The ENC athletics department will be holding a trial season of a new varsity sport, croquet, during the fall semester of 2015.
Tryouts plan to be held at the end of this semester. Coach Aller, the current coach of ENC’s men’s basketball team, has accepted the position of head coach of the croquet program.
Croquet has been one of Coach Aller’s passions for years. He made the executive decision to leave men’s basketball coaching and transfer his experience to lead the new croquet team.
“I grew up playing and studying the game, and am excited to field a team that will compete to be the best,” Aller said.
Aller plans to begin recruiting immediately to field the most fit croquet team. He hopes to encourage those students who have already expressed interest in joining the fledgling team.
Juniors Eric Lynch and David Eddings have already begun the process of trying out for the team.
“Hitting that little ball with that wooden stick has been my passion for years now. I have fun playing basketball, but nothing beats the thrill of croquet. Every kid dreams about being a world class croquet player,” said Lynch.
Eddings had similar sentiments about the sport, and recognized the strength and determination needed to excel at croquet.
“I will bring passion, determination, and precision to the team. I may not be the best but I will work hard. Croquet takes athleticism and if I push myself I feel I can have a huge impact on the team,” Eddings said.
Though historically ignored, croquet has begun growing in popularity in recent years. Coach Aller hopes that the team will garner immense support from the student body.
“One thing that can greatly help our team in the beginning is the support of the fans. If they show up to the matches and are loud and excited we can have something special here. I believe that we can compete for championships right away because we have the desire to be great,” Aller said.
If you have any interest in joining the team, contact Athletic Director Nancy Detwiler or Coach Aller.