This video provides some information on an innovative approach that Eric Sawyer and the Pasadena Croquet Club are taking to fund a purse for the 2016 Kamal Cup golf croquet tournament to be held at the club June 11-12, 2016. The club is using the Tilt platform to ask donors to help fund the target purse of $3,500 with the idea of drawing in top US GC players. Through Tilt, the donation process is simplified and perks are provided for specific levels of donation.
Read MoreEight Players Advance to ACWC
The USCA Facebook group is reporting that the following list of players have advanced from the WCF Association World Championship Qualifier to play in the main event:
Sherif Abdelwahab - USA
Mark Avery - England
Eugene Chang - England
Ian Harshman - USA
Simon Jenkins - USA
Leo McBride - Canada
Dan Pailas - USA
Ted Salter - Australia
Young Players Ready For ACWC Exhibition
Younger players are setting a new tone for elite level Association Croquet with a special exhibition game open to visitors and press at noon on Friday, April 15, 2016, at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Some, like 17-year-old football player Matthew Essick from North Carolina, grew up in croquet families. Others, including the two teenagers from New Zealand, learned croquet at secondary schools in a program sponsored and run by the country's national croquet organization. They are in West Palm Beach to compete at the WCF World Assocation Croquet Championship next week and will go up against a field of 80 players from 13 different countries.
Morning Coffee: Fletcher Out for ACWC
The 2016 WCF World Association Qualifier started yesterday at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, but the big news is the potential withdraw of reigning World Champion Robert Fletcher from Austalia from the main event. This was reported on the Nottingham Croquet List, but no other information has been made available. A check of Fletcher's block on croquetscores.com does show his name removed and an additional qualifier spot.
Read MoreBeginner's Guide to Croquet Variations
The sport of croquet is wonderfully accommodating in that it has variations intended to span casual social play all the way up to an ultra-elite level of play. And from another perspective, there are variations that work on normal household lawns (mowed short please) and then versions intended for true croquet courts that utilize grass similar to golf greens, but ideally able to achieve faster lawns speeds (and flatness).
Read MoreMorning Coffee: WCF World AC Block Draw
The WCF has published the Association Croquet World Championship draw with eight blocks set for the field of 80 players. Seven qualifiers are yet to be named. The number ones include Robert Fletcher, Reg Bamford, David Maugham, Paddy Chapman, Stephen Mulliner, Samir Patel, Jeff Dawson and Ian Dumergue. From the US,
Read MoreWassink Officially Takes Lead in USCA Grand Prix
In last month's look at the USCA Grand Prix Top 25, we gave Stephen Morgan the headline, but officially there was a tie with Derek Wassink at 6,000 points. This month Wassink has established a slight gap with a 200 point lead based on his total of 7,540. Randy Cardo is now chasing Wassink with 7,340 for second place, while Morgan is in third with 7,120.
Read MoreMorning Coffee: USCA Coaching Videos
The USCA posted a helpful new 21-part video series this week on referee instruction produced by Bob Kroeger and Ted Prentis. I skipped ahead to the segment on marking balls, which is quite useful. I am looking forward to viewing the full series. It's definitely a good approach to helping everyone on the court.
2016 USCA AC Nationals Doubles Final
Game footage of the recent 2016 USCA AC Doubles Final between David Maloof/Jim Bast and Stuart Lawrence/Jeff Soo.
Morning Coffee: US Player Poll Results
Congratulations to Sherif Abdelwahab and Ben Rothman for each receiving nine votes to win the 2015 US Croquet Player of the Year Poll. Croquet Network has had pretty good success with online polls and while we had more votes for this year's poll versus the 2014 poll, it was clear that the poll carried the wrong title. Our result would better be characterized as the "Most Popular Player Poll."
Read More