Simon came as an exchange student from Quebec, Canada to Waitaki Boy's High School in 2009. An able sportsman, with his main sport being boxing, he is always open to new opportunities. When he heard that (golf) croquet was being offered, he thought he would go and see what this new game was like. This was in October - he found he liked it and by November he was asking his coach to teach him how to play another version of the game he had seen called association croquet. He adapted to this so quickly that his coach decided he could enter the Arthur Ross tournament as an Affilliated School Competitor. The problem was what should his handicap be? He had never played a tournament game before. In any case his handicap was reduced after he won his Regional final. He then entered the Croquet South Canterbury 18-24 Championship and won the event as well as the Solomon Cup for the biggest break in his division - 9, achieved twice. His handicap was then further reduced to bring him into the next grade but he had so impressed at the tournament that he was immediatley selected to represent South Canterbury in his new grade in the South Island Teams Tournament. He won three out of four games in this tournament, losing the fourth game by just one point. Then it was off to Wellington and the Arthur Ross Final, which he won in a thrilling final.
Although Simon has a marked preference for association croquet, he showed his skills in golf croquet by winning the South Canterbury intermediate silver badge, and representing South Canterbury in its annual tournament against Otago.
It was getting close to his return home, and Simon was wondering about his croquet future. He need not have worried! He was invited to play in CroqCan, Canada's national tournament. He was entered in the Intermediate division, and won convincingly. We have not heard the last of Simon, and his progress will be eagerly followed, not the least by members of the Awamoa club in Oamaru where Simon practised.
Article by Brian Monckton who was also Simon's coach.
News Flash: Simon has just completed his second tournament back in Canada. The tournament the Aboyne Open, (July 24-26) at Elora near Toronto was for 24 players and included some from Australia and the USA.
Peter Westaway reports
" Simon gobsmacked the competition for the first two days, beating -3, -2.5,-2 handicappers as well as lessor lights such as myself (26-10), and was the undisputed star of the show. He went 7-0 in the round robin, beating battled scarred, experienced competition players."
Simon lost to Louis Nel (.5) in the semi final and beat Paul Emmett (-1) [the second time] for third place.
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