plymouth 2nd
S. Mitchell; West End 3rd

Primary: 8-12 andicap
G. Cooper; New Plymouth 1st
C. Reay; Palmerston North 2nd
A. Ridgway Ellis; Inglewood 3rd

South Island Golf Grade Championships / United Croquet Club in Christchurch

Duncan Dixon 7-4,6-7,7-5 over Jenny Clarke

Chris Clarke also made a recent appeal for donations for Kaiapoi Croquet Club to repair damage suffered during the recent earthquake that hit Canterbury, New Zealand.

"All of you will be aware of the earthquake that struck Canterbury on 4th September. Most of our clubs have escaped with very little damage, however the Kaiapoi Croquet Club was not as fortunate. There are cracks 6 feet deep and 20 yards long in the lawns and there is now a slope of over 2 feet on their previously flat lawns. The clubhouse has moved nearly 3 feet and is no longer level. They are waiting for an engineers report, but in all likelihood will end up having to move to a new location. It has been suggested by CNZ, that Canterbury should ask each club in NZ for a contribution towards getting Kaiapoi back on their feet. Any donation will be appreciated, but if you could raise $100 per club, that would be wonderful. I attach some photos of Kaiapoi Croquet Club after the earthquake."