NEWSLETTER FEB 2022

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2022, let’s hope we are relatively free from COVID interruptions in the year ahead.

Considering the difficulties encountered over the last 2 years it is pleasing to report the club is in a good place.  Although we have lost a few players, yet to return, we have picked up a number of folk from other clubs and have recently seen a good influx of juniors and players new to the game, as well as a few coming back to TT. 

While a great deal of this newsletter will focus on competitive table tennis our club is equally focussed on those playing just for the enjoyment and exercise. 

Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club currently have 62 members playing in the South Devon and Torbay Table Tennis League and a further 8 representing the club in the Senior British League and Veterans British League.  Our attendance register currently has 132 names on it, the additional names being social players, juniors, beginners, and players from other clubs enjoying our club sessions.  So our numbers have now returned to a level similar to that prior to the Pandemic

 

SOUTH DEVON AND TORBAY LEAGUE

As mentioned in the previous newsletter we were delighted to be able to increase the number of teams to 14 taking part in the local league.

The First Division is being dominated by Newton Abbot Teams. The NA Buzzards are out in front closely followed by the NA Batmen with the NA Eagles in third.

  

NA BUZZARDS – Herbie Sage, Kevin Nicholls, Lauren Loosemore, Sonja Ryland

The second division is extremely tight with our NA Falcons and NA Owls right up there in the mix.

NA FALCONS – Mike Dummett, Jim McIvor, Louis Wilshire                                                          

 

The NA Hawks and NA Kestrels are within touching distance of the third division leaders.

NA Kestrels – Dale Fabian, Quillan Wilson, Rob Williams

Our four relatively inexperienced teams (well maybe the Kites have been around a while!) in the fourth division have all competed extremely well and on their day can upset the stronger more established teams.

NA Vultures – Anton Shirt, Andy Guy, Ethan Lee

 

Congratulations to all those players riding high in the averages, there’s too many of you to list them all!!

For further details check out the league website:  

https://www.tabletennis365.com/SouthDevonAndTorbay

 

SENIOR BRITISH LEAGUE

Newton Abbot TTC travelled up to Fareham on a recent January weekend for round 3 of the Senior British League. A very pleasing set of results with 3 resounding 7-2 victories and a 7-2 defeat against the top of the table side Godalming, which we can consider ourselves a little bit of a harsh score line as we had the opportunity to win the last 3 games which we lost all in 5 close sets. Mike Hugh was the player of the weekend with a superb 100% record in the singles and 3 out of 4 doubles with Simon James. A thoroughly enjoyable weekend with some excellent table tennis played. Well done ALL 

Newton Abbot Senior British League Team

Simon James, Wim Faassen, Kevin Nicholls, Mike Hugh

 

 

VETERANS COUNTY

Three of our club members, Kevin Nicholls, Sonja Ryland and Mike Hugh joined with Paul Laverty to represent Devon vets last weekend at Westbury.

 Kevin writes: Following a break of 2 years due to COVID restrictions, it was great to team up with my Devon Veterans colleagues yesterday as we returned to represent our county at Matravers School, Westbury. The weekend started with a local league match for the Newton Abbot Buzzards which I teamed up with Vets colleague Sonja Ryland and Lauren Loosemore currently ranked an impressive 6th in England in the under 17’s and we secured a comfortable 8-1 win over the Condors to keep our 9 point lead at the top of the league.

Devon’s first match was against Wiltshire 1’s and it was a very tough and tense battle which eventually resulted in a 5-5 all in which Mike Hugh won both his singles which proved crucial to the match outcome. We then played a strong Hampshire side and with 2 single victories for myself, we were delighted to sneak a 6-4 victory. Our last match of the day we played Herefordshire and despite going 2-0 down we managed to secure a 7-3 victory with Paul Laverty winning both his singles impressively. Throughout the day Buzzards colleagues Sonja Ryland proved very difficult to beat with 2/3 single victories and teaming up with yours truly we managed to win 3/3 mixed doubles.

A great start to our quest for promotion this season! Well done TEAM Devon and looking forward to our next and final round of matches in April’ 
????

Devon Vets – Kevin Nicholls, Sonja Ryland, Paul Laverty & Mike Hugh

 

SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY ANNUAL CLOSED TOURNAMENT AND FINALS NIGHT

With a shorter league season this time around due to the Pandemic our Closed Tournament for league players is earlier than usual on Sunday 6th March at the Torbay Leisure Centre, Goodrington, Paignton. This is an all-day affair with 16 events taking place throughout the day.  A full day of TT and your chance to play against some of the best players in the league. Singles, Doubles, Veterans, Junior and Divisional Events will all be happening and it would be great to see a good contingent of Newton Abbot players taking part.

