Yardline MARCH 2001
W.A. Croquet Legends – Terry Speers
It was at a pre-retirement seminar that I heard the advice that one of the early things to do pre-retirement is to take on new activities that you may be able to take an interest in in when you retire.
That is how I started playing croquet. In June 1988 Judith and I went along to an open day, run by the association as part of the bi centennial celebrations. But held at the Victoria park club. I remember meeting Roy Dransfield, Helene Thurston and Verna Clarke. We had hits on the lawn and Verna was explaining the outline of the game on the miniature croquet board. It all looked pretty weird at the time but the game certainly appealed. From, that time we were hooked. Lessons with Ray at Como followed, and from there on it has all been a wonderful experience, especially after retirement with the many country tournaments which has impressed me with the amount of effort that goes into these. Croquet players always seem to be such great people.
Over the years I have been privileged to help with the running of affairs within my own club – a pleasurable experience. I have enjoyed being in the position of club president. In addition to this I have been lucky to be playing well enough at the right time to win the club championship on 2 occasions.
I have been fortunate to get to the position of representing the state and I have to offer my thanks to many coaches along the way, such as Bob hardwood, Hartley Slater, the late David Weaver and more recently Jeff Newcombe. It has been a great experience to visit all the other states.
Along the way I have won the Marjorie Parry, the Div 2 singles, Commonwealth Bank 3 times) and a few other events with good partners. I have enjoyed experience on various committees, such as Match (including. Events Sec) Handicap (Chairman) and with my present job as Association Secretary. My coaching activities have been mainly confined to assisting in club coaching. Refereeing at the moment is a very interesting subject with the introduction of vastly improved new laws, and I am currently on the ACA laws committee. The redrafting of the Association Constitution which seemed to go on for years and then seemed it would never see the light of day.
In the years ahead I look forward to hitting a lot more croquet balls and learning to control myself so I can control the balls. I look forward to many more years of competitive croquet.
One of the coaching articles Terry published in Yardline.
During Country Weekend while watching as a spectator, a player made a passing comment
after an unsuccessful long roll to a hoop. “I need some help with these long rolls.” As it was
in the middle of a competitive game neither I, not anyone else, could respond with any useful
remark. In my mind I could recall the sequence of play and could see where a different line of
play could have been useful. The player concerned had failed to make use of one ball which
was at least 4 yards in or so from the border. Instead of trying for the “long roll” the players
could have taken off to the unused ball in the hope of getting a rush. Even if this effort had
failed to get into position for a rush, the ball in question could have been put into a very
favourable position for the following innings, provided the opponent had missed a long
roquet.
The message is very simple - keep looking for rushes to manoevre a ball into a
position close to your hoop. Try and avoid long rolls — practice rushes -
look for rushes.
If the rush doesn’t work, go back to your partner ball on the croquet stroke so that you have
one more stroke to set up accurately for “the next time around.” I know we all do it at times
and some are very good at long rolls, but almost all of us are better at “short rolls.”
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