What does it take to be the world number one croquet player?
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Having played as few games of croquet I can understand how people get hooked on what is often described as chess on grass.
A very tactical sport and at times it can be downright nasty.
Yes nasty!
What croquet? I hear you say.
Trust me when your opposition sends your ball to the far end of the court, leaving you with no hope of making a hoop, just for the fun of it - I'd say it is nasty.
The Nowra Croquet Club hosted the sport's royalty recently when former world number one Alison Sharpe undertook a number of coaching clinics at the local club.
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Sharpe, who is currently number two in the world, put local players through their paces over the two-day country clinic at the Nowra Croquet Club's courts at Bomaderry.
Over the two days, Alison coached groups and individuals in the finer points of Golf Croquet as well as joining members in social games of both Association and Golf Croquet.
It was a chance to find out what makes her tick.
Catching up with former world number one was indeed a treat. The first thing you notice is the accent.
Originally from London, the now 60-year-old came to Australia 27 years ago.
How did you start in the sport?
"My grandmother lived in Yorkshire and as a very young teenager, I played croquet with her in the back garden. The hoops were awkwardly positioned around the apple and pear trees and beehives. You had to be good at dodging things. That's how I first learned to play basic croquet. She passed away when I was 16-years-old and I never saw croquet again or played it again until we came to Australia. We'd been in Australia for 10 years and were living in Sydney and I saw a sign for Mosman Croquet Club. It wasn't until I was 38 that I saw a proper croquet lawn again, or had the chance of getting onto a lawn. I approached them and asked if I could have a quick hit and it was like riding a bike - but didn't have to dodge the apple trees or beehives [hoop two which was always very funny and strenuous].
When her twin boys were four-years-old she started practicing regularly and by 2007 she was picked for the state team.
"That was 14 years ago," she said. "Somehow, I don't know I just maintained my standard. I enjoy being competitive, I do enjoy winning I have to admit."
While it is predominately played by older people, croquet is not just a game for old people.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
The secret to success?
"It's all about focus and discipline - focus and discipline in your practice will just help with you playing better and executing the shots when you are in competition play. It almost becomes natural. I'm a great believer and they say practice makes perfect, but in fact, to me practice makes permanent. If you practice a particular shot and it will become permanently embedded in your mind. And when you have to make that shot in a competition you can."
Can you explain the difference between golf croquet and association croquet in layman's terms?
"They are two very different games. We describe Golf Croquet as T20 and Association Croquet as like a five-day Test. Golf Croquet is a matter of being the first person through the hoop - you play with a single ball and are hitting the other balls away to get your ball through the hoop first. Association Croquet is more like chess on grass - Association Croquet is played with each player having two balls. On average a game of Golf Croquet lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. It is also more social. Association Croquet can be two and half hours of play - you can also be forced to sit out a lot more in Association Croquet if your opponent gets on a role and continues to make hoop after hoop after hoop."
How big is the world of croquet?
"There are four major countries that you would probably describe as the powerhouses of the sport - Australian, England, the United States and New Zealand. But when you have a world championship, the French come, the Spanish, as do other European countries. But the likes of Switzerland might only have one club for the whole of the country. There are 10,000 members who play croquet in Australia, 3000 alone in NSW, which has 68 clubs, 23 of which are in Sydney."
Alison has been the Australian number one female player for both Golf and Association Croquet for five years, and won the Australian women's title for the fifth time in March just before lockdown. She has travelled the world playing in the world championships.
"At world championships, all the top players from each country play and the championships are held every couple of years. Usually, around 48 players contest the world championships. Depending on COVID-19, the next world championships are scheduled for the end of next year. COVID has put a stop to a lot of things, including, of coursem croquet, and the many top-level events. Hopefully we can get back soon. Croquet is actually the perfect sport for a period of pandemic - there is natural social distancing - it's easy in our game. I can't wait for events to ramp up next year. I've really missed it this year - from July to August I was supposed to be in North Carolina in the US coaching."
