Profile - Alan Sands

Background:

I was born in Tamworth, NSW in 1955, studied in Canberra and moved to Western Australia in 1985.

Occupation:

I manage a region that includes the Perth metropolitan area and the hinterland within 120 km for the Department of Environment and Conservation in Western Australia.

Home Club:

I have been a member of the Como Croquet Club since moving from Manjimup to Perth in 1989.

Administrative position:

Currently I am a National Selector and within Western Australia I have held positions on Management Committees for approximately 12 years including a term as President.

My involvement in administration and management is due to my belief that we all need to contribute in some way - and if I can see where assistance can be given, or  where improvements can made to the operations, governance and development of our sport, then I should put my money where my mouth is.

In the future, I would like to get more involved in administration, particularly through development and coaching, as I believe great opportunities exist in this area to welcome more people to croquet and to enhance their learning and enjoyment once they take the first step and try the game.

How and when did I start to play croquet:

I have been playing croquet for over 20 years since learning (or should I say being introduced) to croquet in Newcastle in approximately 1983.  In much of the early time I played infrequently and had some substantial periods of living in a croquet-free zone but by about 1995 I became more actively involved in the sport.

Initially, I tried croquet as I was seeking a sport that was not reliant on suitable weather conditions and began playing at the Association for Better Hearing Croquet Club at Newcastle (the National Park Croquet Club didn't exist at that time).  There were seven members and only one who could hear as the Club had been established as an outlet for people with hearing difficulties to learn and use lip-reading in a sporting/social context.  I convinced the other three members of our house to also join the Club, so with the seven existing members, we rapidly grew to a club of 11.  Learning the game through communication based on lip-reading was an interesting experience but led by coach, Edith Broderick, and supported by reference books including Tollemache, Miller and Thorp and Ross we were able to gain sufficient knowledge and skill to enjoy the game at a rudimentary level.

About a year later, I left Newcastle to travel around Australia for 12 months.  While visiting Adelaide I happened to be walking past Hutt Road courts and dropped in to watch a game.  Shortly after I was introduced to Tom and Jean Armstrong and enjoyed four or five days being coached on the newly-constructed Marion Croquet Club. What a treat for a raw beginner!

Over the years I have been blessed with great friendships with Tom and Jean and much of my croquet life is due, like so many others, to their passion, sharing and commitment to croquet.

What keeps me playing:

It is hard to accurately attribute why I continue to play.  I guess it's a combination of wanting to play the perfect game, seeing how well I can play, continual learning through both tactics and techniques, the competition, the joy when it all goes well, the pain of a blobbed hoop etc - but in the end it comes down to my belief that it is simply a fantastic game.

Other sports:

Like many people, I have dabbled with many sports; hockey and Australian Rules being exceptions.  I enjoyed the adrenalin rush of skiing, parachuting and body surfing, but my early sporting passions were rugby union and middle distance running.

Preferred grip:

Currently I play with a Solomon grip following conversion from a standard grip in about 2002.  I changed to Solomon in an attempt to deliver a more consistently straight swing and thereby better roquets.  The outcome, I believe, was an improvement but I still have a suite of errors in my stroke (or head) that I can draw on to miss roquets!

Mallet:

My mallet is a custom-made Dawson and followed a secondhand Bedford mallet I bought in Newcastle in 1983.  Made of jarrah, it weighs 3lb 4oz and has a 12" head.  In reality, the only valid reason I can present for my choice of mallet is - I like it.  Also, I'm a tad sentimental and have developed an attachment to it and so probably won't change until it breaks.

Croquet balls:

I would like to be able to say that my skills are sufficient to claim that one particular ball is better than another.  The reality is that the error factor in my shots far outweighs any variance contributable to the balls.  Having said that, I do like the Dawson Internationals and as far as I can determine, they are reliable - and round.

Most significant accomplishment to date:

It is hard to define what I consider the most significant accomplishment of my croquet career.  Highlights include playing in World Championships; playing in the Australian A team; partnering Marty Clarke in many doubles matches, playing in 12 or so Armstrong Trophies, but I think being a member of the Western Australian team for 12 years rates as my best achievement. 

I also highly value the opportunity I had to be President of the West Australian Croquet Association.

My ultimate goal is to play for Australia in a winning MacRobertson Shield team.  This is still in the bag of dreams but I will pursue it when my other commitments ease off.  For this year, my plans are to play high quality croquet in the Nationals and Eire Cup in Brisbane and to contribute to support roles such as being a Selector in a positive and constructive way.

Favourite venue:

Playing croquet at any Club where the members have dedicated time and effort to provide competitors with the best possible venue and conditions is a privilege.  I recall being candid in my displeasure with a particular lawn at one venue and I seriously upset my hosts through my criticism.  A lesson learnt!  Notwithstanding the comment above, high quality, even-speed flat lawns are a treat to play on and so the lawns at Hurlingham in England remain a special memory.

Most memorable characters in croquet:

Again, an interesting question - and due to the laws of libel and common good manners, I refrain from specifically naming the most memorable character.  The game is riddled with the antics, quirks and foibles of its characters and I hope that continues to be the case - and how much richer is croquet for its characters?

Change:

I'd like us to be able to harness the energy that is fruitlessly spent on internal friction and upsets and redirect it into recruitment, development and the overall enhancement of our sport.

What laws would I change:

I would introduce a rule that would result in a fault being committed if the ball was touched or moved whilst casting in critical situations - but the question then arises 'What is a critical situation and who makes the determination?'.

General Comment

I would like to acknowledge all the people in the croquet community who have contributed to the enjoyment I get from the game.  Some have become special friends, some great rivals, others admired characters and even legends; and one a life partner.

Croquet is great and it is worth working hard to ensure that we maintain and develop our sporting community.