The Range-Maleny hosts Nationals duties and Friendship Day

With the 2024 Golf Croquet Nationals and Interstate Shield recently held across clubs on the Sunshine Coast, the Range Club has been busy!, busier than a lawn grub in summer!!! Of course, events like the Nationals take much time, planning and preparing and we are fortunate to have a trusty band of club members who volunteer their energy and skills. Club President, Sarah Widin, lead our efforts and offered the following thoughts: "The Range Croquet Club thoroughly enjoyed our participation in the Golf Nationals. While it was a huge commitment, learning so many aspects of managing a National Tournament and readying our lawns and surrounds, we all agreed that it was a challenge our small club was up to. We received many compliments about our lawns and our welcoming members. Thank you to all who participated in making this a success." Now, after the Nationals, play at the club is back in swing across the disciplines of AC and Ricochet. While some of us have taken a little time to again find "our groove", the social and relaxed atmosphere is an ongoing pleasure even if we don't peg-out like we used to! The courts and surrounds are in fine shape after the "August efforts" of groundsman, Wallace Roy and helpers. The growing season has coincided with the repair of our large mower. Stop press! - interested readers should stand-by for future news about an upgrade to our facilities!

At the time of writing the CAQ Division 3 championships are about to be held at our club over 28th & 29th September. Two of our members, Dianne Horsman and Lynette Evans (Photo at Right) will be up against each other, along with competitors from the coast and Brisbane.

Dianne has been playing croquet since 2015. In her family she is a third- generation player, taking up the game at a "come and try" day in Mackay. Her time in Mackay set her on the croquet path, with twilight games to escape the heat. (Without lights play would only stop when the black ball could no longer be made out on the green!) Lynette started her croquet journey in Victoria where she played Golf Croquet for four years. After moving to Maleny, it has been the more challenging Association Croquet that is her passion. Both Dianne and Lynette are accomplished players and have recently been in the Croquet Queensland Development Squad. And both regard doing a successful Pass Roll stroke as a highlight in their game, while their respective frustrations are having a ball stuck in the jaws or rabbit run of the hoop (Dianne) and wayward Take-Offs (Lynette). There's no doubt the ladies will do our club proud! Friendship Day Once again September saw the club hosting the Eileen Harrison Friendship Day. This year we had about 20 participants, with visitors from Sunshine Coast clubs and one from Forster, NSW. According to former club president Vince Carbery, Friendship Day is a long-standing tradition: "originating in last century", where clubs host a day of games, fun and friendship. The day is named in recognition of Eileen Harrison, a founding member and originating force for the development of the Range Croquet Club. It continues, and this year games of Association, Ricochet and Golf were rotated over sessions of 40 minutes. There was friendly competition, and also advice freely shared with those players who took the opportunity to try a different discipline. And "off to the side", we had the aptly named Diabolicals set up (see picture) to test all-comers.

In conclusion. thanks to the visitors who made the effort to travel and have a "good-natured go" and keep the tradition alive and thanks to the volunteers who made and served refreshments (another tasty tradition of Friendship Day!).

Some participants at Friendship Day (left to right): Dick Byres (Bribie Island), Jennifer White (Forster), Lesley Johnstone (Headland-Buderim), Viv Lloyd (Headland Buderim), Dianne Horsman (Range-Maleny), Shirley Eames (Headland Buderim)

David Kerr Friendship Day looks like a lot of fun!

(see picture)

Players are engaged in croquet games on a lawn in front of a clubhouse with a covered pavilion. Multiple players are visible, some preparing to play while others watch from the shelter, capturing the social and competitive atmosphere of the Friendship Day event.

Some participants at Friendship Day (left to right): Dick Byres (Bribie Island), Jennifer White (Forster), Lesley Johnstone (Headland-Buderim), Viv Lloyd (Headland Buderim), Dianne Horsman (Range-Maleny), Shirley Eames (Headland Buderim)

By David Kerr, The Range-Maleny. From the Croquet Newsletter, September/October 2024, pages 30-32.