SHREWSBURY CROQUET – PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE?

The Shrewsbury Croquet Club was born in 1983 following a croquet demonstration and coaching course held by an accomplished Association player then resident in county. (Regrettably, he moved south before Club formally constituted). The writer, Brian Christmas, was its instigator and first ‘Secretary’ and have been active (albeit for several years from afar, and largely by proxy) in its administration ever since.

We began courtesy of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, who let us use an old double lawn tennis court at Monkmoor, maintaining it for us at a then nominal rent. We employed a set of homemade hoops our mentor donated to the Club, and a single set of garden mallets and simple plastic balls obtained on ‘permanent loan’ from sports council. We wouldn’t be seen dead using such childish equipment now!

We had a nominal 13 members, perhaps half a dozen active ones, each paying a mere £5 as subscription. None of us were experienced, knowledgeable or skilled in the game back then, just enthusiastic. Looking back, it was like the blind leading the blind.

However, the Club has developed hugely over the years, both in the number, experience and quality of its players, (several of whom now regularly play in open tournaments) and in the extent of its infrastructure, the efficiency of its administration, and in its human and fiscal resources.

The first big leap forward came in 1987. A new road was to carve through the old Monkmoor Rec, including our patch! The council had obtained the adjacent playing fields of a by then defunct private school in order to restructure it, and were persuaded to construct us two new lawns and, crucially as it has turned out, surround them by a solid fence.

In 1988, as a club of growing material substance, we were able to add our own wooden Clubhouse and shelters. In 2010, this was superseded by a new more substantial and secure metal club  house. Apart from playing equipment, which has continually been improved upon and added to across the years, these are still the physical parameters of our set up to this day.

This has proved more than satisfactory for both the competitive and casual (and social) recreation of ordinary members, which still forms the greater part of our day to day club activity. We find the lawns are now in use at some time or other on most fine days between April and September.

Other activities include occasional inter club matches, (both Federation League matches and ‘Friendly’s), and a variety of internal competitions in forms varying to suit members of different standards, tastes and competitive aspirations. Many of these now have long and fascinating rolls of honour. A veritable ‘who was who’ of Club history. (See ‘Results History’.)

For many years we have also entertained various corporate groups for evenings of croquet related entertainment at very reasonable cost. This scheme has now been formalised in partnership with the County Council managers of Monkmoor site (see ‘Promotions’) and separate designated equipment put aside for such in old club house! 

Finally, with several C.A coaches in our number, we have for some years been able to offer  formal ‘beginners coaching courses’ which generally run on Tuesday evenings from early May. These have proved invaluable in enabling many former students to go on to be successful playing members. Several have even become active Club officers.  Further informal coaching for still improving players within club is also available.

Yet, for all this, we remain a greatly ambitious organisation. The likes of myself and my fellow world ranked members (I’m afraid most of us are a long way from ‘world class’ though), often bemoan the vagaries of the playing surfaces, and we lack the third lawn (at least) which would enable us to hold open tournaments of our own. However, due in part to a very generous donation from one senior member, and a C.A. grant, it is planned to completely replace and substantially improve levels of playing surfaces in autumn of 2011 or 2012.  The future could be bright indeed.

Brian Christmas. S.C.C Captain. (Updated April 2011.)