Spring Tournament November 25/26
Running a tournament open to all-comers always involves a lot of preparation. First, we aim to get the lawns in tip-top shape, and that creates stresses when the sprinklers misbehave, and the weeds appear. These are all manageable. Then there’s the hoop-setting in new positions. Players at club sessions suddenly find the hoops rejecting perfectly good shots.
“These are tight,” they say, and so they should be. There’s the tournament to advertise, registrations to be recorded, money to be taken and receipted, playing schedules to be organised, and the all-important catering to be arranged. A real team effort required, with Geoff coordinating the Tournament preparation and play, and Glen the cat
Weather is another variable. Forecasts were not spring-like, so plans had to be made to provide more shade, heaps of water and ice.
So far, so efficient.
Tuesday, 21st November threw the first spanner. The Colorbond fencing on the SW corner of Court three had been attacked using a three metre long parking sign with a nasty spiked point. Just puncture wounds and buckled sections—ugly, but still intact. The weapon had been left leaning against the fence under the possum peppy at the start of court three. Reports to the police and city were made that day. Not a problem of any significance.
Next day damage was much more significant. Complete panels had been knocked out. The weapon had not been removed overnight! Still not the end of the world, but it took some quick action from the city to organise repairs. Considerable drama, but no catastrophe.
By Friday night then, all foreseeable tournament issues had been planned for and the green were green and ready to go.
Potentially Disastrous Ugly but intact
Already warm as players arrived for theirs around 8:00 o’clock. Extra water points at each court, a marquee near Hoop 1 one on Court Three, (neatly fitting in the practice lane) and lots of ice in the clubhouse. Had we forgotten anything?
Well no, but one player, heading for the clubhouse and the shade sail, tripped over the black ag pipe dividing Court One from the tables and benches and landed on the bricks. Not an auspicious start. When all bones seemed to be intact and no concussion evident, an undoubtedly embarrassed player resumed his place in the competition. No doubt the bruises will be apparent for some days yet.
When such things happen, an “incident report” is necessary and once again Geoff was called on.
Tony had taken up station under the practice lane marquee, so he could render judgement when a referee was required. He was not called often and there were no raised voices or muttered objections. Games proceeded in good spirit. Opponents shots were applauded and lucky flukes drew laughter. The most interesting decision involved a player opting for a ball-swap. Ask Tony, or one of our several referees, to explain if you don’t know this rule.
Tony’s shade attracted shade-seekers and naturally you’d sit on the 6 X 4 pine hurdle on the lawn boundary—well naturally, until it became obvious that the 6 X 4 beam was rotten. Out with the danger tape and give the beam a thorough wrapping. Geoff again.
No more Challenges? Of Course there were.
By lunchtime the heat was having a serious effect. Players were wilting, especially Caryll, who was unable to continue. With the agreement of the other players, her place was taken by Ron Vincent.
Last year’s winners, Linda Pearce and her sister Joyce, were struggling. (Linda’s preference for heavy rain is well known.) She did well to return for play on Sunday.
Croquet Scores
Ron and Ros: Setting up for the Ros: 11am Sunday
Start of Play, Sat AM
Croquet Scores is international. It receives and publishes results from all over the world. If you set up your tourna- ment in advance you can publish results as they come in. The World Over 50s Championship recently held at Moorabinda was accessed daily by its international following—clubs, families and friends. “Setting up” allows indi- vidual scores to be recorded and cumulative results to be calculated. All the recorder needs is accurate info from the players as they come off the courts and a laptop computer.
The Saturday AM photo shows a happy Ros, secure in the knowledge she has everything under control. Her laptop is just visible right of frame and she’s holding her back-up phone. The Sunday AM photo tells a different story. The laptop had died in the Saturday heat. Ros was reduced to entering data via her phone.
Later, the Croquet Scores site was down and she needed re-enforcement in the form of Megan and the two of them did the calculations necessary to keep abreast of cumulative results in case Croquet Scores stayed down and there was a need to come up with finalists.
Croquet Scores did come back and all results were recorded and ranked. Great effort from all concerned , especially Ros.
Go on Croquet Scores if you’ve not done so before. You don’t need a password or any personal disclosure.
See the list of tournaments for the year and find Busselton Spring Tournament. Fish around a bit and you’ll come across the spreadsheet reproduced on the next page of this report. You’ll need to get your head around Block A and Block B and Cross Block games, but if you understand the draw and seedings in international tennis, you’ll get the idea.
Winners Are Grinners
Presentations by Club President Barbara Dunnet
With thanks to Sponsor: Cape Naturaliste Wines
First Place: John Bird and Bob James
Second Place Harry Goff and Diana Third Place: Allan Simons and David Dalzell Williams
More Grinners
Visiting players expressed their appreciation of our efforts to keep the tournament cogs turning. There was a lot to make them grind, but we managed with good will, humour… and lots of ice.
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