The Narrogin Croquet Club celebrates centenary with past and present members from all across the State

Statewide croquet lovers and international-level players assembled at the Narrogin Croquet Club to celebrate 100 years of mallets and tongs in the town. The Sunday celebration marked the exact date the Narrogin Croquet Club formed in 1924 with about 80 attendees enjoying morning tea, a game of croquet, and lunch at the clubhouse. Speeches by Narrogin Croquet Club life member Dorothy Andrews and previous member Lyn de Gruchy shared memories, and club developments over the decades while recognising the dedicated volunteers and players who have kept the club alive. The pavilion was decorated with past Observer articles, championships and photos that showcased the original clubhouse, now Narrogin’s Earl Street Surgery. Narrogin Croquet Club president Jill Nottle said the centenary event was perfect and the support was unmatched. “It’s amazing, we tend to forget it’s been so long,” Nottle said. “One of the greens is almost the original green and to think that it is 100 years and when they started they were dirt fields. “To see past and present members and members from other clubs come to celebrate with us was an experience in itself. “And we’ve been so supported by members in other clubs.” Narrogin Croquet Club secretary Deborah Hughes-Owens said a century was worth commemorating. “If any sporting club survives 100 years it is something to be celebrated,” Hughes-Owen said. “It is a reason to acknowledge everybody’s hard work keeping the club going. “The sport has dipped in popularity and participants at various stages, it got down to six members, but it only takes one or two dynamite people to get out there and bring their friends along to introduce others to the sport.” The club currently has about 40 members, and Hughes-Owens said regular visitors from Dunsborough, Busselton, Williams, and Katanning play at the club. Shes said the club’s developments had helped croquet continue in Narrogin. “We look back at the old photographs and there is a little tiny clubhouse — it has grown dramatically,” Hughes-Owens said. “There are lights on the three courts now so we can play into the evening and hold our croquet challenge, and three courts enable us to have a competition. “The new club pavilion provides the opportunity for people to gather and we can have various events.”