Bay students pleased to discover croquet

Dylan Payne.

The Kerikeri Croquet Club hosted 10 students from Bay of Islands College as part of a Croquet New Zealand initiative designed to encourage secondary school students to try their hand at the game.

Kerikeri croquet spokesperson Gaye Fletcher said the group featured a number of students who apparently weren't too keen on sport in general.

However, they all entered into the spirit of the occasion and that made the venture worthwhile.

Fletcher said the students used different grips on the mallet, with each finding their favourite.

They must have enjoyed the experience because the same 10 students returned for another crack at it three weeks later.

Their teacher in charge, Lynda Scott, hopes to include croquet in the curriculum in the near future and is now keen to set up a croquet green at the college.

"They all plan to return before Christmas to show us how much they have improved and also to have a challenge match against club members," Fletcher said. "Judging from some of the shots seen at the croquet grounds, they are going to be a force to be reckoned with."

Fletcher added the local members were looking forward to the students' return and thanked Scott for bringing them north to try out a new sport.

Similar have-a-go days were also held at the Kaitaia and Whangarei Croquet Clubs recently.