NEWSLETTER - Summer 2022
Teign School Sessions during the summer - The Friday and Saturday sessions will continue uninterrupted through the summer holidays. As you have continued to support the sessions, we are happy to keep them going. Friday nights 18.30-21.30 and Saturday mornings 09.30-11.30. The cost of the 3-hour Friday night session remains at £3 for students and £5 for adults, the 2-hour Saturday morning session is £3 for students and £4 for adults, with reductions for families.
South Devon & Torbay League Teams - Although we have to see off the summer first, we are currently trying to draft teams for next season. Please let me know your wishes for 2022-23 and we will do our best to fit you in to your preferred team and division. Forms to be returned by Saturday 13th August.
For those new to league table tennis - with League and Cup matches there will be approximately 20 matches in the season Oct – Apr. We are contemplating ditching the smaller match room in which case all home matches will be played on a Friday night at Teign School 19.00-22.00, whilst away matches could be any night of the week in places such as Dawlish, Brixham, Totnes and Torquay. You require 3 players for each match, and I would hope to have teams of 4-5 players to ensure all fixtures can be fulfilled when individual players are unavailable. You may also get an opportunity to play as a reserve for a team in a higher division. NOTE: With Newton Abbot TTC having at least 3 teams in each division it is unlikely that there will be more than 5 away league matches in the season.
Your comments on ditching the smaller, (dance studio) match room and Tuesday night matches and playing all league matches in the whole Sports Hall on a Friday night would be appreciated.
There is a small financial commitment for joining Table Tennis England (Compete membership - Adults £18, Juniors £9) and for League registration (Adults £12, Juniors £8), plus match fee of £5/home match.
It may be necessary for parents to help out with transport for the juniors to away matches.
Existing league players should now be able to renew their Table Tennis England membership for 2022-23 season. I can help if you’re struggling. New players can join through the Table Tennis England Website or I can join you through the club.
If you have not received a club membership form for playing in the local league and wish to take part please contact me ASAP so we can fit you in to a suitable team.
Newton Abbot TTC Annual General Meeting (July 1st) – The Chairman, Dennis Gibbs, spoke of the remarkable growth of the club in just a few seasons. An excellent season was reported on by the Secretary, with success on the table, a good increase in membership and a solid financial base, a massive contrast to the previous COVID hit season. All current Committee members agreed to stand again. It was agreed to keep fees at the present level. With a healthy bank balance it was agreed to finance anyone wishing to undertake a coaching course, and we would look into running another coaching session with a top National coach. The invaluable support of sponsors Albany Florists in subsidising shirts and Parkhouse furniture restoration for supplying all awards for the new pairs competition was acknowledged. There was a discussion on possibly hiring the whole hall on Friday nights and playing all league matches in the Sports Hall, possibly ditching Tuesday night matches which did have its problems last season due to match postponements – further investigation and discussions with members to take place.
The PARKHOUSE Pairs
Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club introduced a new pairs competition for the early summer months and invited teams form the local area to take part. Commencing at the beginning of April and running on every Friday night until the final on 17th June.
Fred Wakefield of PARKHOUSE furniture restorers, Marsh Barton, Exeter agreed to sponsor the tournament which was well supported and a great success.
20 teams were split into 3 divisions named by our sponsor, the Wobbly Table, Missing Veneer and Knackered Chair Divisions.
A simple handicap system gave all teams a chance to compete, the winners of all the divisions and the best runner up would play off for the PARKHOUSE Pairs Cup.
Taverners topped the Wobbly Table Division with 24 points, with the Eagles in the runners-up spot. The Missing Veneer Division saw the Condors top, undefeated on 23 points, Dawlish were second. The Knackered Chair Division provided the closest finish with 3 teams all vying for the title on the final week of the divisional competition. It was eventually won by D.A.R.T.S., 22 points, with Halwell finishing the best runner-up.
The semi-finals pitched the Condors team of Dan Webster-Hall and Bob Parkins against Halwell’s team of Chris Dunn and Mark Smith. Chris Dunn put Halwell in front with a fine win over Bob Parkins but that was as good as it got as the Condors and the undefeated Dan Webster-Hall took control winning his two sets, with Bob Parkins sealing the victory with a win over Mark Smith.
The Taverners team of Martin Dilkes and Colin Harrop took early control of the second semi-final winning their first two singles against the D.A.R.T.S. team of Mike Dummett and Tim Shears. Mike Dummett fought back with a win over Martin Dilkes but Colin Harrop sealed the final place for the Taverners with victory over Tim Shears.
The Taverners brought in Geoff Read to partner Martin Dilkes in the final, the Condors with just the two players playing throughout the tournament, Dan Webster-Hall and Bob Parkins, had no selection issues. The first 2 sets were very close affairs, Bob Parkins fighting back from 5-0 down in the fifth to beat Geoff Read and Dan Webster-Hall recovering from 2 games to 1 behind to defeat Martin Dilkes, 2-0 to the Condors. When Dan Webster-Hall defeated Geoff Read, his 16th win out of 16 games in the competition, the match was over, victory to the Condors. Taverners did make the score line respectable winning the last singles and the doubles where they introduced ‘3rd man’ Colin Harrop to partner Martin Dilkes.
Congratulation to the Condors, the inaugural winners of the PARKHOUSE Pairs Cup which will become an annual event staged at Teign School during the Spring.
Trophies and embroidered caps were presented to the finalists by Sponsor, Fred Wakefield of PARKHOUSE Furniture Restorers
Bob Parkins, Dan Webster-Hall (Condors), Dennis Gibbs (Umpire & NATTC Chairman), Fred Wakefield (PARKHOUSE Sponsor), Martin Dilkes, Geoff Read, Colin Harrop (Taverners)
CLUB COMPETITIONS
The Annual Albany Florists Cup will be run on Friday nights through September. It will again be restricted to players scheduled to play in Div 3 & Div 4 during the coming season and for non-league players and will be run over just 3 weeks
Round One – Friday 2nd Sept
Round Two – Friday 9th Sept
Final Round – Friday 16th Sept
The Singles Shield for all players will be held on Friday 23rd September 2022
The Don Blatchford Cup for all juniors will be held on Saturday 24th September 2022
Non-League Players - While a great deal of this newsletter is focused on the new season and league players I would like to assure all those not playing in the League this coming 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 nights for those not in the League please let us know.
Club Kit / Equipment– We have a good stock of the club purple match shirts for sale at £8 plus a few T shirts at £5 each. Possibly hoodies to follow…. We also have a few good quality beginners bats (recommended by top coaches) complete with cases which may be purchased at £15 each. As a Bribar rep I can also save a bit of money and postage on any specific TT equipment you require from Bribar.
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
Enjoy the summer holidays, and don’t forget Friday night and Saturday morning sessions continue, so please come along and join us for practice, coaching, competitions and friendly matches throughout the holiday period.
