NEWSLETTER - December 2019
Welcome to the latest newsletter from Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club and a particular welcome to the many new faces who have recently joined us.
Christmas closure – Just losing the one weekend, we are CLOSED on Fri Dec 27th and Sat Dec 28th.
Our last session before Christmas will be on Saturday 21st Dec. Then we have a break between Christmas & the New Year before returning on Friday 3rd Jan & Saturday 4th Jan 2020. Enjoy your Christmas & New Year!
South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League
Excellent performances have come from nearly all 13 of our teams playing in the local League, with several teams in strong positions in their divisions as we break from league matches for the start of the Challenge Cup.
Division One – With 4 teams in the top flight this year, and there only being 9 teams in the Division, we are hoping to put up a good show. NA Batmen have just knocked NA Buzzards off the top of the table and have yet to lose a match and the Buzzards, in the runners up spot, have only lost once and that was narrowly to the Batmen. NA Eagles, who have recruited well, sit in fourth place with the Condors in sixth. Newton Abbot TTC dominate the averages, with no less than six players in the top ten. The Condors’ Mark Burridge remains unbeaten at the top with Shaun Gibbs and Nick Halse just behind having dropped just the one set. Dennis Gibbs, Luke Bennett and Kevin Nicholls all have averages over 70% and feature in the top ten.
Division Two – Differing fortunes for our Division Two sides. NA Falcons, led by Mike Dummett this season, are sitting on the top of the table having won all of their games to date. The Hawks lie in 7th and are competing very well with many close encounters. The Kestrels who like the Hawks have moved up a division have struggled to play well together on the same night and currently sit on the bottom. The Falcons’ Ed Crawford leads the averages having lost just the one set, Chris Baron and Ben Swettenham also appear in the top ten.
Division Three – It’s really tight at the top of the third division, with our young NA Owls competing well with three other strong sides. The Owls are currently third but lie just three points off the top. Similarly to the second division our Harriers and Kites, who moved up, are just looking to consolidate in the higher division. The Harriers currently in sixth place are competing really well, but our Kites who are struggling to get teams out each week are in ninth. We could do with another player for the Kites if anyone knows of anybody. NA Owl’s juniors, Josh Redfern and Rowan Bayliss are going well in the averages.
Division Four – With a large influx of new players to the League, the fourth division is a bit of a lottery, with quite a few players probably playing in the wrong division, which has made it a tough start for our teams. Our young Osprey’s side, led by Benj Pead this season, are currently fourth, with our Vultures and Merlins sitting sixth and seventh. The Osprey’s Henry Greet and Benj Pead along with Jasem Abu Ali and Eve James feature in the averages top ten. There have been some fine performances from others new to league table tennis, particularly Michael Bow, Sue Upsdale and Ethan Lee.
Challenge Handicap Team Singles Cup – It was a good start for a number of our teams in the first round of the Challenge Cup. NA Owls were the only team to knock out a team from a higher division. NA Harriers were leading at the halfway stage against the holders of the cup for the last three years, Torbay Academy 1, but just lost out in the end. There were comfortable wins for NA Falcons, NA Eagles and NA Kestrels. NA Condors were pushed close by NA Ospreys but were able to stay in front to progress to round two. With the Kites, Vultures & Hawks still to play their first round matches we should have a number of our teams progressing to round two.
South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League – Early Season Tournament, 3rd Nov, Torbay Leisure Centre
Good representation from our club at the South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League’s Early Season Tournament. Newton Abbot players in all of the finals.
In the main event, the Collins handicap singles cup, NA Buzzards, Nick Halse, couldn’t quite pull in the 4 point start that Torbay Academy’s Lucas Bradshaw was given, losing out 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11 in an excellent open, hard hitting final.
The Collins cup plate final was won by NA Eagles Dan Webster-Hall who beat Brixham’s Chris Dunn 11-8, 12-10, 11-6.
The handicap doubles final was an all Newton Abbot affair, NA Kestrel’s Bruce Freeman playing alongside NA Owl’s Matt Cyron defeating NA Eagle’s Jim McIvor and NA Vulture’s Eve James 11-3, 12-10, 11-6.
