Exploring the World of Croquet: A Game of Strategy, Inclusion, and Fun at Bonita Bay Club

Have you ever been intrigued by the sport of croquet? Picture yourself engaging in a strategic game that is inclusive, accessible, and suitable for all ages. This episode invites you into the world of croquet with fascinating insights from devoted enthusiasts. Paula Scheb, director of sports, introduces Michael Kolowich, a club member, and Sherif Abdelwahab, a professional croquet player. Hear Michael's captivating journey from a curious observer to a passionate player and get a glimpse into Sherif's successful career and the sport's rising popularity among the youth.

As we journey further, we shed light on the humble teaching style of our croquet coach, Sherif, and the influential role of Rich Dell in introducing Sherif to our club. Experience the camaraderie and friendship on the croquet lawns and the welcoming community at the Bonita Bay Club. We assure you it's not just about hitting balls through hoops but a game that encourages strategic thinking, inclusion, and, most importantly, fun. So, why not venture into croquet? After all, you never know where hitting a ball with a mallet could lead you.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:02

Wow, it doesn't happen just every day that you're sitting at a table with two really great people. I'm here with Michael Koloich, who is a member and has been playing croquet about 14 months. Is that right, Michael?

Speaker 2 0:14

That's correct.

Speaker 1 0:15

Cool. And then we're going to move on to our head croquet professional, trief Abdullawahab, and I always have a stutter in there and this time was no different. So I always told Trief I had to practice his name for a couple of months because it spells easier than it says. So Trief's been with us this is his second season and, wow, has he turned croquet around for us and we wanted to get Trief's perspective on croquet and croquet at Benita Bay Club and also get Michael's perspective on it and how we can get more members even interested in it. So, michael, talk to us a little bit about how you got interested in croquet.

Speaker 2 0:55

Well, thanks very much for having me. I've been a member, as you said, for two and a half years and while I was on the golf wait list and making my way through the progression, I wanted to find more ways to utilize the club's facilities. I certainly pickleball and the lifestyle center, but I was intrigued by what all these people were doing in whites on this big croquet lawn. So I decided to check out croquet and I was intrigued to learn that we had a 19-time national champion as our croquet pro. So I said, ok, well, if I'm going to learn this game from scratch, I might as well learn from the best. So I took it up and I've been playing at least three or four times a week ever since.

Speaker 1 1:51

Well, you've led me into a really important question, because Cherif's titles are so many and so long and so great and impressive that we really don't have time in this podcast to cover them all. But he does come off a successful summer. And, cherif, you want to talk to our members a little bit about what you've done.

Speaker 3 2:11

Yes, paula, I really appreciate the opportunity for you to invite me to come back again this season and it's an honor and I'm enjoying every second of it from last year and hopefully we'll continue success this year. Yes, yeah, just, I work as a croquet director in North Carolina in the mountains, and after the season's over I was able to travel to Egypt to play in Egyptian Open, then travel to Australia to play in the World Champion, but before that I successfully won my 21st National Champion and, yeah, we finished second in the doubles, but you know.

Speaker 3 3:02

But in the singles you can say it yes, yes, it's getting Harder as I grow, you know, in age. I'm lucky to have the that, that number of tournaments to one, and so settle the hanging in there with the young, upcoming Good talent of the American players, yeah, so well, I think that's a testament, don't you Michael to croquet in and of itself, because clearly he's playing people that are 30 or 35 years younger.

Speaker 1 3:41

Right, yes, yes, yes so you know, here he is at. You know the young age of 62, but competing against all of those, which gives everybody hope that this Sport is good for all ages, all genders. You can be competitive, no matter what. Have you found that to be true?

Speaker 2 3:59

Absolutely I. You know that one of the things that's attractive to me is that long after I will be playing golf, I think I'll be playing croquet, because, you know, this is the kind of sport that you can actually be competitive in and in fact I've competed against people in their 90s. But also, you know, I bring my, my 20-something kids out here and they pick it up. They really enjoy it and when they come back down here they want to play croquet. So it really is for all ages and Even though we, you know, do have some men's days and some women's days, a lot of the fiercest competition Is actually mixed courts. So men and women competing really on an equal, equal basis.

Speaker 1 4:53

That's exciting to hear.

Speaker 3 4:56

Also this, the game of croquet or the sport of croquet, not just for the older age. So when you finish golf, you cannot walk anymore. Then you can come and try croquet. No, that's not true. What's happening right now around the world is the younger players taking over. So, yes, you can play it up to Older age, but the fact is lots of new players, younger generation, they play the game.

Speaker 2 5:24

So it's not just it's age neutral, basically one of the things I'd note is that you know, a lot of people think of croquet as the game that they grew up playing in the backyard. You know, putting nine wickets out and and a couple of posts and things like that. This is not that game. This is played on a laser-leveled, putting green-like surface and, you know, very carefully measured out and the game is actually very strategic and there are a couple of different variations, specifically three different variations of the game that are played in the United States, two of which we play here at Benita Bay, that require a lot of thinking, a lot of strategy, a lot of teamwork and you know it's very much a thinking person's game as well as a game of skill.

