New Zealand Gateball – A Sparking Success

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Maggi Williams

Gateball is off to a roaring start in New Zealand. The first New Zealand International Gateball Tournament was held in Takapuna, Auckland, in February. Seven teams, from Japan, Australia and New Zealand participated in the event.

The tournament was buzzing from start to finish. Youngsters were on fire showing off their talents, with Japanese experts critiquing players’ touching, sliding and sparking.

New Zealand’s premier Black Sparks team placed 4^th overall in Saturday’s Teams event; a great result.

Sunday’s Doubles event was won by two Japanese teams, with an Australian team placing third.Director of Gateball New Zealand,

Sherrill Dennerly, was beaming with the result. “The weekend was a great success! It was great exposure for the growth of gateball in New Zealand.”

Teams Event:

1^st Place: Japan
2^nd Place: Australia
3^rd Place: Japan
4^th Place: New Zealand

Doubles Event:

1^st Place: Japan
2^nd Place: Japan
3^rd Place: Australia
4^th Place: New Zealand

Full results can be viewed at Gateball Scores

All players are encouraged to try gateball. Gateball is played on Sundays in Takapuna, with a venue in Epsom opening later this year. No invitation is necessary to attend Sunday games.

For more information, contact:
Sherrill Dennerly
Director, Gateball NZ

Ph. 09 3769445
gateball.nz
facebook.com/gateballnewzealand

Representing Australia at the WGU Championships in Brazil 2018

Posted on February 27, 2017 by John Park

In early December 2016, the ACA Board approved changes to the selection policy for gateball teams wishing to represent Australia. The selection event will continue to be the Australian Gateball Championships (AGC) preceding the WGU Championships.

On entry forms for the AGC individuals indicate if they wish to be considered for selection in club teams

Highly ranked teams at the AGC will be able to select players for their team from their own own club and other players who have indicated that they wish to be selected.

A link to this policy is yet to be posted on the ACA website, in the interim, a copy has been appended below:

Selection policy for the Australian squad at World and Asian Gateball Championships

Purpose of the selection policy

The World Gateball Championship (WGC) is the premier worldwide gateball event held every four years. The Asian Gateball Championships (AsGC) is held in a cycle two years after the WGC. Both events are attended by 96 teams from World Gateball Union (WGU) members and associate member countries. As a member of the WGU, Australia is invited to participate in both competitions. WGU members are asked, prior to the events, to bid for the number of teams they wish to enter. Responses are then analysed by the WGU, and members are allocated their number of teams. Members that bid for up to five teams are generally allocated that number. Historically, Australia has fielded less than five teams. In 2010, five Australian teams participated.
Unlike world championship events in other sports, such as cricket, where the best players from within each country are selected to form one team, the WGC and AsGC is more in the format of a club championship.
More Australian gateball players may wish to participate than places are available for future events. Gateball Australia therefore needs to maintain a selection policy for future WGCs and AsGCs Following a consultation process, Gateball Australia has developed this selection policy. It resembles the method Japan uses to select its teams for WGCs.

Selection

The Australian Gateball Championship (AGC) is Australia’s premier gateball event, held every two years. The AGC in the year before the respective WGC or AsGC will act as a selection trial for the corresponding AsGC or WGC.
Australian clubs, and preformed composite teams are eligible to enter the AGC. When entering the tournament, Clubs will indicate on the team entry form that they wish to be considered for WGC or AsGC selection. For composite teams, the club with the greatest numbers of individuals who wish to play in the WGC or AsGC takes the lead and identifes on the entry form that the club wishes to coordinate a team for the WGC or AsGC. If a club is selected, and does not have a full team wishing to travel to the WGC or AsGC, it will be expected to select other players from a pool of individuals who have indicated that they wish to participate. This selection and negotiation process will take place during and immediately after the AGC.
Individuals, from any team, will also be asked to indicate on the entry form for the AGC, if they wish to be considered for selection in their own or another club’s team.
Should the WGU or AsGU call for a bid for team numbers prior to the close of nominations for the AGC, Australia would bid for a fixed number of 6 teams.
Australia may bid for the maximum number of teams that can be formed from the number of players who nominate, should this be less than 6.
Australia may not be allocated its full bid of teams to represent her. If this occurs, the final ranking of teams from the AGC will be used to determine the order that teams will be automatically selected to represent Australia. For example, if Australia is allocated five teams to represent her, the top five ranked Australians teams will be invited to represent her at the WGC or AsGC, with the first ranked team being given the first offer of selection and so on.
The ranking of team success in the AGC will be: winner, runner up, semi finalist (if applicable), quarter finalist (if applicable), highest position in the group stage through to lowest position in the group stage, calculated according to tournament rules. If there are teams tied in any of these spots (for example two teams that both finish second in their respective group), highest winning percentage, then highest net point differential will be calculated. If it remains a tie, a coin toss will decide.
Teams and individuals will be given a short period of time to commit fully to participating in the WGC or AsGC.
The maximum number of Australian teams to be formed from individuals who have nominated for selection, will be determined by identifying how many teams of 5 or 6 can be formed from the nominees.
As soon as possible after the AGC, selected teams will be expected to complete their teams by selecting from the individuals who have nominated. Clubs should select individual players according to demonstrated skills and proximity (to enable practice.) Players from the succesful club should also need to be in agreement that the individuals selected would be compatible with team dynamics.
Any individual who cannot attend the AGC but who may wish to be considered for selection should request the National Coordinator, through their club’s gateball contact, to be excused from this requirement. An exemption will be granted on the grounds of ill health, family or work commitments.

