The 2017 MCA Annual General Meeting was hosted on Saturday, February 18, 2017, by Greg and Jodi Adams in North Kansas City in a private room at the local Pizza Shoppe. The meeting highlighted another record year for revenue and membership. Total membership reached 79 members in 2016 thanks to the re-working of the MCA agreement with the Mahaffie Farmstead on the annual Sunflower Wickets Benefit that now counts each of the players in the event as one-day license members.

On the financial side, revenue is now 10 times the amount generated in 2012 and the big growth for 2016 was centered on the continuing success of the Premium Membership that includes the MCA jerseys.

In other news, there were changes to membership of the MCA board. Bill Berg’s two-year term ended, but he declined to seek another term, while Ron Millican was also up for re-election. We had two new candidates interested in board positions -- Justin Marciniak and Darin Watson. MCA President Dylan Goodwin recruited both citing their media/writing skills and the fact that both were already working indirectly and directly to promote the MCA.

With two up for the position and one slot to fill, Greg Clouse graciously offered to step down from the board and the end result was the addition of Marciniak and Watson and Millican remained on the board. Jodi Adams and Goodwin make up the the final positions of the board.

FEE CHANGES FOR 2017
The MCA will hold basic annual membership fees at $30 for singles and $45 for families, while the premium membership will move from $85 to $95. Balancing that out though, extra jerseys for premium memberships will be reduced from $45 to $40. The MCA will increase the base tournament fee structure by moving to a recommended $20 for members and $30 for non-members. As a result of that recommended increase, the MCA is introducing a new $2 fee for each member to accompany the existing one-day $5 fee for non-MCA members (unchanged) that tournament hosts pay to the MCA. Assuming there is a Bronze Division, those entries would remain at $10 and the MCA does not take a fee from the Bronze entries.

PREMIUM JERSEY CHANGE
For 2017, participants at the AGM favored having their name on the jersey instead of a ranking number by a margin of 8-1. That initiative will move forward, but premium members will have the option to get their ranking number on the sleeve above the corporate logo.

MARKETING THE MCA
Other notes included a desire to ensure that we are marketing to all of the known players that play in events like the Kansas City Invitational from the area. The MCA does mail out to that group for the first event of the year, but can consider additional mailings throughout the year.

There was also a suggestion that the MCA set up a Facebook page so members can promote and share events. It was noted that the MCA Facebook page is the Kansas City Croquet Club Facebook page and all events are posted there and can and should be liked and shared by all members. In addition, all articles and announcements from the MCA website can and should be shared by members on Facebook (or Twitter). This is a key component to our marketing initiative. The MCA used the Kansas City Croquet Club for its Facebook presence because at the time of launch the USCA Midwest Region had an active Facebook page. The board will consider whether or not it should proceed with a true Midwest Croquet Association Facebook page. It should be noted that the MCA also has active Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Goodwin also noted that there are more marketing and partnership opportunities than the MCA has the capacity to support. He indicated that the board would have to evolve to address those needs and while we should advance on the marketing front, we have to ensure the product we offer is top notch.

BUILDING COURTS
Goodwin presented a concept based on land for sale in Martin City that would be suitable for an immediate two-court launch, with enough room to expand to four courts. The property is near 135th and Holmes and within walking distance to the Martin City Brewing Company and Jess & Jim's Steakhouse. Based on the financial realities and challenges of managing a facility the group indicated a preference to partner with a city or golf club instead. Goodwin will consider pursuing the project on his own.

Matt Griffith said that he is considering a second court at Kactus Creek Croquet Club, but wanted to know if the MCA would lend support to the development of a court. Goodwin indicated that the MCA would seriously consider offering financial support, but it was a new concept and would have to be mapped out. He said we definitely need a multi-court facility in Kansas City, and it would be good to solve that for the north part of the city. However, the MCA would still need to develop a multi-court facility in the southern sector of the city as well to ensure long-term success for the sport in Kansas City.

EQUIPMENT
The MCA board was asked to look at having fins (or wings) attached to the new set of stainless steel wickets. The board will look into it, but it was noted that the MCA only owns one set of those three sets of stainless steel wickets. The group did not express interest in purchasing other equipment for 2017.

ORGANIZATION
The topic of forming as a non-profit group was re-visited and several participants indicated that it was premature for the MCA to go through the work of becoming a non-profit. The Board has been asked to look at other alternatives, including liability insurance for events.

NINE WICKET NATIONALS
USCA Midwest Regional VP Matt Griffith spoke about the USCA’s 2017 9W National Championship that is planned for the Kansas City area for September 22-24, 2017. The venue agreement has not yet been finalized, but if the target is secured, there will be a need for sponsorship and Griffith indicated it will take strong sponsorship to make the event viable. MCA President Dylan Goodwin said the MCA would support the event with equipment and potentially a partial sponsorship. He also indicated that his Croquet Network site and the Kansas City Croquet Club would consider sponsorship as well, but first, he would work directly with Griffith to target and attract sponsors for the event.

2017 SCHEDULE
The Missouri Open is still under discussion for a date in late June or early July, but the rest of the MCA Nine Wicket Series schedule shapes up like this:

05/06: Lee’s Summit T-Bone (9WS)
07/29: KC Open (9WS)
07/30: KC Open (9WS)
09/16: MCA 6B Championship (9W)
09/17: MCA 9WS Championship (9WS)

The full area schedule with some events tentative, shapes up like this:

04/21: Tulsa AC Invitational (AC)
04/22: Tulsa AC Invitational (AC)
04/23: Tulsa AC Invitational (AC)
05/06: Lee’s Summit T-Bone (9WS)
06/02: Sunflower Wickets Benefit (GC)
07/29: KC Open (9WS)
07/30: KC Open (9WS)
AUG: States Shield (GC) Could shift to July
09/16: MCA 6B Championship (9W)
09/17: MCA 9WS Championship (9WS)
09/22: USCA Nine-Wicket Nationals (9W)
09/23: USCA Nine-Wicket Nationals (9W)
09/24: USCA Nine-Wicket Nationals (9W)
11/10: 2017 President’s Awards/Town Hall
01/28: 2018 MCA Annual General Meeting (East)