VaWVa Croquet Newsletter

 March 2004 - Issue 3

======================================================Virginia/West Virginia District loses its top player

We all were very saddened by the unexpected death of Wayne N. Synan, 61, of Chesterfield, Va. on December 28, 2003.  Wayne truly was a championship croquet player in many ways, Vice President of Marketing for Health Care Management Systems and a former vestry member of St. John's Episcopal Church.

He is survived by a close family that includes his wife, Scotia; his parents; two sons; two daughters; three grandchildren; a brother and a sister.

Playing at the championship level, Wayne was a two-time VaWVa State Champion, winning at Fulks Run, VA during 2002 and 2003.  Wayne also won three regional championship singles titles (Southern in 1998, Southeast in 2002 and 2003) and two in doubles (2000 with Mack Penwell; 2001 with Bill Aden).  He was a strong competitor with a soft touch on his shots and always had a pleasant smile for everyone around him. 

Here are comments made by croquet players in the guest book provided by the Richmond-Times Dispatch on their website.  They express feelings and thoughts that so many of his competitors and friends shared.

Wayne Synan Memorial Fund

A Wayne Synan Memorial Fund account has been established to fund memorials to give his friends a chance to participate in remembering Wayne.

The annual trophy for the SE Regionals singles Championship will be named the WAYNE SYNAN SE REGIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY.  Led by Jeff Soo, the SE Regional officers proposed this trophy in his memory.  Some of his friends have already agreed to help pay for this beautiful trophy.

Others who would like to contribute in memory of Wayne Synan, may do so by sending a check to the “Wayne Synan Memorial Fund”, c/o Conrad Haas, 704 Dumville Ave., Suffolk, VA 23434. 

Croquet clubs are also encouraged to remember Wayne in their own ways, i.e., like placing a plaque on a bench at their club, etc.

VaWVa Tournament Dates to remember

Mark your calendars for:

·        VaWVa State Championships (singles) – Fulks Run, Va. – May 21, 22, & 23 (See registration form on last page).  Though the deadline is Friday, May 7, why not complete and mail it in now while it is on your mind?

·        VaWVa Club Teams (doubles) – Fulks Run, VA  – July 8, 9,10, & 11.

·        CARVAs – In Virginia – October (Place and date to be determined)

For other tournament information, go to the

USCA website: http://www.croquetamerica.com/home.asp,

           North Carolina website: http://jsoo.home.mindspring.com/croquetnc/  or

           Visit our own website: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1sk5w/vawvacroquet/

Highlights of  2003

VaWVa State Championships – Fulks Run. VA  (June 6-8, 2003)

Wayne Synan won again for a second year, defeating Randy Synan 26-2 in a game featuring interesting opening play.  Ronald Turner earlier won over John Harralson 26-14 to take third place.

Bob Whitmore won the First Flight 22-21 in a hard fought match over Norman Hardee that saw both players producing excellent play.   Wayne Turner captured third place with a 26-9 win over Wayne Herkness.

Championship Flight

1. Wayne Synan
2. Randy Synan
3. Ronald Turner
4. John Harralson
5. Barry Williams
6. Garnett Turner
7. Alan Clem

First Flight

1. Bob Whitmore
2. Norman Hardee
3. Wayne Turner
4. Wayne Herkness
5. Carl Hoover
6. Conrad Haas
7. Marie Haas
8. Bob Lanham
9. David Palmer
10. Robert Lankford

CARVAs Challenge* - Etowah, NC (October 31 – November 2, 2003)

The Carolina’s now hold the beautiful wood-carved CARVAs Challenge trophy.  With the score tied at 36 matches apiece, the Carolina’s used their momentum of the last day to win the last three matches, 39-36.

The annual CARVAs Challenge has returned after a three-year absence.  This annual competition between the Carolina’s and the Virginia’s was held in North Carolina with the Etowah Valley Croquet Club being the host sight.  Earlier in the year, North Carolina district president, Danny Huneycutt and VaWVa district president, Conrad Haas with the help of people like Daley Craig and Harold Allison, decided to revive the CARVAs in addition to USCA sanctioning the tournament for the first time.  The tournament had 35 players in 75 matches, mostly doubles.  Danny Huneycutt served as tournament director.

Carolina’s team co-captains Harold Allison and Gene Young and Virginia’s co-captains Daley Craig and Conrad Haas met before each round to draw up the matches.  The Virginias team took a four-match lead on Day 1.  This held though the end of Day 2.  In Sunday’s first round, Carolina leveled out the matches with five of six wins.  The second round was tied at 36 games, leaving three singles games (one in each flight) to determine the outcome.

Carolina swept the final round, with three wins to earn the right to hold the handsome CARVAs trophy for 2004.

Top players in each flight for the two teams were:

Carolna’s           Championship Flight                   1^st Flight                        2^nd Flight

                        Danny Huneycutt (7 wins)           Chris Christian (3 wins)   Joan Allison (5 wins)

                        Bob Cherry (6 wins)                                                        Karen Christian (4 wins)

                        Paul Embry (5 wins)

Virginia’s         Travis Watson (7 wins)               Claiborne Minor (6 wins  Dorothy Craig (4 wins)

                        Wayne Synan (7 wins)               Conrad Haas (6 wins)     Betty Williams (4 wins)

                        John Harralson (5 wins)              Allen Clem (5 wins)

A side note - Did you know that the CARVAs tournament started in 1993, last being played in 1999 until the revival in 2003?  It started at Daley and Dorothy Craig’s place on the Chesapeake Bay.  Mike O’Brien and Mack Penwell were visiting from NC and John Harralson from VA with their wives.  Mack suggested they play a game matching the states against each other.  John and Daley won and that was the beginning. The next year a tournament was played in Pinehurst, NC.  Until the tie-breaker in 2003, players from the Carolina’s (North and South Carolina) won three tournaments and the Virginina’s (Virginia and West Virginia) won three.  There was a tie in 1997.

