CROQUET NEWS:  Against All Odds

22 April 2005
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, USA
story by Martha Thorn in Trident
photo by Gary Pierpoint

The midshipmen of Navy's croquet team think they can whip St. John's this year. Disregard the fact that Navy has won the rivalry only four times in 22 years. It doesn't matter that the odds might be stacked against them. The team is far from giving up. In fact, they plan to come out swinging Saturday.

The Naval Academy Croquet Team is competitive enough to place first in golf croquet at the nationals and second in six wicket croquet. St. John's College took first in six wicket.

"The St. John's students don't play golf croquet," said team captain Adam Todd by way of explaining how the team captured the one victory.

The national [intercollegiate] croquet competition was held recently at the Easton Country Club in Easton, Md. Georgetown University, St. John's College, the College of William and Mary, and Navy competed in the national competition.

Traditionally, the national competition and a match against the Ginger Cove Retirement Community serve as a warm up for the real competition. That's the annual nine wicket match against St. John's College.

Last year and this year, however, the Ginger Cove game has been rained out, so the Navy team has gone straight from the nationals to their contest with the St. John's students.

That game is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. The location is St. John's lawn. In case of inclement weather, the match will be held Sunday at the same time.

As Todd talks about the upcoming game, he emphasizes experience, skill, strategy and putting everything together to play competitively.

Up until last year, the croquet team had consisted of all first class midshipmen except for one second class midshipman. The second class midshipman would become team captain and choose the team for the following year.

However, the 2003-2004 team broke with tradition to include seven underclassmen instead of just one. This year, under Todd's leadership, two plebes have even joined the ranks of the academy's croquet players.

Those seven returning players form the core of the 16-member team. "They are teaching the nine new players about the game," Todd said. "They have a better handle on the game and are a lot more competitive."

Todd uses the word, "competitive," often. "We have a really competitive nature," he says, referring to the midshipmen. "We want to win, and we want to do our best to perform well."

The first class midshipmen believe that by putting plebes on the team, they are leaving a "four year legacy." They anticipate that the plebes will play croquet every year of their four years at the academy.

"By the time, they're firsties, it should be a tight race," Todd said.

This year the team hasn't had much of a chance to sharpen their croquet skill. "I'd like to say we practiced everyday, but drill and intramurals take up much of our time," Todd said. "Then, on the days we can practice, it usually rains or snows."

Caught between bad weather and other obligations, the team is just a little envious of the St. John's students. "They just have to worry about the bad weather and their classes," Todd said.

Nevertheless, the Navy team does have a few things going for them. "We're a tight knit group," Todd said. The team works together to succeed in sports and drill. They also support each other in croquet.

In the past, the midshipmen have worn what they called "crazy ties." This year's midshipmen call them "power ties." Whatever their label, they are a tad unusual. One is adorned with hippos. Another is covered with green and blue checkers. Still another tie sports a bunch of Skittles.

"It's for fun," Todd said, "something besides the basic black tie, something with a little more zest."

Midn. 1/C Spencer Weber is one of the new members on the team. "I did pretty well in tryouts," he said. "Now I'm learning from the people who've been on the team longer than I have."

Can this year's croquet team win? Midn. 1/C Peter Joukov thinks so. "We can do it," he exhorts. "Two of our teams beat two of their top teams at the nationals, so we can do it."

This is Joukov's second year on the team, so he's built up some confidence in his croquet abilities. His roommate, Midn. 1/C Troy Hokanson, is a new member, and he's not so sure of the outcome.

"There's a lot more to it than the backyard game of croquet that we played as I was growing up," he said. "A lot of people don't realize how involved it is."

"It's like a physical game of chess," Todd chimed in.

"A workout for the brain," Hokanson further clarified.

"It's a social event too," he added. "It's an event where everyone can have a good time."

This year's team roster includes Midns. 1/C Adam Todd, Peter Joukov, Alex Plumer, T.J. Smiley, Troy Hokanson, Spencer Weber and Alexander Emmert and Midns. 2/C Dustin Wood, Bill Mohr, Pete Daderko and Eric Watt and Midns. 3/C Michelle Matthews, Mark Daniel and Brad Roby and Midns. 4/C Joseph Monteon and Bryan Carlson.