Croquet is one of the few sports men and women can compete on an equal footing. It's not all about strength. It's about skill and tactics and I must say I love beating the men and I go alright against them in the singles as well.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
Croquet is one for the few sports where men and women can compete on an equal footing?
"Yes we can compete against the men and we often play mixed events. It's not all about strength. It's about skill and tactics and I must say I love beating the men and I go alright against them in the singles as well."
Few people would know that croquet has actually been an Olympic sport?
"Yes, it was played in the Olympics for the first time ever in 1900 in Paris and was the first sport in the Olympics where they had mixed-gender teams. It hasn't been played since but I'd love to see it back in the games - that would be massive. But a prerequisite to have any sport in the Olympics is you need to have a lot of countries that play the sport and a really good spectator base, which croquet doesn't have. It's too much of a hidden sport. The real challenge is getting the sport out there and seen by people - like a lot of sports the more people see it the more they are likely to try it and it is addictive once you start."
You've just started a new business and written another piece of history as the first professional croquet coach in Australia?
"Yes that is exciting and one of the reasons I'm down in Nowra, doing some regional coaching. My goal with the business is to go out there and lift the profile of the sport. I usually do a lot of coaching in the city, but it's great to get out into the regions. This is my first regional coaching trip and it's great to come and visit, coach and pass on my expertise. It's a chance for me to also network. I want players to come and have a session. Already some of the top players are saying to me 'why are you playing socially? Why are you doing that rather than concentrating on the big games?' but it is the bigger picture. Playing socially or coaching also allows me to turn the competitive nature off. I can tailor my game to play at the level of my opponent. I'm not going to be world number two wiping the floor with them - there's no fun in that and doesn't benefit either of us."
Australian Robert Fletcher is the current world number one?
"He's a freak - in his mid-20s. There is not much between him and Englishman Robert Fulford and South African Reg Bamford. They can swap around a bit they are that close. Robert's brother Malcolm (6) is also in the world top 10. A third brother Greg has also played for Australia. Their father wanted them to try something other than a contact sport - they saw a local club started playing. From Victoria, they are all in their mid-20s and actually won world titles at age 19 or 20."
Women's world number one is New Zealander Jenny Clark?
"In May 2017, she had a few bad tournaments and I had a few good ones, and I became world number one. That was special. We are very good mates, and it was nice to topple her."
Croquet was played in Olympics in 1900 in Paris and was the first sport in the Olympics where they had mixed gender teams.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
How do croquet world rankings work?
"They are similar to tennis world rankings. You have to keep on winning to get points. If you lose to someone, a lesser player, you can lose lots of points. It's hard being a top player, everyone has off days and a loss to a lesser player you can lose many world championship points. The top players are under so much more pressure to win every game."
Can you be world number one again?
"Absolutely and that's the goal."
How do you combat that pressure?
"Good question - self-belief is what it is - if I walk on feeling pressure, a game I really need to win, I always say 'you can do it' and you believe it. I find it calms me down and keeps me positive. And having trained for those different situations you know you can get out of any situation. You've got to stay positive. I try to visualise successful shots before I make it before I play before I make it I visualise it and say just do it."
Croquet is game played by gentlemen and ladies but it can be vicious. A vicious game played by lovely people, gentle people but they can have a side of them that is vicious.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
What is your training regime?
"I do a lot of training on the green of course - playing, practising and coaching, probably three to four days a week. I power walk most days to keep fit and you need to keep fit. I'm a great believer if you can keep the body physically fit you will also be mentally fit. I power walk every day and need to be as fit as I can to help keep me in the zone to be mentally and physically fit and alert. The top-level is more mental. I love coaching the philosophy of what you are trying to do with the philosophy of croquet and the mental approach. If you have the right mental approach it's half the battle."
You're a member of a few clubs?
