MCA Frequently Asked Questions
GETTING STARTED
Where can I play?
To date, the MCA has primarily focused on play in and around the Kansas City metro area. A list of clubs and contacts is available on the clubs page.
MEMBERSHIP
What do I have to do to become an MCA member?
Playing in any MCA event comes with the benefits of MCA membership.
TOURNAMENTS
I can't make that tournament date. Can you change it so I can play?
The MCA will not modify the schedule to accommodate personal player requests. Only the weather or issues with the venue contract can change the dates of an event.
I have a place to be at 5:00 p.m. Can you speed up the event so I can make it to my event? No
I have to leave in the afternoon and may not be able to play in all of the scheduled games. Can I still enter the event?
Play on a full day. The MCA does not accept entries from players that cannot play in the full event.
The event doesn't have times listed yet. What time will the tournament start and end?
For the dates indicated, the event could start as early as 7:00 a.m. and end as late as 11:00 p.m. for venues with lights. In practice, the MCA strives to have 8:30 start times and ideally conclude by 5:00 p.m. However, the event will go as late as needed relative to court space. In general, the MCA strives to have tournament schedules online by Wednesday evening before the event.
Do I need to mail a check for my entry?
Currently, the MCA handles entry payment the morning of the event during registration. Registration generally opens 45 minutes prior to the start time. Cash or check. No credit card payment at this time.
NINE WICKET SERIES (9WS) FORMAT
Why wasn't I invited to the Pro tournament at the MCA Championship?
You must qualify for the MCA Championship by finishing the 9WS regular season in the top eight (2017) in each division. In addition to tournament fee discounts throughout the season, another benefit of Basic MCA membership and above is that qualified members play for free in the MCA Championship. If a non-member qualifies, they can play in the event by joining as a basic member or above.
If you miss a tournament, it pretty much knocks you out of the points race. Can't we do a points race that uses average score or a best-of-X games average of some sort?
The MCA 9WS Points Races are intended to encourage players to play in as many events as possible and reward the player that plays the best over the course of that schedule. It is a season-long battle of skill and attrition. An average score or best "X" number of scores category would be a fun new category to track. The USCA offers a popular version of that format called the USCA Grand Prix.
However, the MCA 9WS Championship Trophies and points races will be based on total points in all events played per division.
Why can't we use wins to determine the points race?
That would be a fine way to run a season-long race. However, in the spirit of developing players to play top-level croquet, we want to develop players that can finish games. Therefore, utilizing points scored increases the value of wins and provides a direct incentive for players to improve break play. It also provides more variation in the race scoring and decreases the possibility of a tie.
Why don't you use net points?
That's another interesting stat that would be okay. However, again we are encouraging players to finish games. There is a big difference between a 10-9 game and a 30-29 game. In the first scenario, those players are learning skills that would be valuable in first or second flight USCA rules. The second score indicates players that are more likely to finish games. Which is a required skill to rise to national-level play.