Player Profile - Anna Miller from Victoria

(from the December 2007edition of the ACA Magazine)

 

Anna Miller has been playing croquet at a senor level for some years now and is well known for her quiet and considerate approach to the game and to other players.

(When Jean & I became involved in Croquet, Anna always made us feel very welcome even if we were barracking for the other side- NSW. I hope you enjoy her interview. ED)

. Are you still actively engaged in the workforce?

 I have been retired for eight years and have enjoyed having more time on improving my croquet.

 . What was your Occupation before retiring?

 Before I retired eight years ago I was a General Practitioner with an interest and post graduate qualification in Geriatric Medicine.  In the last ten years of my working life I was the local paediatrician and I set up a successful practice in Horsham together with my husband Eric. Unfortunately, my croquet languished during this time.

. What are your home club or clubs and for how long?

 Brunswick C.C. is my home club and I am an associate member of Belmont C.C. Until this year, Kalimna Park C.C. in Horsham was my home club for twenty-eight years and where I started to play croquet.

. What administrative positions in croquet have you held and / or currently hold.  What motivates you to become involved when others are not quite so forthcoming?

 I have been President of Kalimna Park CC and also of the Wimmera Croquet Association. I was on the Croquet Victoria Committee of Management and a Director of Croquet Victoria.

I don't know about motivation but it is often a matter of others being unwilling to make a visit to the city for a meeting.

. How long have you been playing croquet?

Twenty- eight years.

 . How do you come to start playing croquet?

 Eric and I had seen croquet played at a hospital in England in the sixties and when we were asked to have lessons at Kalimna Park we decided to join.

 . What keeps you playing?

I thoroughly enjoy the competition.

 . What other sports have you played?

 Virtually none.

 . What is your preferred grip and why?

Standard but modified with both hands overlapping at the top of the mallet.

 . Tell us about you're your mallets; how did you start using that mallet and why- what other mallets have you tried?

I have only used Dawson mallets.

. Do you have any preference for croquet ball brands when playing in a competition?

 My preference is Dawson International balls.  Jacques Balls were magnificent to play with but became hard to get and had a tendency to chip and crack.

 . What is your most significant accomplishment in croquet to date?

 Being a member of the Victorian State Team.

 . What is your ultimate croquet goal?

 To be able to play croquet as long as and as well as I can.

 . What are your croquet plans for the next year?

I am planning to play in the Qualifying round of the World Championships in Nelson in January 2008, January 2008 and then hopefully compete in the Championships in Christchurch.  If I am not a competitor then I will be a spectator". 

After that I will go to Brisbane for the Nationals.  During the Victorian winter I'd like to play in some of the Queensland Tournaments.

 . Do you have a favourite overseas or local venue at which to compete?

 Not really

 . Tell us about the most memorable character you have competed against in a senior competition?

 It would have to be Robert Fulford, last year at the Australian Open in Sydney.  I managed to hit the "Tea Lady " shot and made a break of nine before he completed his sextuple.

. What do you see as the future for croquet?

 It is worrying to see less people learning to play Association Croquet.    But, it is heartening to see a small number of quite young players taking up the game and achieving such a splendid degree of ability and understanding of the game. This is a ray of hope for the future.

 . If there was any one thing you would change in croquet what is it?

 I would like to see more Croquet organized at schools and Croquet clubs at tertiary institutions.

 . What Law of croquet would you change if you had the opportunity?

 In Double-banked games putting the ball where it would otherwise have come to rest after interference from another ball.  I believe it should stay where it comes to rest as a penalty.

 . Any advice on how you juggled your involvement in croquet and your business / working life

 When I was working I continued to play in a few tournaments each year, particularly the Naracoorte tournament and the Vic Open and was able to practice before work and at weekends when I needed to.  Living in a country town enabled me to do this.

 . Any other items you would like to cover?

 In order to keep Association Croquet flourishing clubs should continue to encourage new members to join in as many ways as possible.

I believe that Association Croquet should receive a lot more publicity from the press than it does.