"About five. I'm based in Sydney and share playing between five clubs - I have two close clubs to home - I live at Lindfield and have been playing for 15 years, my closest clubs are Killara, Chatswood and Mossman - they are my main clubs. I play three to fours days a week now with my coaching. I used to play many hours to bring my game up."
Is there sledging in croquet?
"My husband finds that very amusing - he says so what's your sledging 'oh that shirt doesn't go with those pants?' You don't hear a lot, I'd love to hear some. It's subtle, hard to describe. A lot is body language. Croquet is a game played by gentlemen and ladies but it can be vicious. A vicious game played by lovely people, gentle people but they can have a side of them that is vicious."
You created history with one of your sons?
"My twin boys are now 20 - Charlie and I created history as the first mother and son to play in the world championships together. I captained the team he was 17. We are also state doubles partners."
Tactically it's a great game, lots of strategy, lots of walking, you can walk kilometres and above all else lots of fun. And it's a sport that can be played by any age, anyone with hand eye coordination would love it.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
How would you sell croquet to a younger person to get them to come and play?
"It's my plan to get the younger generation to play. It's a great game for young people - How I got my sons into it, you can come and play a game and be aggressive as you want it to be or as defensive as you want it to be. You can just hit the balls as hard as you can going through the hoops. Just come and play. I ask them - do you play snooker? Yeah, is usually the reply so come and play some snooker on a lawn, you'll love it. Tactically it's a great game, lots of strategy, lots of walking, you can walk kilometres and above all else lots of fun. And it's a sport that can be played by any age - get a few friends of colleagues together after work have a hit and a laugh. Honestly, anyone with hand-eye coordination would love it. While it is predominately played by older people, Croquet is not just a game for old people."
You can come and play a game and be aggressive as you want it to be or as defensive as you want it to be. You can just hit the balls as hard as you can going through the hoops.
- Australian number one female player and former world number one Alison Sharpe
Is there an etiquette involved?
"It is a bit more genteel, more relaxed, similar to bowls. I wouldn't be expecting hollering and shouting. Certainly not a Happy Gilmore-like crowd. But the other day at Chatswood there was a lot more congeniality than normal and a lot more boisterous comments. I think if you got the right personalities together you could get away with anything."
How much does it cost to start?
"At most clubs, you could borrow a mallet to try the sport, if you like it, you can purchase your own. And they can range from basic to high tech, with most of the top players using carbon fibre mallets. Like golf, the sport has evolved. A cheap mallet can cost $150 to $200 right up to the top of the range $900."
If the sport had the profile of other mainstream sports do you think people would be surprised by croquet?
"Absolutely. If people actually had a chance to experience they'd say it's a great sport. If there are any come and try days in your area and you want to try croquet go along. I hold a lot of corporate days and there are trick shots I can show off. Jumping balls on the greens or while in the hoops. We need to raise the profile of croquet - get rid of the image that's it's just for old people. Sure the older generation does choose to play it but when you show and expose the younger generation to it they love it."
What's the next major event?
"COVID willing, the interstate cup and the Australian Open will both be held in March next year and is being hosted by NSW in Sydney. The nationals are held first - there you play as an individual in competition over four days and that's followed straight away by the interstate cup where we play as a state team against all the other states over five days. That's nine days of full-on play which is quite taxing. Nine days of concentration and playing is a lot on the body and mind. We start at 8am and will finish about 5pm. It's exhausting but fun."
Nowra is set to get a purpose-built new croquet facility as part of the Artie Smith Oval redevelopment.
"That's exciting. Four courts I understand. That will provide extra vigour to the club hopefully. It would be great to see their numbers increase. Having a bigger area allows them to stage more games and more come and try days to introduce people to the sport. Who knows the more and more people we attract to the game it could one day become an Olympic sport again. Perhaps the Commonwealth Games is also a target the sport should be looking at - it already has lawn bowls and has had cricket."
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