Speaker 1 6:23

I tell people we have this beautiful lit croquet lawn, so do whatever else you want to do during the day and come out around three or four and when you're you know you feel like, well, I'll go home and sit in a recliner and watch some TV. Well, gee whiz, croquet offers a whole new sport that you can really enjoy, kind of like bridge, but outside you can talk strategy, you can't do anything, strategy you can't, and bridge so it becomes so you'll, but you're also using your mind so much and you're breathing fresh air. So I know I've left at night. Sometimes, sharif, and you've been hitting croquet balls at eight, thirty and nine o'clock at night.

Speaker 3 7:06

Yes, yes, don't give them the idea to come down at night. I need my practice time. No, no, it's true, we also. We have the twilight croquet that we do, so wine and wicket or seven swing. That's from four to six, so it's a little bit later on in the day, which is the weather is way, way better than being in the morning and night.

Speaker 1 7:32

And weren't you telling me it was crazy, but it was the first sip and swings that you ran this past Sunday and you had an introductory class beforehand and there were a lot of new players out there.

Speaker 3 7:45

Last Sunday we had 12 brand new players. The Sunday before we had 10. It's very good numbers, so they come in, so it's a very good sign and we need more.

Speaker 1 7:59

You know what's interesting, though, and sure if you and I've spent some time talking about it and Michael epitomizes it, but when people really enjoy the sport what you saw and you told me this was true when you first started people just came out on Sundays and rarely ever made their own game.

Speaker 1 8:17

Yes but now They've become hooked, and I spoke to a member yesterday and she was playing four times a week and was even looking to play more. And I think you're really saying that too, aren't you, michael? You started off Maybe a one time a weaker, and then just keep growing it.

Speaker 2 8:34

No, exactly. I mean there are organized games. So there's a men's day on on Tuesday morning, there's a women's day on Wednesdays, there is mixed competition on Fridays, but then there are email chains and text chains of people who are saying, okay, let's, you know, let's go out and play. We have an intra club, a competitive league that gets organized in January and already the teams are starting to, you know, form up and and talk about practice and strategy and things like that, and it's you know, I've met a whole lot of new people at the club through the game. It's it's a very, very social game and it really, you know, works for getting to meet new people and get to know them if I may, it's not just social.

Speaker 3 9:32

Right now we have some of our players it's start to play in the competition of the United States Crookie Association. Last year we held the district championship and it was very successful and we have members that traveled to Egypt to play. So the members taking it outside of the gate. So we're not just playing for social, but some of other our players are really taking it to the next level to go compete nationally and internationally too.

Speaker 2 10:02

Absolutely a lot of the members. Some are in North Carolina in the mountains and and play there. I'm in Vermont myself. There isn't a whole lot of croquet in my part of Vermont but I traveled to Maine for a tournament up near Bar Harbor. I was going to be going to the Marion Cricket Club, which is the famed place just outside of Philadelphia, but a monsoon canceled that that tournament. But this summer I hope to play in Watch Hill, rhode Island and and a number of other tournaments.

Speaker 3 10:39

Yeah, and I understand you went to the school in Westbound Beach to for the American rules too.

Speaker 2 10:44

Yeah, yeah, there's. There's a National croquet center in West Palm Beach that has 12 croquet courts, full-size croquet courts, and Quite an active program over there where they teach a lot of strategy and and technique. But you know, we've got an awfully good coach right here in Benita Bay and I still have a lot to learn from you.

Speaker 1 11:15

I think that speaks volumes for what Sharif has done for this croquet program, michael, and you've been a witness to it. But I can remember years ago, four or five years ago, when the croquet lawn Was a linear lawn on the back end of Creekside and then we built the lawn and then, you know, we tried to make it work and tried to make something happen and we had some success. But the light turned on very brightly when Sharif joined us last year and he would always say to me once a week or so Hola, this is growing, just you wait, it's happening, it's happening. And he was so right. And and again, I think, sharif, what's been great is You've paid attention to the social player and you've paid attention to the competitive player, so you've let people decide their path and it's just taken off.

Speaker 3 12:12

We are really the lucky ones to discover croquet. Let's say this way, you know if we stumble on it somehow in our lives and it's been a blast, and I hope some others will take the chance to come down and give the try and I promise them they won't be disappointed.

Speaker 1 12:31

And I think again from a tennis teaching perspective. Lots of times and, michael, you've taken lessons in different sports lots of times there might be an ego involved with the professional, especially if they're number one in the in the country and In top five and two and one in the world. Tell me how. That just does not describe Sharif.

