The Broadwas European Golf Croquet Club League team flies off to the Czech Republic tomorrow, to compete for the first time in an international tournament.
After months of preparation, captain Stuart Smith, Ian Dampney, Billy Nicholson and Jon Carrington are heading off to Telč for the two-day tournament, during which they will face teams from Spain, Germany and the host nation.
There are six other heats in the competition this year, taking place in Spain, Latvia, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and England.
Other English teams in the competition are Bromley, Dulwich, Roehampton, Reigate, Sussex and Ealing, which hosted the English heat in May.
The Broadwas team will be battling hard to reach the Grand Final of the tournament, to be held in Madrid over three days in October.
The team had its last practise session together on home ground on Monday afternoon. At the end of the two-hour-long session, club members joined the Broadwas squad at the pavilion, in order to wish them well on their trip.
Ian Dampney is quietly confident about the team’s prospects in the competition. “We’ve got a good chance” he told me. His only reservation was about getting enough practise in on the unfamiliar Telč lawns before the tournament begins. “There’ll be twenty people practising on two lawns!”
I asked Billy Nicholson what he was most looking forward to. “The whole experience,” said Billy. “Just the whole business of being in a European championship. It really is a bit of prestige.”
Billy was also looking forward to taking the opportunity of visiting Vienna, a city he has never visited before.
While the team is practising in Telč, Billy’s wife Jill, Ian’s wife Jan and Stuart’s wife Jill will be touring Vienna, joining their playing husbands during the weekend. Meanwhile, Jon’s wife Elizabeth will be staying at home with their daughter Xanthe.
When I asked Jon Carrington what aspect of the forthcoming tournament he was looking forward to, his answer was concise. “Winning it,” he said with a smile.
“The Czech team have got slightly better dynamic grades than us, but we’ve got a fair chance.”
I asked if Jon felt that his successes in the national ‘B’ and ‘C’ Level competitions would be an advantage. “Entirely,” he said.
“That makes you believe that you can beat people who are a better act than you. Everyone can have an off day. The more competitions you play, the more you learn. On your day, you can beat anyone.”
“I’m going into this with the hope of winning so that we can go to Spain.”
I asked Stuart, the team captain, what he felt the club’s chances of success were in the European competition.
“On the rankings, we are about par with Telč. We’re ahead of the Spanish and the Germans,” said Stuart.
“Though it might come down to local lawns” Stuart laughed. “If it was here, we’d really favour our chances. At Telč the lawns are good and flat, but there are only two of them, so we’ll be double-banking the entire time.”
“What are our chances? Good. Excellent. We’re going to go for it! We’re going with high hopes!”
Although the trip has largely been financed by the players themselves, Club President John Steel said that two generous local businesses have helped sponsor the team.
The Bell public house at Lower Broadheath, well known to members who enjoy its hospitality at John’s winter breakfasts, has generously donated to the team’s trip. G.S.Customs Car and body Shop based in Lightwood Lane, Cotheridge, is a business well known for its care for its customers, particularly the elderly, and it too, has generously donated to funding the team’s trip.
Many thanks to the Bell and GS Customs Car, for their support of the team.
Addressing the squad and members who toasted to the team’s departure and success in the tournament, John Steel said “Being selected by Croquet England to send a team of four to represent England is a tremendous achievement for the club and Broadwas village. A team from Broadwas won the national Murphy cup in 2009 and 2010.”
“Stuart and Ian have been Broadwas Croquet club members for fifteen years, Billy ten years and Jon two years.”
“Thanks must go to our coaches and handicappers who help and guide members to play well and enjoy the game at Broadwas.”
“Thanks must also go to the lawn maintenance teams who weekly prepare the five lawns to a high standard to ensure our members can play on some of the most challenging lawns in the country. Playing on the sloping Broadwas lawns is a vital skill to have when playing around the English clubs and may be very useful in Europe.”
Best of luck lads. We’re sure you’ll do us proud!
Paul Felton