NATIONAL CROQUET MUSEUM

Sherif Abdelwahab is one of the most well-known and talented croquet players in the United States. He does it all: Golf Croquet, American Rules and Association ... and he does it exceptionally well. While he has long been a GC expert and champion, he has found a way to master whatever version of the game was thrown his way. His titles, within both the US and abroad, speak for themselves. And yet, while titles alone are enough to prove why he deserves to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it is his personal attitude and assistance he offers others must really be celebrated as well. His sportsmanship has been an example all might strive to match. His support of the USCA, his promotion of croquet in general and, perhaps most importantly, his willingness to help any player on court or answer any questions asked at any venue, all without any thought of payment or personal reciprocation, speaks volumes of his character. It is rare to find someone who loves the game so passionately and wishes to share that love with the world. His accomplishments are impressive and we especially celebrate his spirit.

Abdelwahab was born in Alexandria, Egypt, where he graduated from Al-azhar University with a degree in accounting. He has been playing golf croquet, with great success, since the age of 10. When he moved to Newport, R.I., in 1987, he discovered the American Rules game being played at the Tennis Hall of Fame. As he learned American Rules, in turn, he introduced the game of golf croquet (GC). In a sense, he was the “father” of that now popular game in the US. He went on to become the most accomplished GC player in USCA Nationals history, winning every USCA Golf Croquet Nationals Doubles title since 2012, with a number of different partners including Ben Rothman, David Maloof, Stephen Morgan and Blake Fields, who was only 11 years old when they won in 2018. Abdelwahab expresses great appreciation to those partners. He won the USCA GC Nationals Singles title in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Between 1999 and 2019, he was runner-up in 12 other Nationals in which he faced off with such heavyweights as Rothman, Randy Cardo, Mohammad Kamal, Leo McBride and Chester Drake. He comes third on the list of the most accomplished GC players in the United States after Rothman and Jeff Soo.

In addition to his GC success, Abdelwahab has enjoyed two USCA Association Laws Nationals Doubles titles in 2014 and 2019 (with Paul Bennett and Stephen Morgan, respectively). In the USCA American Rules Nationals, he won the singles title in 2017 and doubles title in 2019 with partner Morgan. And finally, to put an exclamation point on 2019, he won the USCA American Rules Nationals Doubles, Association Laws Nationals Doubles and Golf Croquet Nationals singles and doubles. Wow! His accomplishments are even more notable because they include national championships in all three major forms of croquet.

Internationally, Abdelwahab has represented the US team in 10 GC World Championships, two Association Laws Worlds and one GC “Over 50” tournament. He has also been a member of three US teams at the GC World Team Championship. He notes that one of his most memorable experiences was when he was selected to represent the best of the world teams with croquet legends such as Reg Bamford and Robert Fulford playing against Egypt. They prevailed and this was the first time the Egyptians suffered a loss on the world stage. He is proud to have been selected as US team captain several times and having played in the Solomon Trophy competition. Recently, he was the flag holder in the 2019 Worlds in England. With more than 700 GC games under his belt, Abdelwahab is the most active croquet player nationally. He also traveled in support of the US women’s team in New Zealand in 2019.

Clearly Abdelwahab has immense talent on the croquet lawn, as well as being a consummate gentleman and great ambassador for our sport. A mentor and great role model, he carries himself with great dignity and integrity. Always outgoing, he acknowledges and encourages all players in his universe. He is quick to offer support, suggestions or pointers to those who seek it and has a smile and friendly word for everyone. He continues to be a key figure in the mountains of North Carolina. He conducted many exhibitions and lessons there to assist Gene Young in his early efforts to popularize GC ... with great success.

He has been an advocate for the Newport Croquet Club at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. (his home club), where he is the croquet teaching professional. In 2018, he was instrumental in bringing the USCA Northeast Regional back there after many years of its absence. That same year he was also honored by the USCA as Professional of the Year.

As his admirers will attest, Sherif Abdelwahab is a force of nature on the croquet lawns. He can play for eight hours in a tournament and still go out on the lawn to hit balls until dark. He can hit a croquet ball harder and faster than any of the rest of us, once topping 35 mph on a radar gun. He is immensely skilled and lives to play and promote the sport. Abdelwahab is indeed deserving of being inducted in 2020 to the United States Croquet Hall of Fame.