Eligibility

All players who are part of a nominated team will need to be an Australian resident affiliated with the Australian Croquet Association (ACA). As a minimum standard, players must be able to complete the ACA’s GB Basic Skills Card successfully.
Should a nominated Club team be successful in being selected for the WGC or AsGC, it will be the Club that is selected. It will be up to the Club to determine the composition of the team for the WGC or AsGC, according to the guidance given above. Clubs need to be aware that their selections may need to be justified.

Should more than one team from the same Club be successful in being selected, the Club will have to fill those teams for the WGC. It will also be up to the Club to determine the composition of those teams.

Notification of selections and any changes, including evidence that clause 13 has been complied with, will need to be provided to the National Gateball Director.
International teams and players are eligible to participate in the AGC, but they would not be eligible for selection as an Australian team for the WGC or AsGC

Referees

19 Australia can also nominate teams of referees to participate in AsGC and the WGC. Referees who participate in the WGC or AsGC need to be certified as international referees, according to WGU and ACA processes. The experience gained assists in maintaining and developing standards of Australian refereeing. It is envisaged that, whenever possible, Australia will encourage one team of 3 or 4 referees to participate. The National Coordinator will appoint one of the International Referees to oversee the selection and training of this team of International Referees

Endorsement

20. The ACA Executive will endorse both the selection as properly constituted and selected Australian teams, assuming that the selections are made according to this procedure.

Review

18 This selection procedure will be reviewed following the 2018 WGC.

John Park
National Gateball Coordinator
November 2016
info@gateball.com.au

Approved by the the ACA Board, 5^th December, 2015

Referee Re-accreditation

Posted on February 13, 2017 by John Park

State Coordinators are currently putting together their lists of gateball referees who have re-accredited during 2016. The list of gateball referees on this website will be updated accordingly.

To bring gateball into line with ACA referees in other codes of mallet sports, all referees have been asked to complete the Australian Sports Commission’s online ” Introductory Level Officiating General Principles Course.” In addition, referees need to show that they are keeping up to date with the current rules and their interpretation. Review of performance is also an important element of the updated process.

The ASC course sets a minimum standard for all sports involved in the National Officiating Accreditation Scheme (NOAS.) The ACA needs to meet these standards in order to obtain full recognition by the ASC.

Current referees in NSW and Queenland should have handed their completed 2016 cards to their state coordinators of gateball. Victorian referees have a deadline at the end of April. Anyone who has been unable to do this, is urged to complete the online course and other requirements as soon as possible.

Re-accreditation cards for 2017 have been mailed to state coordinators for distribution or can be downloaded from this website. Go to “Officiating, Rules and Refereeing” under the “About gateball” tab for links to all cards and information.

Hot Stuff in Lithgow

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Maggi Williams

Lithgow’s second gateball tournament certainly smashed a few records. We found ourselves facing a weekend predicted to be the hottest since New South Wales records began, with high winds and fire danger to add to the mix. These extreme conditions needed extreme solutions to ensure the tournament could go ahead, while keeping all players safe and providing a good competition.

So we set out to be flexible and ready to change the plans as required. Teams were allowed to field less than 5 players if anyone needed a rest and competing teams decided the length of breaks between games. Play finished at lunchtime. Spray bottles provided some added relief from the heat and the lawn watering system was turned on from time to time.

We welcomed 4 teams: Jamberoo, Newcastle, Epstars and Youngroos, not forgetting our regular guest David from Queensland. Lithgow fielded two teams, with the weather-related names of Thunder and Lightning.

A round robin team competition over the two days replaced the original plan for team games, plus doubles and triples running simultaneously. And a third court was used this time on the adjacent sports field (courtesy of Lithgow City Council). The council has been very supportive of the Croquet Club and we were delighted to welcome the mayor, Cr Stephen Lesslie, who opened the tournament and struck a ball through the traditional ‘ceremonial gate’.

After day 1, scores were very close and the winners weren’t decided until the very last game on Sunday between Jamberoo and Lithgow Lightning. Out on the sports field in scorching heat and high winds, the teams battled until Lithgow Lightning edged in front and won the day.

We would like to thank all the players who braved the very exceptional conditions and played with gusto and good humour to make the competition such a success.

Full scores can be viewed on gateballscores.com