2021 USCA Club Teams – 100 Players Strong!!
March 18-21, 2021
National Croquet Center, West Palm Beach, FL
American Rules
This was my first experience with Club Teams, and it was a blast. When I got the players list, I was amazed that there were 100 players signed up. What a fantastic relief after a year of COVID fear and very little croquet. Division I (large team division) had four teams. The Westhampton Mallet Club brought 20 players; the Houston Croquet Association came with 20 also. The host club, National Croquet Club, fielded 24 players and the Beach Club brought 26. In Division II (small teams) the New York Croquet Club brought 4 players, the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club came with 4, the Woodlawn Croquet Program sent 4 players and the Belleair Country Club sent 2.
All of the play was doubles. Based on doubles aggregate handicaps, the doubles pairs were grouped into three flights. There were 16 pairs in Championship, 17 in 1st Flight and 17 in 2nd Flight. Play started on Thursday. Thursday and Friday were round-robin days. The outcome of the round-robin games gave seeding for the playoffs which started Saturday morning. Everyone in the tournament went to the playoffs. There were some surprises and upsets. Most notably, the #1 team from Houston, Robert Pulitzer and John Brown upset the highest seeded Sherif Abdelwahab and Derek Wassink in the semis and beat the #2 seeded pair of Randy and Bev Cardo in a spectacularly close final. In 1st Flight,
Hal Denton and Thomas Stoner from National Croquet Club defeated Ellen Hall and Craig Coats from the Beach Club. In 2nd Flight, new-comers to 6-wicket, Rita Ginsky and Tom Lindley of National Croquet Club lost a close battle with Jennifer Loving and Thomas Volini of the Beach Club by a score of 13-11.
Some of the games were live-streamed and I think they are available on youtube. The scores from all of the games can be found on croquetscores.com. On the homepage click on A6W at the top and then you will see the American 6-Wicket tournaments that have been entered this year. The USCA is encouraging all tournament directors to enter the American 6-Wicket tournament games in croquetscore.com.
The teams competed for a permanent engraving on the Lyons Trophy which is on display in the National Croquet Center lobby. Teams accrued points based on how pairs did in doubles play (regardless of flight). The winning pair of each flight earned 8 points for their team. Second earned 6 points. Those tied for 3rd earned 4, those tied for 5th earned 2 and all pairs 9th and below earned 1 point. The team in each division with the most team points won that division. In the case of a tie (which occurred this year) the win-loss record of games played between the two teams is used as a tie breaker. The Lyons Trophy winners were the Beach Club in Division I with 38 team points and the Belleair Country Club in Division II with 4 points. Belleair actually tied in points with the Woodlawn Croquet Program and the tie breaker was heads up win-loss record of games between Belleair and Woodlawn, which Belleair won.
There is a special trophy presented each year, the Les Kelley award, which goes to the most enthusiastic and sportsmanlike player.
This year we chose to give it to a doubles pair, Brand Shank and Lori Matway from Belleair.
Brand and Lori generated the most complaints received by the Tournament Director during the tournament.
The complaints generally went like this, “we really like Brand and Lori, they are great fun to play with, but they are way too good for our flight”.
Brand and Lori both got their handicaps lowered as did a dozen or so other players.
I’ll bet Brand and Lori are in Championship flight next year.
Next year we are encouraging teams to bring a team flag with them. Each team will be given a small courtside area to plant their flag and gather.
I was so impressed by the camaraderie and team spirit that I am going to try and get my club to bring a team down from Virginia next year. I think you should bring a team too!
Next year we are encouraging teams to bring a team flag with them. Each team will be given a small courtside area to plant their flag and gather.
I was so impressed by the camaraderie and team spirit that I am going to try and get my club to bring a team down from Virginia next year. I think you should bring a team too!
FINISHING ORDER
Lyons Trophy Winners
Division I - The Beach Club
Division II - Bellaire Country Club
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
1. Robert Pulitzer & John Brown Houston Croquet Association
2. Randy Cardo & Beverley Cardo The Beach Club
3. Stewart Jackson & Jodie Rugart The Beach Club
3. Sherif Abdelwahab & Derek Wassink National Croquet Club
5. David Isaacs & Peter Timmins New York Croquet Club
5. Robert Van Tassel & David McCoy National Croquet Club
5. Stephen Grassbaugh & Yen Sullivan National Croquet Club
5. Scott Spradling & Lucas Van Alen Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club & National Croquet Club
9. Conrad Rugart & Thomas Tribby National Croquet Club
9. Danny Huneycutt & Kevin Hansley The Beach Club
9. Vickie Johnston & Jeannie Branthover The Beach Club
9. Bob Chilton & David Ekstrom National Croquet Club
9. Lynda Sudderberg & David Spivey National Croquet Club
9. Missy Ramey & Martie Ekstrom National Croquet Club
9. John Watson & Lee Hamel Houston Croquet Association
9. Richard Sullivan & Arthur Olsen Westhampton Mallet Club
FIRST FLIGHT
1. Hal Denton & Thomas Stoner National Croquet Club
2. Ellen Hall & Craig Coates The Beach Club
3. Brand Shank & Lori Matway Bellaire Country Club
3. Geraldine McCauley & Sonia Alexandra National Croquet Club
5. Charles Alexander & Tim McCormick Woodlawn Croquet Program
5. Liddy Chaney & Tina Hinckley Woodlawn Croquet Program
5. Richard Brickley & Missy Chilton The Beach Club
5. Karen Heckman & Anne Carr Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Dale Jordan & Suzanne Spradling Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
9. John Grabow & David Kepner The Beach Club
9. Josie Jackson & Hildegard Jones The Beach Club
9. Leslie Duncan & Charlotte Pulitzer Houston Croquet Association
9. Stuart Coco & George Peterkin III Houston Croquet Association
9. Alan Lazarescu & Terry Cassidy The Beach Club
9. Sally McGrath & Anne Licursi Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Sheila McCauley & Freear Pollard Westhampton Mallet Club
9. John Craddock & John Bannister Houston Croquet Association & National Croquet Club
SECOND FLIGHT
1. Jennifer Loving & Thomas Volini The Beach Club
2. Rita Ginsky & Tom Lindley National Croquet Club
3. Robert Williams & Margaret Kirkbride The Beach Club
3. Linda Grady & Janet Fisher National Croquet Club
5. Claude Lourie & Laura Hanslip The Beach Club
5. Joseph Leary & Boyd Parker Houston Croquet Association
5. Kit Detering & Patricia Wilde Houston Croquet Association
5. Mary Cassidy & John McGrath Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Joseph Warren & Paige Brown Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
9. Ellen Cornacchia & Nancy Brickley The Beach Club
9. Carl Detering & Nora Watson Houston Croquet Association
9. Mary Craddock & Georgia Carter Houston Croquet Association
9. Mary Jo Chapoton & Mathilde Hoefer Houston Croquet Association
9. David Beccia & Donna Sessa Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Emily Schelter & Tom Hadlock Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Pam Walker & Jessica Beccia Westhampton Mallet Club
9. Yolande Hadlock & Anthony Sessa Westhampton Mallet Club
Macey White
Tournament Director