* Adapted from the North Carolina Croquet News, November 2003.

Virginia/West Virginia Newsletter and Website started in 2003

Be sure to visit our website at: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1sk5w/vawvacroquet/

Special Recognition for 2003

Deadness Boards.  As players, we keep our eye on the deadness boards (ought to) during the game and politely thank (ought to) the board keepers at the end of each game.  I’d like to recognize:

Muffy Herkness - (a former player who really knows croquet strategy) and

Scotia Synan - (an observer who truly knows what’s happening on the court much better than many of us playing).   

Many thanks, ladies for doing a particularly outstanding job in supporting our play in 2003 and past years with your conscientious board keeping.  .

Many thanks too to Scotia Synan for her work as secretary and Robert Lankford (and his lady, Sherry, in the background), as treasurer in 2003. 

Active Clubs.  We also recognize the following notable club activity in 2003. 

·        The Confederate Hills Croquet Club (Richmond) led by Urchie Ellis.  They played regularly on most Thurdays and Sundays and did great job of promoting croquet on National Croquet Day, gaining USCA recognition. 

·        Tom and Sally Williams were instrumental in bringing nationally known instructors like Archie Peck and Bob Kroger to The Country Club of Virginia Croquet (Richmond).  They also involved in getting nearly a hundred local players involved in the game of croquet.

·        The Fulks Run Croquet Club with the Turners (including Ron and Peggy) and Travis Watson, who made their beautiful courts available for the State Championships and were gracious hosts to the participants.

·        Congratulations to our newest club, Middle Peninsula Croquet Club, in Gloucester, VA whom does their able president, John Lee, lead.

Help.  We need a:

·        Vice President to help plan, backup and succeed the president;

·        Tournament Director to guide us though the State Championships, Club Teams, and CARVAs Challenge tournaments,

·        Webmaster to administer and improve the website and

·        Newsletter editor to format and improve this newsletter. 

I also have drafts of District By-Laws, Tournament Regulations and a possible mentoring program in the works for someone to help review and edit.

Will you help?  What talents and experience can you contribute, in whatever way and amount possible?  “Many hands make light work?”

Contacts.  Did you know that we have eleven croquet clubs in the district?  They range from a few to 20+ members, all at various levels of activity.  See the list below to contact them.  Perhaps you can get some intra club games going? 

Charlottesville – Heidi Sonen – phone #: 434-823-2408

Country Club of Virginia (Richmond) – Tom Williams – phone #: 804-288-2891

Crest Ridge (Mt. Jackson) – Bob Lanham – phone #: 540-856-8156

Fieldcrest (Williamsburg) – George Barnes – phone #: 757-253-2227

Great Falls (Vienna) – Carleton Ruthling – phone #: 703-759-5065

Green Gazebo Mallet Club (Alexandria) Randall Gillett – phone #: 703-7196929

Confederate Hills (Richmond) – Urchie Ellis – phone #: 804-272-5923

Westminster-Canterbury (Va. Beach) – Charles Nausbaum – phone #: 757-496-1682

Middle Peninsula (Glouster) – John Lee – phone #: 804-815-4205

Capital City (Annandale) - Randall Gillett – phone #: 703-7196929

Buckingham Court (Lewisburg, WVa) – Wayne Herkness – phone #: 304-645-1338

Resources.  Marie and I are willing to lend from our library, a number of books and videos.  We just ask that you respect the copyright law and promptly return them for use by others.  Yes, they are free and paying the postage will be nice.

Now on CD-ROM – Bob and Ted’s Croquet Strategy Books address the beginner, intermediate and advanced level. 

Available books include Bob Kroeger’s Croquet: How to Play the Perfect Game /with audiotape, his USCA Croquet Shot-Making Instruction Manual and John Riches’ Croquet Booklets (8) on international play. 

Videos include all of the Bob and Ted series and a Robert Fulford video, “The Art of the Sextuple” (International play).

We also have a 10-minute promotional video from the USCA called “Croquet: Serious Sport, Serious Fun”:  This video is an excellent introduction for you to show prospective members individually or as a group.  We have done both.

For clubs, you may find the USCA three volume series (Vol. 1: Getting Started, Vol. 2 Organizing for Success, and Vol. 3 Producing Programs and Events that Work) useful in preparing for this year’s croquet season.

Contact information is listed below.

You will also find lots of timely and useful information on the following Websites:

Our own: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1sk5w/vawvacroquet/

USCA’s: http://CroquetAmerica.com (See Overview of Croquet in America)

NC District’s: http://jsoo.home.mindspring.com/croquetnc/

One last item: Can you send me your suggestions and ideas for improving the newsletter, website and administration of district activities by whatever means is easier?

Hint: “Stuff” via e-mail or on paper is easier to keep up with.

I hope you croquet season in 2004 is filled with many thrills and much fun.

Sincerely,

Conrad Haas                                                                         Phone: 757-923-0095

704 Dumville Ave., Suffolk, VA 23434                               Cell: 757-650-6849

E-mail: ce.haas@verizon.net                                               Fax: 757-923-1014