Morning Coffee: WCF Hall of Fame, Paul Skinley, Big 10 Croquet and Swing Trainer

Click to visit CNet StoreThe free digital digition of the December / January issue of Croquet Network is going through final corrections and release is imminent. Expect the full media blitz at anytime.

The WCF is accepting 2011 nominations for the Croquet Hall of Fame. Follow the link to see previous inductees and a link to the online nomination form.

In other WCF news, Martin French is providing a monthly newsletter on WCF activities that will be available as a PDF.

Great article on Paul Skinley appeared on the Wauganui Chronicle website the other day as a follow-up to his North Island Championship win. Here's an excerpt:

"I'm not sure how many times I've won this tournament because I haven't played in it often - but I played in it when I was 15 in 1974, and won. So it's nice to win it at 51, going on 52."

Full results for the North Island Championship and the South Island Championship are available on the Croquet New Zealand website.

The CA website has a photo up for Rutger Beijderwellen's new swing trainer.

The ACA has made an invitation (PDF) available for the Inaugural GC President's Tens to be held February 11-14 at the Victorian Croquet Centre in Cairnlea.

Check the CWO Australia forum for several posts from Liz Fleming on the flooding in Australia. Opening excerpt:

These 100-year floods in Queensland, with three rivers overflowing their banks, have put most of the croquet lawns under water and dislocated both croquet players and crocodiles.

An Abilene, Texas reader gave croquet a little press on the Reporter News website, when she claimed that croquet might be too rough for the Big 10 after their "less-than-stellar" bowl season.

Morning Coffee: Stark Court Dedication Photos, Rothman and Australian Open Prep

Kicking off this Wednesday morning and there is a lot of croquet going on as the U.S. has wrapped up some recent GC action and now the southern hemisphere is rolling into play. To update the Croquet Network scene, there are great materials lined out for what should have been the October/November issue of Croquet Network magazine. Job changes for me have really eaten into my person time and the issue though nearly finished has slowed to a crawl. The Croquet Network mission is not in jeopardy, but it's clear that once I am able to get this issue out, that I'll have to remove myself from the editorial function. I can still punch out the short columns and web-based materials, but the more in-depth pieces are going to be outsourced. In short, thank you for your patience and just know that this thing is still moving forward and the plan is to take it up another notch in 2011. On to the regular news ...

Through Mike Orgill and Genie Hendry, we are able to present a gallery of photos (click any of the thumbnails to move into slideshow mode) from Sarah Adler taken at the dedication of the Meadowood Croquet Lawns in honor of Jerry Stark that occurred on October 27.

In case you missed it, Ben Rothman capped a productive fall season by snagging the USCA Golf Croquet National Championship last weekend at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California. Forty players partcipated in the event and Rothman had to contend with a championship flight that held top GC players Mohammad Kamal and Sheriff Abdelwahab along with hardcore U.S./association players such as Danny Huneycutt and Rich Lamm. Speaking of Huneycutt, Rothman just missed on picking up what would be the triple crown of USCA croquet singles play due to Huneycutt.  Rothman has the U.S. Rules and GC Championships for 2010 but Huneycutt won the U.S. Association title back in April. Can we promote this idea of USCA Triple Crown? Looks like the list of GC champions should be added to the USCA Champions page.

You may have also missed a review of the MacRob Competition posted by Jim Bast in the main CWO forum. The post is a bit unique in that it compares the first U.S. appearance in the Mac versus the most recent. A brief excerpt:

The feeling that accompanied getting the USA accepted, and being selected for the first team, was an odd combination of relief and euphoria.  We knew that we were living history and it was amazing to be a part of it.  But once the Mac was underway it became a true "deer-in-the-headlights" situation.

Moving on to the southern hemisphere and there's been a lot of action in New Zealand. Results from the Gold and Silver Mallet tournament are available with Paul Skinley taking the Gold and Toby Garrison taking the Silver. The GC Gold and Silver Star tournament took place this past weekend at the Richmond Croquet Club. Phillip Drew took the Gold Star and Eleanor Hannay took the Silver. Under way this week is the NZ Scratch to 3 Bisques tournament in Pukehohe. In doubles, Hamish Mcintosh and Sean Foster are early winners.

Meanwhile Australia is getting ready to set the wickets for the 61st Australian Open which will be held November 19-20 in Melbourne. There is a full PDF program available with details on the event and a list of participating players follows:

Robert Fletcher (Vic)
Bruce Fleming (Qld)
Ken Bald (Vic)
Stephen Richards (NSW)
Trevor Bassett (NSW)
Kevin Beard (Vic)
Jim Nicholls (NSW)
Dennis Bulloch (NZ)
Tim Murphy (NSW)
Liz Fleming (Qld)
Alan Walsh (NSW)
Albert Rutten (SA)
Greg Rowberry (SA)
Alan Honey (NSW)
Rosemary Graham (NSW)
Robyn Stock (NSW)
Charlotte Morgan (SA)
Steve Jones (Qld)
Martyn Prins (NSW)
Judy Wembridge (Vic)
Mike Hughes (NSW)
Basil Ladyman (WA)
Ray Vize (NSW)
Stephen Howes (NSW)
Rosemary Newsham (Qld)
Ray Irlam (Vic)
Greg Fletcher (Vic)
Peter Landrebe (NSW)
Jenny Clarke (NZ)
Malcolm Fletcher (Vic)
Ken Edwards (NSW)
John Levick (NSW)
Alison Sharpe (NSW)
Claire Bassett (NSW)
Tom Knight (Qld)
David Wise (SA)
Tricia Devlin (Vic)
Tony Hall (NSW)
Geoff Kingdon (Tas)
Dick Smith (Qld)
Gareth Bushill (NSW)
Judy Evans (Vic)