The Most Important Person in the Photo

The Most Important Person in the Photo?

The photo above was taken during a normal practice day at a local croquet club. See if you can pick the most important person.

If you picked:

1. This is the wealthiest player. He donates a lot of money to the club each year. He personally funded the remodeling of the magnificent clubhouse, but in this picture is not the most important person.

2. This is the club’s #1 volunteer. He plays in every club tournament, helps with all the club functions, makes repairs, sets hoops and cleans the clubhouse twice a week, but in this picture is not the most important person.

3. This fine upstanding lady knows the governor and the mayor and everyone else of any political, economic or social importance and is the most “connected” person in the area, but in this picture, she is not the most important person.

4. This is the club president. He keeps the club on the best path and makes sure that things in the club are running well, but in this picture is not the most important person.

5. This is the best player in the club. He has a -2.0 handicap in US play, is a member of the US international team and is also the club pro. He helps a lot of players, but in this picture is not the most important person.

6. This is the USCA president. She is a visiting dignitary at the club, manages the national croquet association and does a great job of administering and promoting the sport, but in this picture is not the most important person.

7. This person just arrived and is curious about what is going on. He is not “properly” dressed for croquet. He has just picked up a mallet for the first time in his life. He is not a club member and doesn’t know anyone at the club. He is not particularly wealthy or politically or socially connected. This is the most important person in this photo. He is the future of croquet – a new player waiting to be introduced – to the game. All other players in this photo should make sure this most important person receives full attention.

Welcome this man. Learn his name and a little about him. Invite him onto the court to look at the grass. Ease his mind about not wearing all white. Get him to hit a ball. Get him to score a hoop. Get him to play a short game. Introduce him to others at the courts. Get his contact information and invite him to come back. If you are the one to do these things, you may just be the second most important person in the picture.

–Macey White

In the photo: 1) Jim Coling 2) Roger Vorraber 3) Lee Anderson 4) Gary Anderson 5) Russ Cuccia 6) Chris Smith 7) Kevin Collins. Photo by Nancy Hart.