Croquet Victoria
Advancing Croquet in Victoria

Growing Croquet

Growing croquet in Victoria

Would your club like to grow? Are you interested in ideas from other clubs?

Over the past few years, Croquet Victoria has been developing a resource kit for clubs and regions, called "Growing Croquet". It is based on experiences at clubs around Victoria and beyond.

  • The first section provides information for groups who are trying to start a new club.
  • The later sections are for existing clubs.

In the table below, the righthand column, headed "Overview", provides a summary of what is available. Detail for each section can be downloaded from links in the left hand column.

If you have questions or suggestions to add please get in touch by emailing marketing@croquetvic.asn.au.

Resources for clubs and regions 

 

Resource

 

Overview

Starting a new club
Updated February 2021

Third edition Croquet Facility Guide [February 2021]

Getting a croquet club started:

 

This section includes material to help local authorities and interested players who are considering developing a new club. 

The Croquet Facility Guide is primarily for local government officers considering the development of local sporting facilities.
It describes what is needed to establish or develop a croquet club.

The three brief documents listed on the left provide advice for groups who would like to start a croquet club in their neighbourhood.

Why does your club need to grow?


Working bee at Brunswick - painting the baulks (there were 70 of them at that time).

  • New members strengthen and revitalise the club.
  • New members share the load and keep your club viable.

 

Strategic planning
Updated: 22 February 2021


Western Metro clubs discussing recruitment plans.

Networking: raising your club's profile in the community
Updated: 22 February 2021

  • Who are the key contacts in your community? Think schools, health, learning centres, University of the Third Age, social clubs, Facebook community groups.
  • Consider giving them information about croquet or inviting them to a social event. Check out this marketing flyer for allied health workers.
  • Maybe a Club BBQ for teachers at your local school.

Develop a youth program
Updated 6 March 2021


Junior players at Casterton (from Facebook).

Link up with your local school and run a program for school students.

Example poster (from Golden Square)

Many established players first played croquet as children.

If your club would like to establish a youth program, Casterton CC has some pointers:

  • Leadership and commitment are important.
  • Get your club's support. Roster in a group to help.
  • Everyone involved needs a Working with Children Check (free for volunteers).
  • Plan your advertising and links with Council and schools.
  • Rope in your local newspaper.
  • Get sponsorship so you can offer prizes.
  • Involve outside coaches to inspire the students
Videos of Under 21 players.

Why not link up with your local secondary college? You could offer to coach a group of students after school or on a Saturday.

Or you could contact the Home Education Association - see https://www.hea.edu.au/vic - and ask that they send information about your club to any family in your area who are home educating their children. Croquet might be just the sport they are looking for to help their child tackle the Health and Physical Education requirements of the curriculum.

In 2022, there will be an Under 21s croquet weekend in the middle of the September school holidays. Your group could enter! More information from the Coordinator Under 21 Croquet, u21coordinator@croquetvic.asn.au .

Club promotion

Publicity Officer kit

Latest Publicity Officer newsletter (Jan 22)


Wangaratta CC sausage sizzle

NEDCA at the Wodonga Show (from Facebook)

 

Updated 3 Jan 2022 / KP

To promote your club, you need to be positive, upbeat, and grasp every opportunity you can to keep up your profile in the community.

  • Appoint a publicity officer. Someone who will
    • get to know the local media - people, deadlines, preferences
    • maintain contact with key people
    • communicate effectively and systematically
  • Think about functions where you can involve the community in croquet activities: eg fundraising for a good cause, season opening, youth program.
  • Several clubs have provided example publicity flyers. Download a list with live links.
  • Generic hard copy promotional leaflets, posters and bookmarks are also available for clubs running recruitment campaigns. Email Marketing and Publicity at marketing@croquetvic.asn.au and they can mail them to you.
  • Use your club website! Provide info on your club opening hours and how to arrange to play at your club. Check that it's easy to contact someone via the phone number or email you provide.
  • Start a club Facebook page. Great for sharing photographs of club activities (you'll need to ask people if they're happy to be photographed). If you search Facebook for #croquet you'll find lots of examples. Check out the hints in Using Social Media
  • Share croquet videos.
    Croquet Victoria has published two commissioned videos.
    Croquet: a hit for health is directed at allied health practitioners. It's been developed with input from the Australian Physiotherapy Association and it makes the case for #croquet as a sport to be considered by allied health practitioners. Pass the link on to practitioners in your area, and invite them to visit your club! The full link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltTNS_zp1wo.
    Croquet: an ageless game is quite similar - same music, similar text and background images - but it's directed at the general public, people who might be thinking of taking up a new sport. You could link to it from your club web page or club Facebook page, or show it on a laptop when you attend public events. The full link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2O4uvEOXrk.

