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David Walters and Jerry Guest Win AC Millennium Honours

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NW Federation 2018 Advanced Millennium AC Tournament 14/15 April at Bowdon

Manager Ken Cooper (left) presents the 2018 Advanced (A) Millennium Trophy to winner David Walters (Bowdon)

The weather held off long enough to complete all of the matches in which 12 competitors from around the North West croquet clubs took part. The players were divided into 2 groups of 6: A & B Classes.

In an all-play-all format, the A-Class competed their block play early on the second day and the top 4 played off in 2 semi-finals, followed by a final where David Walters beat Liverpool’s James Hawkins.

In the B-Class, Jerry Guest of Chester won all of his matches.

Manager Ken Cooper (left) presents the Adv Millennium (B) Trophy to winner Jerry Guest (Chester)
The Players:
A Class:  David Walters Bowdon -2;  Ken Cooper Bowdon (Manager) -1.5;  Paul Rigge Liverpool -0.5;  James Hawkins Liverpool -0.5;  Lee Hartley Fylde -0.5;  Peter Wilson Pendle 0.
B Class:  Alan Pidcock Southport 1;  Andy Brandwood Pendle 1.5;  Liz Wilson Pendle / Fylde 1.5;  Nathan Baker Fylde 3;  Jerry Guest Chester 3;   John Dawson Chester 4

Results:
Day 1:  Paul Rigge bt Ken Cooper +20;  James Hawkins bt Lee Hartley +19;  David Walters bt Peter Wilson +25;  Jerry Guest bt Alan Pidcock 14;  Nathan Baker bt John G. Dawson +8;  Andy Brandwood bt Liz Wilson +22;  Lee Hartley bt David Walters +13;  James Hawkins bt Ken Cooper +24;  Paul Rigge bt Peter Wilson +22;  Jerry Guest bt Liz Wilson +6;  John G. Dawson bt Alan Pidcock +16;  Nathan Baker bt Andy Brandwood +2T;  David Walters bt James Hawkins +7;  Paul Rigge bt Lee Hartley +5tpo;  Ken Cooper bt Peter Wilson +25;  Jerry Guest bt John G. Dawson +10;  Nathan Baker bt Liz Wilson +3;  Andy Brandwood bt Alan Pidcock +14;  Paul Rigge bt James Hawkins +17;  David Walters bt Ken Cooper +12;  Lee Hartley bt Peter Wilson +20;  
Day 2:  Lee Hartley bt Ken Cooper +20;  David Walters bt Paul Rigge +24;  James Hawkins bt Peter Wilson +20;  Liz Wilson bt Alan Pidcock +2T;  John G. Dawson bt Andy Brandwood +5T;  Jerry Guest bt Nathan Baker +11;  Liz Wilson bt John G. Dawson +2;  Jerry Guest bt Andy Brandwood +12; Nathan Baker bt Alan Pidcock +20;  
Play-Offs (A):
Ken Cooper bt Peter Wilson +21;  Paul Rigge bt Andy Brandwood +15.
Semi-finals (A):
David Walters bt Lee Hartley +12;  James Hawkins bt Paul Rigge +14.
Final (A):
David Walters bt James Hawkins +17.

Paul Rigge trying to control the rain at the 2018 Advanced Millennium

Only Few Croquet Places Left

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There are now only a dozen or so places left on this season’s Northern Academy programme.  The places are spread over five courses as listed below:

 

Mind Games:Develop a Winning Croquet Mindset  –  Saturday 21 April 2018

Many successful croquet players maintain a good mindset can be even more important than tactics and technique in helping you play your best. This one-day course will explore blocks to a good mindset, how to overcome them, and how to set yourself up positively for successful croquet. The day is for both AC and GC players and for players of all abilities.
Cost: £35 (CA Premium members £30). Course leader: Derek Knight

Openings and Leaves  –  Sunday 22 April 2018

How can the first moves in an AC game be used to seize control? What opening moves are available, and what are the strengths and possibilities of each? If my opponent uses an unusual opening, how might I respond? What are the principles of a good leave? How can I set up a strong leave, when should I do it, and how might I respond when faced with one? This one-day course is for AC players wanting to refine their understanding of these two key aspects of AC and strengthen their competitive play.
Cost: £35 (CA Premium members £30). Course leader: Roger Staples

From GC to AC in One Day  –  Friday 27 April 2018

Let your Golf Croquet skills give you a head start in Association Croquet! This one- day course covers croquet shots, building a break and other distinctive aspects of the AC game. It offers a full introduction to Association Croquet and aims to help participants play with understanding and pleasure. The day will include a supported game and plenty of opportunity for individual help and guidance.
Cost: £35 (CA Premium members £30). Course leader: John Harris

Classic Golf Croquet Skills and Tactics  –  Saturday26 May2018

This one-day course is for GC players who know how to play but want to consolidate their game, want to develop their understanding of the basic tactical moves, and want to know when and how to play them successfully. The day will include the skills required, principles of tactical play, and classic tactical shots, then move towards the more advanced aspects of play.
Cost: £35 (CA Premium members £30). Course leader: John Crossland

Golf Croquet Strategy  –  Sunday27 May2018

This one-day course is for more accomplished GC players who are confident about when and how to play basic moves such as blocking, promoting and clearing shots, but now want to develop their strategic skills and include more advanced tactics in their thinking and their play. The day will also include when and how to make best use of extra turns in handicap games.
Cost: £35 (CA Premium members £30). Course leader: John Crossland

Visit the Northern Croquet Academy website for details of Bookings, Accommodation and Location
 
 

Croquet Matters for your Club

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The National Development Officer Dave Gunn has launched an excellent new tool for use by any Croquet Club.  Whatever support, help or advice, any club needs – a great starting point will be Sport Englands “Club Matters” toolset. 

A recent conference called “Croquet Matters” was held on 31st March for Federation representatives and was very well attended – delegates found the workshop very useful as it gave them a deeper introduction to the proposed framework and to Sport England’s ‘Club Matters’ toolset in particular.  It also allowed them to give feedback as to what sort of support they would need to help them use it with clubs in their own Federations.

At the end of the workshop we agreed how we would respond to a positive show of interest from clubs around the country once Croquet Matters is formally launched in the imminent Gazette. The plan, simply put, is any early requests for engagement from clubs will come to me and/or the local FDO…and together will then agree a date to hold a workshop with the club to focus on the top priority issue they currently face, with any success arising being a catalyst for the club to move on to its next priority area. FDOs will have the offer of personal assistance from myself and small team of assistants at the first few workshops they run in their region and should become increasingly self sufficient after that.
 
Here are three initiatives available to clubs in the next few weeks:
– Guide to Getting your club onto Facebook – a guide written specially for clubs to wish to develop or improve their presence on Facebook.
– Club Website template – allows any club to easily build their own website or refresh their existing model – complete support and hosting provided free of charge.
– An ‘On-Line Forum’ to be launched aimed at Federation committee members providing an immense resource of support and advice.
 
Further details can be found in the launch article the April Gazette:
 
 
 

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