Coaching
Ruth Raunkiaer
Coaching Committee Chair
Coaching is at the heart of developing, sustaining and increasing participation in croquet. Croquet England is committed to a coaching programme that trains and develops excellent coaches who can provide a wide range of coaching to players of all levels throughout the country.
Please click on one of the blue headings below to get straight to what you need.
Good luck and enjoy your coaching!
Ruth Raunkiaer
AC Coaching Resources
- Introducing Association Croquet - Manual for Coaches (2022) is ideal for coaching beginners
- AC Coaching Manual (2006) is still useful when coaching more experienced players (improvers, Bronze, Silver, Gold).
- Practice Routines for AC Beginners
- Strokes Crib - pocket-reference card for coaches
- Croquet Skills Tests and Croquet Skills Tests Record Card
- AC Topics - a grouping of intermediate and advanced level coaching topics
- For tactics for beginners to experts, see Oxford Croquet
- Tactics for low handicap and expert players
- AC Laws Quiz
GC Coaching Resources
General Coaching Resources
- See the Player Support page
- The shop supplies books and DVDs
- AC: Laws, refereeing, handicapping, rankings
- GC: Rules, refereeing, handicapping, rankings
- Your Federation Coaching Officer's role explained
- Understand the lingo with our Jargon-Buster for AC and GC
- A guide to behaviour and etiquette
- Read details of Croquet England's insurance coverage for Coaches
- Table Top Lawn (croquet lawn diagram for printing)
Advanced AC Coaching Resources
Recognising and rewarding success
- Coaching for young players: Mentoring Scheme and Bursary Scheme
- Coaching for players aspiring to International standard: AC Development Squad and GC Development Squad
- Awards to encourage players developing their skills: Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum Merit Awards
- Awards you can win as a coach: Coach of the Year Award and Lifetime Coaching Award
Become a Club-Level Coach
- Become a coach or upgrade your coaching qualification
- Framework for Croquet England coaching qualifications
- About Club-Level Coaches
- How to complete your Club-Level Coach qualification
- Club-Level Coach Pre-course Study Pack
- Coaching Children Safely
- Code of Conduct for Coaches
- About Federation Coaching Officers
- About the Coaching Committee
- Proposal form for Club-Level Coach status
- Guidance for coaches on insurance
Become a CqE Graded Coach
- Upgrade your coaching qualification
- Framework for Croquet England coaching qualifications
- About Graded Coaches
- About Examining Coaches
- Coaching Children Safely
- Code of Conduct for Coaches
- About Federation Coaching Officers
- About the Coaching Committee
- Proposal form for Graded Coach status
- Proposal form for Examining Coach status
- Guidance for coaches on insurance
The Croquet England coaching structure
All Graded Coach appointments are made by the Coaching Committee following a formal recommendation, and will be for either an AC Coaching qualification or a GC Coaching qualification as appropriate. In each case, only Croquet England subscribers are eligible to be entered into the Croquet England Coach register of coaches and to wear the appropriate coaches' badge.
Association Croquet Graded Coaches Qualification Criteria
Prospective AC Graded Coaches should meet the criteria shown below for each Grade. A prospective higher-grade coach is not required to hold the lower qualification. The Framework for Croquet England Coaching Qualifications sets out the criteria in more detail.
Grade 1:
have, or have held at one time, a handicap of 12 or below
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won an AC Bronze Merit Award
be able to demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the Laws of Association Croquet
Grade 2:
have, or have held at one time, a handicap of 6 or below
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won an AC Silver Merit Award
be able to demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the Association Croquet Laws to Assistant Referee standard
Grade 3:
have, or have held at one time, a handicap of 0 or below
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won an AC Gold Merit Award
have an AC Referee's qualification.
Golf Croquet Graded Coaches Qualification Criteria
Prospective GC Graded Coaches should meet the criteria shown below for each Grade. A prospective higher-grade coach is not required to hold the lower qualification. The Framework for Croquet England Coaching Qualifications sets out the criteria in more detail.
Grade 1:
have, or have held at one time, a handicap of 6 or below
be playing at B-class level or better
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won a GC Bronze Merit Award
be able to demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the Rules of Golf Croquet
Grade 2:
have, or have held at one time, a handicap of 3 or below
have experience of playing at A/B-class level or better
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won a GC Silver Merit Award
be able to demonstrate a sound working knowledge of the Golf Croquet Rules
Grade 3:
have, or have held at one time, a minus handicap
have experience of playing at A-class level
be able to demonstrate appropriate technical knowledge, coaching ability, and skill level by for example having won a GC Gold Merit Award
have a GC Referee's qualification.
Interested in Becoming a Coach?
Here are Five Great Reasons to Do It
- You stay involved with the game you love, the friendships and the fun
- It's a great way to give something back to the community and the sport
- You can inspire new players to the game - perhaps, the next generation of players
- You will develop personally - and so will your game
- Keeps you fit, keeps you thinking, keeps you learning!
220
Croquet
Clubs
Interested in trying croquet? Every one of the 220 Croquet Clubs in the country offers taster sessions and coaching for beginners. Find your local club and call them - you can be sure of a warm welcome!
200
Club-Level Coaches
More than 200 accredited Club-Level Coaches are ready to coach beginners and improving players in their clubs throughout the country.
200
Graded Coaches
200 qualified Graded Coaches are ready to coach players at all levels of ability - from refreshing and consolidating the basics right on through to international standard. Just ask!
20
Examining Coaches
Our 20 Examining Coaches coach the coaches by running initial courses to train new Club-Level Coaches. They also take a lead in developing Graded Coaches and recommending them for appointment.
50
Coaching Courses
Coaching Academies offer a wide range of coaching courses for players of all abilities. Development Pods operate locally, as do coaching initiatives at Federation level.
9
regional Coaching Officers
Each region of the country has a Federation Coaching Officer who seeks to ensure their region's coaching needs are met. Need some help or advice - give your Federation Coaching Officer a call!
2
Young
Player Schemes
The Mentoring Scheme seeks to help under-25s to benefit from the experience of leading players. The Bursary Scheme provides financial support for young aspiring international players.
2
International Opportunities
The AC Development Squad and GC Development Squad are for improving players who have international potential.
2
Awards
for
Coaches
These prestigious awards recognise outstanding coaches. Each year Croquet England honours a Coach of the Year, and occasionally bestows a Lifetime Coaching Award.
8
Player
Merit
Awards
The Merit Awards recognise players developing their skills to ever-higher levels. The scheme covers achievements. in both GC and AC and players may apply for Awards in both.
2
Player Performance Awards
The Most Improved Player Awards recognise players whose tournament play shows the most striking handicap improvement. The Silver Medal Scheme recognises players who enter the highest echelons of the game.