SECRETARY’S REPORT – SEASON 2022-23

Another excellent season, as the club continues to go from strength to strength. We currently have over 140 players on our attendance register, 67 representing our club in the local league and a further 8 representing the club in the British League. We have over 20 regular visitors playing for other clubs in the league, but practising with us. The remaining players being youngsters and older folk new to the game, some players returning to the game and many just looking for an active, social evening.  All are openly encouraged to join us. 

For the second year running we entered 14 teams in the local South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League. Although no Newton Abbot TTC teams won a division this year all teams competed exceptionally well. NA Batmen finished runners up in the first division to an incredibly strong TA1 team and NA Merlins finished runners up in the fourth division behind Dawlish Renegades. It is difficult to compete with clubs who drop players into the ‘wrong’ divisions in order to try and win them. Again this season the league allowed the winners of both the 3rd and 4th division to sign on players (too good for the division) to improve their sides during the season. This practice should be stopped.

We had better success in the Team Handicap competitions with our Kestrels side of Tim Shears, Rob Williams, Andy Millman and Bruce Freeman defeating our Raptors in the final of the Dyment Doubles competition. Our Harriers also reached the final of the team singles but lost out in the final to TA4.

For the second year running Newton Abbot TTC dominated the Closed Tournament winning every major title. We again staged an excellent Finals night at Stover School which has now become an annual event. Our list of champions include; Shaun Gibbs, Dennis Gibbs, Kevin Nicholls, Sonja Ryland and Jackie Whitehorn.

We also entered teams in the Senior and Veterans British league. The veterans, following their promotion last year, came runners up in Division 3 and again won promotion. Kevin Nicholls, Mike Hugh & Simon James all having averages over 70%. Kevin Nicholls also took part in the world veterans championships in Oman & returned with a silver medal!

Our club competitions saw Keith Haslam convincingly winning the Albany Florists Cup and Dennis Gibbs retaining the Singles Shield.  Anton Shirt won the Don Blatchford Cup while his brother, Aleks, won the Challenge Plate.

Following the success of the PARKHOUSE Pairs competition introduced last season the competition was again held in the early summer. Fred Wakefield (PARKHOUSE furniture restorers) again providing the trophies while Tim Shears (Black & White Asset Finance) and Jo Eckersley (Spotty Dog Digital Marketing) provided team match shirts for the 17 teams (56 player). 

Continued sponsorship and support from Sonja Ryland at Albany Florists enables us to supply excellent quality subsidised purple match shirts with most sizes still available to purchase at only £8 each.

Many thanks to all Sponsors whose support is invaluable.

We are currently looking at a deal with local kit supplier VX3 to enable a much wider range of clothing to be available, with the possible introduction of a club shop.  

Decent quality table tennis bats are available at just £17 each complete with bat case and discounts can be obtained through the club from Bribar for any table tennis equipment.  We also have a large stock of top quality table tennis balls that can be purchased at much reduced prices.

A regular after school Table Tennis Club at Teign School was run by Dennis Gibbs and myself during the winter with support being given to the school to assist with their GCSE PE programme.

Members are all kept up to date with quarterly newsletters as well as information, events and results posted on our website and can also catch up with news as it happens on our Facebook page.

My thanks go to all members, particular thanks to Dennis and Sonja as without their help and support the club could not function, extra help from members would be appreciated, particularly on Fridays for setting up from 5.45pm.

Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club is now well established as an important centre for table tennis in the area.  If you have any comments, ideas, proposals etc. to further improve your experience at your club please share them.

Tony Halse - NATTC Secretary.

 

 

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