Surbiton Croquet Club Beginners' Coaching, Lesson 3 Introduction to Association Croquet Aim:
to build upon the introduction to Association Croquet made in Lesson 2 by teaching the full
range of croquet shots.
Session 1 (30 mins): Straight croquet shots Introduce roquet, croquet continuation by reference back to Lesson 1
Demonstrate full drive croquet, stop-shot and roll; pupils mark distances for each ball
with bisques
Explain ratio depends on shaft, hands, follow-through
Explain faults
Apply (without casting) in pairs 6 yds apart, croquet to one another as drive, stop
and roll
Repeat over 10 and 15 yds.
Session 2 (30 mins): Split croquet shots Introduce as a way to get 2 balls to different targets, refer to thin & thick
take-offs
Demonstrate as drive split to approach hoop, run and then make roquet
Explain aiming at mid-point between target positions, weight of hit, pull and
faults
Explain and check pupil understanding of aligning contact line, the importance of
contact, aiming into contact ball, ball must move, the weight of shot and gaining
extra shots.
Apply in pairs with a coach, standing in triangle 2 yds apart; each pupil in turn
splits one ball to the coach and the second to the partner; reverse the balls to
practice strikers ball being on different sides of the ball being croquetted.
Repeat with each pupil following roquet, split, hoop run, roquet sequence.
Mid Session break (10 mins)
Session 3 (30 mins) Applying croquet shots to 1-Ball Association Croquet Introduce 2-ball break on magnetic board by starting from boundary with rush and
asking pupils to define next shot
Demonstrate the first few shots on the half-lawn
Apply through coached games of 1-ball.
Session 4 (20 mins) Refereed 1-Ball games
Select pairs of similar ability
Use bisques only to compensate for large differences in ability
Play to time limit.
Introduce next lesson: it will build upon this one by introducing four-ball short croquet