By Quiller Barrett - Issue 20 (2002)
That’s the question I often hear when I talk with croquet players who don’t go to tournaments, or with members of clubs that are not part of the CA. The answer may be a bit of a surprise: rather a lot, actually. I will outline the work the Croquet Association and its committees do for clubs and the majority who play croquet – that’s beginners, improvers, golf croquet enthusiasts and those who enter Federation events.
Development:
· makes grants and loans from the CA to Federations and clubs to improve playing facilities.
· advises clubs that apply for grants to Sport England. A lot of its work is done via Federation Development Officers.
Coaching:
· sets standards for coaches, including training and examining them.
· publishes manuals and operates the CA Merit Award Scheme.
· works closely with Federation Coaching Officers.
Golf Croquet:
· responsible for the laws of this variation of the game that has equal status with association croquet.
· appoints referees and organizes national events.
Equipment:
· sets standards and gives approval of balls and hoops.
· works with manufacturers on research and development of all types of equipment.
Handicapping:
· responsible for policy and the appointment of handicappers.
Laws (Association Croquet):
· amends the laws and regulations for tournaments.
· examines and appoints referees.
Marketing:
· advises member clubs how best to promote the game locally and increase their membership.
· publicizes croquet in all the media.
· oversees CA sales, including discounts to CA members.
Publishing:
· responsible for The Croquet Gazette and the CA’s website that gives all the latest croquet news.
I am truly amazed at the huge amount of work the CA gets through when we employ only a Secretary and one part-time assistant to help with administration. The reason we cope so well is that over 60 croquet players volunteer to sit on our committees. They are real enthusiasts who have decided to put something back into the game that is giving them so much enjoyment. We could not function without them. You may agree that if the Croquet Association didn’t exist, clubs would quickly have to invent it if they wished to carry on playing the game. So if your club belongs to the CA you may well think that the contribution you make from your subscription (around £6 per year) to help fund us is really quite a bargain. If your club should be one of the few that is not already a member of our national body for croquet, do please ask your committee to consider it - we would very much like you to join us.