The finals of the main events and the presentation of all the league’s awards will take place on the following Tuesday 8th March (19:00) at Stover School, Newton Abbot.  Again your support for the event would be much appreciated.

If you would like an entry form or wish to know more about the tournament speak to either Sonja or myself, as it is again being run by our club.

Entry Form:  https://www.tabletennis365.com/SouthDevonAndTorbay/Pages/Closed_Tournament_2021-22

 

SUMMER PAIRS LEAGUE AT TEIGN SCHOOL?

Because we are having a shortened league season we have a bit of time before the summer holidays so I am contemplating running a pairs league as part of our normal club session on a Friday night.  A match would consist of 4 singles and a doubles which should be completed in 90 minutes giving time for practice alongside the competition.  It would need a certain amount of commitment from those involved but would also be quite flexible regarding starting times and dates for matches.  Other clubs could be invited to take part if they so wished. Hopefully we could get a dozen or so teams (2/3 team) and split into a couple of divisions, with up to 6 matches being played each Friday. Ideally it could run through May and June.  No entry fee but normal session fee of £5 would be payable. Trophies to be awarded to divisional winners.  Comments, suggestions, discussion required!

 

NEW CLUB KIT

I was hoping the publication of this newsletter would coincide with the arrival of the larger sized match shirts which we have been waiting for now for almost 3 months.  Many apologies for the long delay.  These purple match shirts, in all sizes, will be available to all from mid-February for just £8 thanks to the generosity of our sponsor, Albany Florists, hopefully in time for our last round of league matches!  Most of you will have already received a free T shirt, I have a handful left in various sizes if you have not yet had one.

We are hoping to get enough interest to purchase a batch of purple club hoodies, again being sponsored by Albany Florists, which could be available if there is enough interest at just £14 each.  Please let us know if you would like one (there shouldn’t be a 3 months delay as I believe these are in stock!)

 

TABLE TENNIS BATS & OTHER SPECIALIST TT EQUIPMENT

I have a number of excellent new bats suitable for beginners and lower league players at just £15 each, including a bat case.  These have been specially put together to aid coaching in the early stage of development and are recommended by top club coaches.  

Any other equipment can be bought from Bribar through the club which will enable savings to be made on catalogue and website prices.  Speak to me if you require anything.

 

CLUB SESSIONS

Just a reminder that our club sessions run alongside league matches on Friday nights 6:30 - 10:00pm, but with limited coaching opportunities as several coaches will be involved in matches (session fee £3 juniors and £5 adults).  The Saturday morning session now runs from 9:30 – 11:30 (session fee £3 juniors and £4 adults). Tuesday evenings are for league matches only 6:30 – 10:00. Unfortunately, increases in hire charges will mean our session fees cannot be reduced to the pre Covid levels.

 

 

STUDENTS / TEIGN SCHOOL

We welcome several of our regular juniors who are taking table tennis as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

We also have several students, mainly from Teign School, who are taking table tennis as part of their GCSE PE course.

We are happy to help as much as we can and wish you success in your endeavours.

With help and assistance from Teign School we have recently purchased 2 new Butterfly tables for our joint use which should be arriving in the next week or two.

Dennis Gibbs with Teign Students Luke and Dominic

 

SOUTH DEVON AND TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis league currently has vacancies on its executive committee.

This is not an onerous task, there are just 4-5 meetings a year where decisions are made on the running of league competitions and is there to assist and encourage the formation of table tennis clubs and to promote the game of table tennis in every possible way.

Although the committee is made up of members of several different clubs, decisions made at committee are made in the best interest of the league as a whole.

We are looking for honest, rational, reliable, level headed, table tennis enthusiasts who are willing to spare some time to assist with running our league and to help ensure ‘that all activities of the league and its members reflect a high standard of integrity and sportsmanship’.

Please let me know if you might be interested.

 

NA BUZZARDS

The Buzzards social diary remains relatively empty, due mainly, methinks, to our skipper concentrating on table tennis would you believe!!  With the Buzzards flying high at the top of the first division the conditioning of her fledglings is of paramount concern. I was restricted to just 3 pints over Christmas and I’m only the team driver! (Although Kev did the driving at Christmas to enable my ration to be consumed).  Our trip to the City just prior to Christmas and healthy eating options on a number of occasions at the skipper’s flat, while partaking in the odd silly game, is all we’ve been up to. Hopefully we will be able to spread our wings a bit further afield in the summer. 

Buzzards Christmas outing

 

REMEMBER WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES.  MAINTAIN A HIGH STANDARD OF HYGIENE, SANITIZE HANDS REGULARLY AND KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE FROM OTHERS.

Best of luck to all of our teams for the rest of the season and don’t forget the end of season tournament and finals night.

Last Updated:
Share This Page