Three Newton Abbot players reached the last four or the Excell hard bat event. Buzzards pair Kevin Nicholls & Nick Halse were pitched against each other in one semi-final, Kevin winning 21-18 in the deciding leg. While Dan Webster-Hall, having an excellent day, beat the Academy’s Matt Frettsome. So a repeat of last year’s final but a different result as this time round Dan got the better of Kevin winning 15-21, 21-16, 21-15.
The hard bat heroes winner was Matt Cyron, NA Owls, who defeated Kevin Payne, NA Kites 21-16, 21-15 in the final.
Well done to all who took part in an excellent, enjoyable days Table Tennis. Special thanks to Sonja Ryland for taking on most of the organising and awarding the trophies, and the movers & shifters who set up the venue and packed away while I watched!!
HELP! – I do need to mention my back problem as it looks like it’s going to be a long time before I can be shifting tables around again. So can teams please arrive in plenty of time to set up your table for league matches. The table should be ready for practice at 18:45 to allow for a punctual 19:00 start. We can start putting tables up from 18:15. Any extra help from others would also be most welcome to help set up early Friday nights and dismantle on Saturday morning.
Club Sessions – These remain extremely popular, particularly on Friday nights, and together with the League matches being played in the Dance Studio we regularly have over 40 players enjoying their table tennis at Teign School on Fridays. Saturdays are a bit quieter, but with a good recent influx of newcomers this session is now getting very popular again.
Give it a go, for free – Come and join us, we are particularly keen to encourage beginners, ladies and those just wishing to get more active, at our Saturday morning sessions from 9.00 – 12.00. See who you can bring along! Remember your first trial session is free.
Table Tennis Bats– we have found a good supplier of quality rubbers and blades from China, making new bats and replacement rubbers far more affordable, ie blades from £12 each and rubbers from £5 each. Have a chat with Tony and maybe have a go with some of the bats he has made up.
Facebook – Check out our Facebook page for weekly updates on how our teams are progressing in the League. Please feel free to contribute items and photos.
Club Kit – Hoodies, T Shirts and match shirts make great Christmas presents! They are available to all (not just league players) the kit comes printed with your name, team name and club name. Unfortunately, our supplier, Clothing Your Way in Paignton, have increased the cost substantially for the coming season Hoodies £20.50, Match Shirts £14.00 and performance T Shirts £11.00 or £40 for all three. It is still however, a very good price for quality items individually printed.
Non-League Players - Whilst a great deal of this newsletter is focused on the League season and players, I would like to assure all those not playing in the League this season that the club remains just as committed to you. Providing opportunities for anyone to play and improve is just as important to this club, and if you have any suggestions on improving club sessions for those not in the League, please let us know.
Codes of Practice – I would like to draw your attention to our Codes of Practice which can be found under ‘INFORMATION’ on our website. These have been in place from when the club was formed in 2014. It is all common sense but it has been necessary to refer to them recently, I recommend everyone reads ‘the Code of Conduct for members’ and abides by them. Our club puts participation and enjoyment as the club’s ethos. Please don’t spoil others enjoyment of our sport by making winning your only goal at the expense of our ethos.
https://www.tabletennis365.com/NewtonAbbot/Pages/NATTC_Code_of_Practice_for_Members
And Finally – The Buzzards have had their wings clipped! With Jon moving away and my mobility problems Buzzards events have been dramatically reduced. We did get together to see Exeter City lose their first match of the season against Grimsby. We have had a couple of film nights and hot tub sessions, seen a Simon & Garfunkel tribute and had a meal at the Cockhaven Arms where Jon joined us. Our annual jaunt for a mid-week break in this country had to be cancelled due to my lack of mobility, so we missed out on Corfe Castle. We will be back!!
A link to this newsletter is sent to all those players who have attended our practice sessions at Teign School in the last few months. If you do not wish to be included on my circulation list please let me know. tonyhalse@hotmail.com
Link to South Devon & Torbay Website for all fixtures and results in the local League: www.tabletennis365.com/southdevonandtorbay
