NEWSLETTER - February 2017
CLUB SESSIONS
Fantastic numbers at all sessions since Christmas, with a good influx of newcomers. We have seen several ex-players (who had almost forgotten how to play!) and many taking it up for the first time, with an encouraging number of youngsters getting involved. Our club’s ethos is just to get folk of all ages active and if we can help them enjoy the sport and improve, so much the better. We have a good number of coaches and volunteers happy to help new players learn the game and existing players improve.
SOUTH DEVON AND TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE
Division One - NA Batmen trail in second place behind leaders Torbay Academy 1 by 10 points at the top of the First Division, while NA Buzzards are in 4th place, very credible in an exceptionally strong First Division. Newton Abbot TTC have 4 players in the top 6 of the averages: Buzzard’s Kevin Nicholls and Batmen’s Dennis Gibbs, Kelvin Cheung and Shaun Gibbs.
Kevin Nicholls (Buzzards) – 2nd in the averages
Division Two – Great effort by NA Eagles who currently share top spot with Torbay Academy 3; both are 25 points ahead of the rest of the field. It will be tough to stay there, though, as the youngsters from the Academy are improving fast. While all three Eagles - Andy Tyrrell, Jim McIvor and Ed Crawford - sit in the top 7 of the averages, the Academy have 3 players in the top 4, including the unbeaten Herbie Sage.
NA Eagles – Andy Tyrrell
Division Three - NA Hawks sit on the top of the 3rd Division table just 3 points ahead of Torbay Academy 4 and 10 points ahead of Denbury Tykes. Doug Morgan and Ben Swettenham feature in the top 5 of the averages. NA Falcons, also in the 3rd Division, have had a difficult season with severe availability issues around Christmas, but will be hoping to climb up the table in the weeks ahead. .
NA Hawks’ Ben Swettenham & David Doxsey
Division Four - NA Ospreys, sitting in 3rd place, are still in touch with the leaders and will be looking for a strong finish to challenge the two sides above them. NA Kites have had a bit of a yoyo season and currently sit in 4th place. NA Owls, currently in 6th place, beat the Kites last week and are on the up, with a game in hand. Look out for 10-year-old Rowan Bayliss, who, along with brother Dylan and Dad Rob, is improving all the time. The Ospreys’ Dale Fabian and Owl’s Travis Graham have each lost just 2 sets and sit 3rd and 4th in the averages, where Richard Salt and Robert Ferguson also feature in the top 10
Kites Richard & Kevin Salt v Owls Rowan & Rob Bayliss
Team Handicap Cups – The Ospreys, Eagles and Falcons will feature in the 2nd Round of the Challenge Team Singles Cup. The Ospreys, Eagles, Kites and Hawks are in the 2nd Round of the Dyment Doubles
A terrific season so far for the Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club, embroiled in an excellent battle with Torbay Academy for Divisional spoils. Well done!
Best of luck to all our teams and players challenging for titles at the end of the season.
LEAGUE TABLE TENNIS, IS IT FOR YOU?
For those new to the club and hoping to progress to play League table tennis, we are in mid-season at present with our 8 League teams generally having plenty of players signed on, however, occasionally teams struggle to get a side out, so please let us know if you could be available to help out, often at short notice.
League table tennis matches are all on weekday evenings Oct - Apr. A team consists of 3 players each playing 3 singles sets with 2 of the players also playing one doubles; the evening’s table tennis is usually about 3 hours long, starting at 7 o’clock. At present, most matches are on Thursdays and Fridays. All home fixtures are played on Friday nights at Teign School; other venues at present are at Torquay Academy, Brixham Community Centre, Torre, Dawlish Leisure Centre, Marldon, Denbury, Bishopsteignton, Combe Pafford School & Halwell.