Speaker 2 12:54

No, definitely not. You know, sharif in many ways, is a humble man who Is so comfortable teaching newbies At the sport. You know, as I say, I didn't know much about about croquet when we first encountered Sharif, and you know he coached me. You know, just like he might have coached Somebody who's been playing for years and years and years, and I've seen that too, because there are people here at the club who have been playing for years, who are quite sophisticated. He's also introduced us to, you know, a couple of different variations on the sport and I, you know, really hope that we we get into it a little bit more this year.

Speaker 2 13:42

The predominant game that's played here is called golf croquet, and it's it's one where people compete with each other, either in doubles or in singles, and chase four balls around around the the court and the first one, through a wicket, scores that point, and, and you progress from there and you play to to seven. There's a another variation of the game, which is a little bit more traditional, called american six wicket very strategic game, I think of it. As. As to golf croquet, like chess, is to checkers and, and, and this is, you know, a, a game that I'm really interested in in learning more about. That's what I went to With ncc to to learn, and that's one where you know I'll look at youtube videos of sharif playing it and and and I'm just blown away by how he treats both the strategy and the technique.

Speaker 3 14:51

Yes, the game of golf croquet is very simple, very easy. You can learn it right, right on the fly 15 minutes, and you're gonna be expert at it not really, but you can learn it right away and you can have a game After 10 15 minutes. American rules is a more complicated game, takes Learning curve and it takes a lot of time to understand the ins and outs. So we've taken on with golf croquet, which is actually right now is number one around the world. I mean, if it wasn't for golf croquet, the croquet will die, basically because clubs are recruiting players and it's very simple.

Speaker 1 15:39

Yeah, well, it's interesting to me because when we started with our croquet lawn, we were One of the only, and now we play in this interclub with about seven other clubs and People are putting in croquet lawns. It's gotten to be a very popular sport. Similar to what you said, michael, about everybody playing in north carolina, but People now are just enjoying the sport for the sport. Yet we're the only one that has a head croquet professional and certainly no one has a stature that shreef has. We're very lucky.

Speaker 3 16:14

Oh, thanks, paula. Yes, but the Tendency now, as they see over here what's happening, I think they are talking to other pros to come down and To be involved in naples area. Yes, we have about eight teams or eight country clubs that they have their own program and it's growing. So whoever have one court now they build in the second. If they have half, half size court, they build in bigger and it's just progressing in the in the area.

Speaker 1 16:45

It's really nice to see and you know, I've talked to so many golf members and members that play tennis and members that play pickle and it really seems to me that croquet doesn't play favorites to anybody. Nobody has a heads up or a leg up in learning this sport. It's everybody starts on equal ground.

Speaker 3 17:03

Absolutely yes, it's a brand new sport for us and you come in and you can improve dramatically. I mean as soon as you step on the court. It's going to show if you have the talent or not. You know, but most likely it is very simple game that you can learn right on the fly.

Speaker 2 17:22

It's also improved my putting. Oh, that's the biggest plug ever.

Speaker 3 17:27

I think we'll get a thousand golf members.

Speaker 1 17:31

Yeah Well, I'll tell you anything else you all would like to add as we kind of begin to wind down this podcast.

Speaker 3 17:40

No, I'm just very, extremely happy to be back home and thanks to you, paula and just looking forward to see more members taking advantage of the great facility that we have. And just give it a try and you'll like it.

Speaker 1 17:57

You know, one thing you mentioned, sharif and I thought it earlier and got sidelined is we are so fortunate that Rich Dell and his wife Corky got to meet you, sharif, and certainly said your name for years before. I think it was a team of folks helped get you here. But Rich is no longer with us, but we think of him as we go on to that croquet lawn and everybody still speaks of him. Anything you'd like to say about Rich and Corky?

Speaker 3 18:31

Rich was a great friend and actually a couple of years ago I saw him with the Bonita Bay logo and he told me yes, we play in Bonita Bay and I just never heard of it before. That's the only thing that I have really regret that I did not meet Rich here on the croquet lawns. He went through tough time and he's lost five, six months of his life and I was really every single day we were in contact and I wanted to so bad. I wanted him to be with us and he, even in the darkest hour. He just taught me how we look at life. You know, he's never gave up and he always looking for the bright side and I just so sad to lose him. Really, that's my only regret not to be with Rich over here.

Speaker 1 19:33

Yes, but we feel very fortunate that Rich knew you and really helped get you here.

Speaker 3 19:40

If it wasn't for Rich, I won't be here. Yes, thank you, rich.

Speaker 2 19:46

So the only other thing I would say in response to your question is that this is a game, as Sharif said, that you can pick up in 15 minutes and start to enjoy it. Unlike almost any other sport here, you can really get into it, enjoy it, and I would really recommend that people come out on Sunday afternoon before the sip and swing for one of these beginner clinics, because you'll learn a new game, you'll meet new friends and become part of a great community Absolutely.

Speaker 1 20:31

I guess that's a wrap and we hope to see you on the Croquet lawn.

Speaker 3 20:34

Thank you Boa, thank you Michael.