    Jamie Gumbrell's competition-winning video "Croquet: for the Young at Heart" is available on Youtube at https://youtu.be/x6WxAkLr1Qk .

    Twin Cities CC has also made a Youtube video about croquet and another one about the croquet presence at the Wodonga Show.

    Croquet Australia has produced two videos for use by clubs on their social media: one can be used to promote a club come and try session, the other advertises croquet as a game for outside groups to book. You can access both videos at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19tZzqfq_xSFiFAedyTjmTC6CVslICmN3.

    You might like to include links to these videos from your webpage or Facebook page, or make your own video?

Other downloadable resources (links on the left) also include:

  • A new kit for publicity officers
  • An annotated press release
  • Writing a press release:  
    • Put on a journalist's hat.
    • Lose the superlatives.
    • Include some salient quotes
    • Keep it short.
    • Put your contact information in a prominent place.

Promotional events

Owen Edwards (Croquet Vic Life Member) running the first hoop of the season at VCC in 2018. 

  • Focus and plan your promotion:
    • Decide who you need to involve.
    • Get to know your local media.
    • Invite your local newspaper to do an article about the event.
    • Local radio may provide free slots.

 

Social days


Korumburra Christmas Lunch (from Facebook). 

  • For clubs or regions
    • Schedule days (monthly / bi monthly?) where members celebrate and play together.
    • Bring players together in hi/low games or challenges.
    • Share a BBQ, afternoon tea or drinks and nibbles.
  • Community events
    • Run croquet games accessible to all, such as Aussie Croquet, Helter Skelter, Eggs in a Basket, Croquet Bobs, Gateball Tunnel, Croquet Tunnel, Skittles, Tennis, Best of 13, Speed Croquet, Bulls Eye (details included)

 

Use courses for recruitment


Drysdale Seniors Festival (from Facebook).

Croquet is an exciting, complex, challenging (and frustrating) game

Running courses for prospective members introduces them to more aspects of the game than come and try sessions and gets them more involved.

Courses also help develop essential croquet skills for prospective, new and current members.

You can download outlines of the courses run by several clubs, some focusing on AC or Aussie, others with a GC focus.

The rules of Aussie Croquet are available in the Social Days section of this resource.

Qualified coaches are listed by region and club on the Croquet Victoria website, see https://croquetvic.asn.au/coach.php.

Share the GC and AC codes


Belmont players being introduced to ricochet. (From Facebook.)

  • In some clubs and regions Golf Croquet and Association Croquet players rarely meet. Many recent members have joined as GC players and have had little opportunity to learn AC. Around the world this has become an issue which croquet clubs are starting to tackle.
  • Try holding a social day bringing the codes together. You could play an AC doubles game pairing an AC player with a GC player, where the AC player takes the two-ball croquet shots.
  • Your region could hold ricochet events or tournaments. Contact ricochet@croquetvic.asn.au for an introductory session at your club.
  • Regional coaching sessions in AC could specifically target GC players (a couple of regions are having success with this).
  • Start a competition involving GC and AC play. 

Club visitors and insurance
Updated: 22 February 2021

Croquet Victoria arranges public liability insurance for clubs via Croquet Australia paid for in association with the Croquet Victoria affiliation fee.

  • Questions often arise about the scope of this when events for non-members are planned.
  • Essentially, all visitors are covered no matter how often they come, whether or not they pay, and whether or not you record their names.

This advice applies to public liability insurance taken out via Croquet Australia. Croquet Victoria is not in a position to advise on public liability insurance policies taken out via other organisations.

Growing our club: Queenscliff's experience

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queenscliff and Sorrento players at a Queenscliff social day. (From Facebook.)

In two years the number of members at Queenscliff CC increased from mid twenties to low forties. Their strategies included:

  • Being more visible to passers by.
  • Encouraging newcomers and beginners with an introductory course, a welcome pack, and a club mentor.
  • Being a very friendly club.

Growing our club: Plimmerton's experience


Coaching for beginners at Plimmerton. (From Facebook.)

In the last ten years the number of members at Plimmerton CC (NZ) has doubled, from mid-50s to mid-90s. Recruitment is now limited by court capacity (they have 4 A courts). Their strategies have included:

  • Respect for GC and AC.
  • Support and respect for member needs - competitive and social.
  • Positive two-way communication.
  • Enabling leadership.
  • Encouragement for enthusiasm and ideas of new members.
  • Coaching for new and established members.
  • Sustained efforts to achieve external publicity.

Further information

 Queries or suggestions? Email marketing@croquetvic.asn.au.

 Publicity Officer Online Kit

 Croquet Victoria Publicity Workshop (powerpoint)

 Publicity Workshop Notes (pdf)