August 2023 Newsletter - To Printer

CROQUET NEWS

that came out determined to shake things up. Dennis Fisher and Bruce Van Fleet played a confident and straight-forward game to come out with a very comprehensive win. After five rounds, the cream rose to the top, and the final was set between 5-time champions, Clint Dawkins and Victor Fransen, a strong duo with years of experience playing together. They were met by another strong team, new singles Club Champion, Tim Wright, and veteran former Club Champion Dennis Howard. The finalists were met with very tough hoops, and fast lawns. Both teams were neck and neck throughout the entire game, exchanging hoop after hoop, until the very end, when things really started to get serious, where mistakes can be fatal. At a score of 8-8, Clint Dawkins finally gets an opportunity to get closer to the winning 10th hoop. He sets up, everyone held their breath, shoots… the ball catches too much of the hoop and rejected it away, leaving Dennis Howard with a straight-forward 3 footer… boom, runs the hoop clean and ends up right in front of the next hoop. Both opponent balls shoot at it and miss. Dennis from just under a foot, seals the win, 10 to 8. Towards the end of July and into August, we are looking forward to keeping the ball rolling. The Ladies Doubles (July 31- Aug 1) is coming up, followed by the Club Mixed Doubles Championship (Aug 14-15). Please make sure to contact me to sign up to participate. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to share an important victory for me this season. Last month I traveled to Toronto, Canada to compete in the 2023 Croquet Canada Open Championship. Players from all over North America and the UK met at the North Toronto Lawn Bowling and Croquet Club to vie for this title, which has been a top tier event in North America for over 20 years. The event offered two full-sized lawns and a super friendly group of club members and volunteers, who provided lunches, refreshments, and a never-ending supply of ice-cold towels (it was hot). Of course, the competition was tough, with returning 5-time champion, and Canada’s #1 nationally ranked player John Richardson. We met for the first time on day 1 in the block, and he beat me 7 5. I struggled the first day and I couldn’t get the speed right (they were running slow). I dropped two games that I probably shouldn’t have. By day 2, I adjusted, and as soon as I did, I began to hit everything center-ball. After that, I turned it up and I didn’t look back for a second. I felt the opportunity was there, and I wasn’t letting it go, I was not coming back without the victory. I showed up to play the final ready to show what I could do and kept my opponent under control. I ran away

with it in two straight sets, 7/2 and 7/1. Thank you all for your continued support. I am proud to represent Cullasaja Club, and prouder to share with new croquet friends abroad what a wonderful club and membership I have the pleasure to serve and create lifetime memories with. Let’s keep this going! Brian Lozano, Croquet Director

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