NEXT GENERATION by Sara Anderson Woking Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Well……… following on from our two “taster” sessions last year we now have a Junior Croquet Section at Woking Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club . So far this season we have 10 new junior members…...last year only saw 1 additional junior, so that’s 1000% increase… whoop whoop! I have a fabulous team and the entire club is behind the venture. We started off using one lawn each week, but this very quickly grew to two lawns, and not one complaint about both our lawns being utilised …..even the tennis and croquet club members watching whilst enjoying a drink on the patio.
All our coaches have really enjoyed being part of this new venture and have found it extremely satisfying to coach such eager and receptive junior players. As this project is targeted at Home Educated children we have a wide range of ages from 5 years old to 16 years ….all a delight to coach and so eager to learn. The age gap doesn’t appear to be a barrier as the older ones encouraging the younger ones..……..all of them are extremely competitive and keeping count of their victories! The opportunity and enjoyment the children are gaining from the sessions is evident each week, from starting off as a baby sister tagging along we have a five year old so engrossed in the game she counts the “big sleeps” down until her next chance on the lawns, and at the other end of the age spectrum, where we have a young lady of 16 years old, who wants to play and practice all the time . She is like a sponge soaking up anything and everything to do with croquet and would happily live at the club if allowed.
Having a coaching team of 6 means we always have at least 4 coaches to hand.
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PRESIDENT'S POETRY SELECTION
CLUB ROLL‐UPS Croquet England President, Patricia Duke‐Cox, shares some of her favourite Croquet Poetry. "I have always enjoyed reading poetry, although a poet I am not, and on my travels and on reading the Croquet Gazette over the years, I have copied verses that have appealed to me. Croquet players and members of our national organisation are so versatile, and it is always a pleasure to read compositions that I have now shared with our lovely editor, Alison Maugham."
WITH MY MALLET IN MY HAND
Well I sat and watched him make a rather handy break. Already I was feeling sort of tired, But at least I’d get a start with my balls two feet apart ‐ But then I saw he’d gone and left them wired! Well, my turn came round again, when he’d made another ten, “At last”, I thought, “his cheeky grin I’ll shift”. But my shot turned out a flop when my ball jumped over top And he said to me, “Did you forget the lift?”
With my mallet in my hand, by the croquet lawn I stand, Hoping my opponent will break down; For I went and missed the red when I lifted up my head, And I feel as though I’ll never live it down. Things started to go wrong when my opponent came along ‐ I couldn’t even win the flamin’ toss; Then I couldn’t hit the tice, though I’d set it up real nice,And I knew that I was staring at a loss.
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