Coaching

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www.croquet.org.uk/?Service=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

Find a Coaching Course

Find A Coaching Course

AC Coaching Resources

Association Croquet Coaching Manual - Beginners (2025) is ideal for coaching AC beginners and for coaching GC players approaching AC for the first time.
Introducing Association Croquet - Manual for Coaches (2022) is now in its second edition, revised and extended, and retitled Association Croquet Coaching Manual - Beginners (see above).
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

Short Croquet 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 CqE Graded Coach

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.

CqE Policy for Academies and Centres of Excellence

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.