Toowoomba turns 120 and hosts a regional skills and referee training weekend

A busy year for the club in 2023 lies ahead. Our new club President,

, has taken over the mantle of club President at the end of 2022. We all wish her well and our club members will support her as they have in the past to keep our club active and welcoming to all. Photo at right- Betty Salter Our club was founded 120 years ago (1903) and we will be marking the occasion with our Friendship Day and other events over the year ahead. Among other ideas is to produce a unique badge for club members and participants in our events during 2023. More Details will follow regarding what will be on and all croquet players are welcome to our club to help celebrate this milestone. Item 1 - Christmas party. The club held its Christmas party at the clubhouse this year. We had a good attendance and all enjoyed getting together and having some great food. Sandra even organised some Gateball for people to try (she’s always looking for new players!). Thanks to all the organisers and helpers without whose help these events would not happen.

Sandra Reynolds

Sandra demonstrating Gateball

Toowomba (Cont.) Item 2 - Skills and Referee Training. Toowoomba Region was lucky to have a weekend of skills and referee training. The event was well attended with players from Toowoomba Croquet Club, West Toowoomba Croquet Club, Laurel Bank Croquet Club and Kingaroy Croquet Club all benefiting from the experience (please excuse me if I've missed a club).

I would like to thank Pat Habner, Bill Habner, Cloreen Van Der Sluis and Greg Whymark for giving their time and knowledge. Feedback from attendees was that it was well worth having this type of event and I would encourage any club/region to try to organise something similar.

Tim Jones

We had at least 40 kids in our class and somehow, we all learned to read and write, do maths and spell almost all the words needed to write a grammatically correct letter......., FUNNY THAT!!

I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations. We weren't!! Don’t even mention about the rope swing into the river or climbing trees.

Tweed Heads Setting up the Regional Christmas Party, particularly having some idea of numbers attending, is akin to extracting teeth. Tweed Heads currently has the advantage of a large building. But as an organiser the thought is daunting. 1 person per club, a handful per club possibly a large number of attendees. Give thought to 200 descending en masse and expecting turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Of course there have been occasions in the past when large numbers have gathered for tournaments, but one has a fair idea because of advanced planning for such events.

This is another wonderful opportunity to meet together and have some friendship time. Especially after two years of limited interaction. Bob Linaker reigned supreme through the morning organising 30 plus players through 6 rounds of 7 hoop Golf Croquet - always a favourite at Tweed Heads Bob dispensed the prizes provided by each club to winner Mary McMahon (Southport), second Brian Lebihan (Tweed) and to three runners up.

The punch flowed freely and indeed there was turkey, cooked and carved by Brian Lebihan, who also provided leg ham. As always salads and desserts aplenty were provided by a multitude of willing cooks at Tweed Heads. T.H. always prides itself on catering and serving. Our new ‘Lucky Dip’ raffle means more ticket holders win. One item of choice per ticket.

Winners of the Regional Pennants were presented with their prizes. Association Croquet was won by BHPB/Coolangatta. Southport won the Div. 1 Golf Croquet Pennants. Burleigh Heads/ Palm beach won the Div. 2 Golf Croquet Pennants. Ricochet wiier was BH/PB/ Coolangatta. Beryl Turner as President of the GCTR made the presentations.

L-R Beryl Turner, Frances Spencer, Gabby Spencer, Mary McMahon from Southport CC and Alan Edwards

GMJ Golf Croquet referees training at Toowoomba 2023

By Tim Jones, Toowoomba. From the Croquet Newsletter, January/February 2023, pages 41-43.