While there is no cost to join Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club there are fees for League players who must join Table Tennis England (currently Seniors £12, Juniors £6) and pay team and individual League fees (currently Seniors £12, Juniors £8). In addition there is a £5 match fee payable for each home match to cover the cost of the venue. League fees are reduced if joining after the start of the season, with no League fees for temporary membership (2 matches only). These fees will be further reduced / waived if you are helping the club out at short notice and are unlikely to play very often.
POST 16 – SIXTH FORM – DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS
Torbay Table Tennis Academy, in partnership with Torquay Academy, can offer young players (Year 11) the chance to combine their sixth form studies with their table tennis development. If there is anybody in our club commencing sixth form studies from September 2017 this is an opportunity to develop your table tennis skills for 8-10 hours a week during school time. Jo Piwowar, recently awarded Coach of the Year in the Torbay Sports Personality Awards, will be running the programme. For more details and a brochure contact Jo at ttclub2011@yahoo.co.uk or speak to Tony or Dennis.
Congratulations Jo Piwowar, awarded Coach of the Year at the Torbay Sports Awards 2016. Jo & husband Kris were rightfully recognised for all their hard work, and helping to keep Table Tennis at the forefront of local sport.
PRIDE OF TABLE TENNIS AWARD – Club volunteer of the year
While on the subject of awards..... as the winner of the South West Area Club Volunteer I have now been shortlisted for the National Award and have been invited to attend the awards ceremony taking place at the National championships in Nottingham on 4/5th March. Meanwhile, Chris Brown, Table Tennis England's South West Area Development lead officer, is coming to our club on 10th Feb to present the South West regional winner award.
NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY – TABLE TENNIS ENGLAND
As a Table Tennis England Premier Club all our regular players should be affiliated to Table Tennis England. As mentioned above all league players MUST join Table Tennis England as player members to enable them to play league table tennis. We are fortunate in our club to have a good number of social players and youngsters learning the game who attend our sessions regularly and should therefore be registered as Associate members of Table Tennis England – this membership is free and does have some benefits – see the attached link for details or speak to Tony who can sign you up.
Sessions open to all - We continue to attract players from other clubs to join us at our sessions at Teign, to benefit from our excellent facilities, and gain some extra practice. The cost of 3-hour sessions remains at £3.50 for adults and £2.50 for juniors with further reductions for families. There is no membership fee and absolutely everyone is welcome to come along and join in.
Give it a go, for free – Come and join us, we are particularly keen to encourage beginners, females 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.
SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY ANNUAL CLOSED TABLE TENNIS TOURNAMENT – TORBAY LEISURE CENTRE
Make a note in your diary and keep Sunday 23rd April free. Junior events, Divisional events, doubles etc. Many competitions to enter, open to all registered league players, further details to follow........
TABLE TENNIS BATS
I have just had another supply of blades and rubbers from China and will be making up a number of good quality bats at very reasonable prices, ranging from £14 - £20.
TABLE TENNIS TABLES
I am currently in the process of making an application to Table Tennis England for Grant aid towards 3 extra table tennis tables. If the application is successful we will have the ability to expand even further, and would be able to accommodate more coaching and playing opportunities. Fingers crossed!!
Dont forget to like, comment and add to our Facebook page. Reports and photos are usually added weekly late on a Friday night.
AND FINALLY!
The latest team bonding session by NA Buzzards – Our team leader, coach & League sponsor, Sonja Ryland has insisted on an event every month. I suggested a folk evening in the presence of Show of Hands’ Steve Knightley which surprisingly was agreed upon (I may have slightly played down the folk bit!). Our top man, in the know at Exeter, Jon Cheung, got the tickets and suggested the Absurd Bird for pre concert meal. Troughs of Chicken Wings consumed, fingers licked, lager downed and onto the concert, with Steve in fine form, a great evening was had by all.
If anyone else has anything they would like added to future newsletters, please do send any pics, news, events etc.
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 information, fixtures and results in the local League www.tabletennis365.com/southdevonandtorbay
Link to join Table Tennis England as an Associate Member - It’s free, so why not do it!?
www.tabletennisengland.co.uk/play/membership/associate-membership
