Croquet Australia: SA SCHOOL AND DISABLD CROQUET

(from the December 2007edition of the ACA Magazine)

Jane Eckert

8 years ago SA was introduced to Aussie School Croquet. A great, new game. Quick to learn, with a lot of the basic elements of Assoc., Croquet.

My husband Glen, and I Janet Eckert, attended the initial meeting, and we very taken with this new concept of teaching children. I contacted a few schools in our area; no success and then a secondary college approached me and wanted sessions at Broadview Croquet club for year 9 students. This college has since continued with this program over the past 8 years. The last 3 years they have brought back students in yr. 11 and we teach them what I call "Progress ional Croquet", introducing 2 ball strokes into the Aussie game and after 10 weeks they are able to play a basic game. The students find this extension of the game very interesting and their play has improved with the extra challenges.

Over the years Glen and I have traveled around the state from Kimba on Eyre's Penninsula, Leigh Creek in the Nth Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, and the middle of the Murray Mallee to East Murray Area School. These trips were funded by Croquet SA and also a Development Grant from Office of Recreation and Sport.

With a team of helpers we have visited a lot of country schools with no near Croquet club and are very pleased that a lot of these schools now have their own equipment, and our sport is a regular part of their sports programs.

Small country schools find this is an ideal game for them, as only a small team of 4 is needed, and this shows in our SAPSASA State championships. This year Blanchetown with only 23 students sent down 2 teams, and took home bronze medals. They had only 1 visit from a team and the teachers carried it on.

Many of the state clubs, both in the city and rural areas have adopted the program with Aldinga Bay south of the city, and Kadina and Wallaroo in the Copper Triangle working with the local schools, and also having very successful zone Championships in both singles and doubles play.

Through our promotions of the sport we now have10 country schools who have their own equipment. This is all locally made with clubs selling schools secondhand balls that they have no more need of.

Over the time we found the need for specialized equipment so that children in wheelchairs and others with disabilities could enjoy the game, so our special needs mallets evolved .Using an arm crutch and adding a mallet heads these have proved to be quite successful.

The need was found to extend our work into the field of disabled people of all ages. A lot of thought had to go into this as it was an entirely new area to be explored and with the help and encouragement of Office of Recreation and sport here in SA, especially the team from disabled sports committee.

I have completed a Course in Sign at Deaf SA, and now feel confident communicating with these people, at schools and social days.

Glen and I have had sessions at Murray Bridge with 3 groups. Children from the Special School, the special unit at the local Primary, and also the Day Options group in the area. These were received very well and the children especially want to carry on with the program and this is now being put into place with the local club.

This benefits the people of all ages, that we have contact with and they feel that the game gives them a chance to be a part of a general sport.

The help that has been forthcoming from our state body, Croquet SA, clubs and members has been wonderful and over the past year we have had contact with just over 7,000 people, students, teachers, disabled persons, and 128 schools. 35 of our 52 clubs are involved and we so far have 9 junior members and we are hoping that this will grow.

Next year our plans are to get our program accepted by the universities so that trainee teachers will have knowledge of our game, and be able to take it to more schools.

This is just glimpse of what we here in SA are achieving with schools and disabled community.

Article by Janet Eckert, Coordinator/Development Officer,
Junior and Disabled Sports, Croquet SA

I found this article inspirational and apologise that we did not have room to publish more of the pictures provided by Janet. Ed

	SA SCHOOL AND DISABLD CROQUET
	(from the December 2007edition of the ACA Magazine) Jane Eckert 8 years ago SA was introduced to Aussie School Croquet. A great, new game. Quick to learn, with a lot of the basic elements of Assoc., Croquet. My husband Glen, and I Janet Eckert, attended the initial meeting, and we very taken with this new concept of teaching children. I contacted a few schools in our area; no success and then a secondary college approached me and wanted sessions at Broadview Croquet club for year 9 students. This college has since continued with this program over the past 8 years. The last 3 years they have brought back students in yr. 11 and we teach them what I call "Progress ional Croquet", introducing 2 ball strokes into the Aussie game and after 10 weeks they are able to play a basic game. The students find this extension of the game very interesting and their play has improved with the extra challenges. Over the years Glen and I have traveled around the state from Kimba on Eyre's Penninsula, Leigh Creek in the Nth Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, and the middle of the Murray Mallee to East Murray Area School. These trips were funded by Croquet SA and also a Development Grant from Office of Recreation and Sport. With a team of helpers we have visited a lot of country schools with no near Croquet club and are very pleased that a lot of these schools now have their own equipment, and our sport is a regular part of their sports programs. Small country schools find this is an ideal game for them, as only a small team of 4 is needed, and this shows in our SAPSASA State championships. This year Blanchetown with only 23 students sent down 2 teams, and took home bronze medals. They had only 1 visit from a team and the teachers carried it on. Many of the state clubs, both in the city and rural areas have adopted the program with Aldinga Bay south of the city, and Kadina and Wallaroo in the Copper Triangle working with the local schools, and also having very successful zone Championships in both singles and doubles play. Through our promotions of the sport we now have10 country schools who have their own equipment. This is all locally made with clubs selling schools secondhand balls that they have no more need of. Over the time we found the need for specialized equipment so that children in wheelchairs and others with disabilities could enjoy the game, so our special needs mallets evolved .Using an arm crutch and adding a mallet heads these have proved to be quite successful. The need was found to extend our work into the field of disabled people of all ages. A lot of thought had to go into this as it was an entirely new area to be explored and with the help and encouragement of Office of Recreation and sport here in SA, especially the team from disabled sports committee. I have completed a Course in Sign at Deaf SA, and now feel confident communicating with these people, at schools and social days. Glen and I have had sessions at Murray Bridge with 3 groups. Children from the Special School, the special unit at the local Primary, and also the Day Options group in the area. These were received very well and the children especially want to carry on with the program and this is now being put into place with the local club. This benefits the people of all ages, that we have contact with and they feel that the game gives them a chance to be a part of a general sport. The help that has been forthcoming from our state body, Croquet SA, clubs and members has been wonderful and over the past year we have had contact with just over 7,000 people, students, teachers, disabled persons, and 128 schools. 35 of our 52 clubs are involved and we so far have 9 junior members and we are hoping that this will grow. Next year our plans are to get our program accepted by the universities so that trainee teachers will have knowledge of our game, and be able to take it to more schools. This is just glimpse of what we here in SA are achieving with schools and disabled community. Article by Janet Eckert, Coordinator/Development Officer, Junior and Disabled Sports, Croquet SA I found this article inspirational and apologise that we did not have room to publish more of the pictures provided by Janet. Ed