Strathfield Croquet Club Inc.

Another successful year for the Strathfield croquet club.
The Hub was active in organising workshops to improve the skill of members all codes played at the club. The really hidden value of the workshops is our club involvement with players from other clubs that enrich the experiences.
Competition organised by the club including Makara, Enid Brown and State ricochet were very successful. Makara’s inexperienced GC team were runners up to Marrickville. Makara ricochet was won by Alan Smith, with runner up Jeff Regan. Enid Brown competition was won by Strathfield. Individuals played in different competitions throughout the year. Deb Heagney and Alan Smith came 3rd in the NSW GC Advantage doubles held at Strathfield. Ray Kang played at the Young Autumn Carnival and won the Singles Block B. Jeff Regan is the NSW ricochet division 3 singles champion. Thank you Jeff for keeping the trophy at the club! Carmen Platt came 2nd in Red Block at the Nowra GC Advantage singles spring carnival and won the brown block advantage doubles with Hagen Krusser from Wollongong. Gateball players had a successful year. Albert and Petula Shun were part of a NSW team that won the Victorian Gateball Championship. A Gateball team represented Strathfield at the State Gateball Championships that was held at Canberra Croquet club. The team consisted of Jennie Brentnall, Julia Rizzo, Bernadette English, Peter Brown, Albert Shun and Petula Shun. The National Gateball Championship was played at Toronto. Peter Brown and Petula Shun made the quarter finals. The team consisted of Jennie Brentnall, Julia Rizzo. Peter Brown, Doris Kao, Petula Shun and 2 players from Cooks River Lorraine Hatfield and Lynda Toms. The team played well winning half their games.
Strathfield club hosted the NSW AC silver doubles completion (April -May). Winning team from Canberra Kathy Maloney and Lynda Nickels. Runners up Fidye Westgarth and Ron Humpherson. This gave members the opportunity to watch AC games. In May Strathfield club hosted our annual Gateball Invitational. 8 teams competed. The winners were Canberra, Newcastle runners up. Ann and Cheryl successfully facilitated the NSW GC Advantage Doubles (June). This was run as a trial GC Advantage Target Scores system event. Winners were Maggie and Paul Gerbich. Runners up were Ann Clifton and Peter Edsor from the same club (Queanbeyan). This competition played late in the afternoon, using the club verandah light to finish the last game. It is a privilege for the club to host these competitions. It is only possible with the support of the club members. Thank you to the same people who always are available. It is a great opportunity to get to know members. I hope next year we will have some new volunteers.
This year we have commenced a NSW Government and Strathfield council initiative hosting Chinese and Korean Strathfield senior residents to learn croquet. They have provided translators and afternoon tea for one Sunday afternoon once a month for 6 months. It has been very successful due to the assistance of the club coaches and other members. Other activities for the community continue, including Seniors Week and U3A introduction to GC. Strathfield Girls High School completed their 10 week introduction to GC. Thank you Sue Goh for taking on the organising duties. This year’s group were interested and very pleasant to coach. Strathfield and Concord Rotaries enjoyed an evening at the club early in the year. Individual members continue to book the club for events. It is very pleasing to know that the club is used by the members.
Club completion continues! Twilight fun G.C. advantage play competition for inexperienced players interested was success. After a very close event with 8 players, Ricochet Doubles Club Champions winners are Alan Smith and Julia Rizzo after a very, very close 2 hoop win. Jeff Regan and Carmen Platt were the runners up. Congratulations to all. G.C. club championship has also been completed. The winner is Alan Smith. Runner up Cheryl Smith.
Thank you to Strathfield council for their support of our club. This year evidence of their support is obvious with the wonderful new pathway