This month I would like to praise the efforts and innovative ideas of our strong coaching team of Tom Brocklehurst, Andy Davies, Tom Hunt and Chris Mulligan, ably supported by senior players Phil Blowey, Luke Hobbins and Roald Myers. I believe the coaching structure we have in place to be the envy of most clubs. Every week our players enjoy quality coaching in the three sessions held at school and we are also able to withdraw six players in turn for focus coaching over a four week period which accelerates the progress and knowledge of our young charges.
We are seeing the fruits of our labours as our youngsters continue to impress. We are at present concentrating on getting our players to put match skills into practice within club so that adopting the right stance to receive serve, knowing how to serve effectively and good balance and movement become second nature. I commend the coaching corner on this web-site to you. It has been written by Chris, our Director of Coaching, and is full of useful hints for all club members.
In addition we are fortunate to have several adults who not only run teams but encourage and advise their charges. Several such as Claire Cram, Tracey Fletcher, David Herbert and Paul Watkins are passing on their experiences to our youngsters. In addition, David has been a tremendous resource to club in managing, with me, our cadet teams in the National Cadet League. This is another aspect of coaching that we want to continue and develop and which excites me.
On the playing front, our A team of Matthew Carter, Jon Hall, Ryan stockham and Ron Vose is challenging for the top spots in Division 1. Our B team of Tom Brocklehurst, Deepak Chandrababu, Luke Hobbins, Hugh Matthews and Chris Mulligan will not have to worry about relegation which we have faced all too often in recent years. Tom, Chris and Luke all started as 11 year olds in our club and have been developed to gain first division status. They should not only be seen as role models for our present crop of starlets but it should be remembered that our capacity to nurture future stars in this way has never been better.
In Division 3 we have 3 players at the top of the averages. Michael Ho is top, Luke Spencer is second and Cherry Matthews is 6th. Unfortunately, they all represent different Free Church sides. We are fortunate to have many other strong Division 3 players and this has put E (Michael, Barry Hobbins, Tom Hunt and Anthony Smith) in 3rd place with real aspirations for automatic promotion, the D side of Phil Blowey, Claire Cram, Scott Delday and Luke in 4th place and the E team of Les Hoggins, Cherry, John Taylor and Mandy Thomas in 5th. If our strongest 4 were in the same team, first spot would already be a fore-gone conclusion and a consideration of this must be a factor in future team selection if we are to give the youngsters coming through a chance to develop.
Our F side in Division 4 operates a large squad of Lleryn Brocklehurst, Adam Cooper, Ian Rourke, Pete Rourke and Russell Spencer but nonetheless are a comfortable mid-table. It is particularly gratifying to see Lleryn play so strongly and that the team have been able to blood young Niall Herbert in the 3-a-side format.
In the 2-a-side divisions we are all thrilled by our new teams. Our U side of Theo Rutter and Sam Wiggins currently sit top with Theo unbeaten. Our V team of James Foster, Matthew Scott and Jay Virdi are winning matches and demonstrating much promise for the future. Our S side of Harry Keen and Luke Watkins started their League careers in September in Division D but have profited from the experience so much that they occupy 2nd spot with an outstanding chance of ultimately finishing as champions. Our T side is another that has put its experience of debuting in September to good use. 11 year old Olivia Fletcher and 10 year olds Tom Fletcher and Andrew McIlvaney have improved beyond all recognition and winning matches is no longer a rarity.
In Division D our O side are finding life easier than before Christmas. Jacob Clarke, Simon Cooper and Ben Simpson are now testing the top players and September debutant Ben has already surpassed his total of wins from before Christmas with half the new season to go, a tremendous accomplishment. Our promoted P side currently sit joint second with Ben King boasting the excellent average of 83%. Callum Guest and Charlie Snelson make up a strong team. Our other promoted side, the R team of Jeremy Knott, Tom Sharpe and Marco Xavier have adapted well to the higher echelons of the TT world.
In C our Q side of Matthew Flood, Kris Reiman and Troy Pierce are edging our other sides. Another September debutant, Troy, is really putting his early experiences to good use and is figuring highly in the averages despite promotion. Our l side come next in the shape of Ben Haigh and James Payne with Ben in particular having a strong average. Our Girls’ team of Jessica Campion, Lauren Delday and Angela John have proved formidable opposition to all teams and their performances have delighted the coaching team.
In B our H side of Keith Knott, Estyn Williams and Tony Williams are on course to be champions though our I side of Stuart Dalrymple, Jack Hobbins and Anita Whitehouse will challenge them all the way. Stuart is on 100% as I write.
Our promoted K side of Chris Beckett, Jack Leggatt and David Marguerie are quickly finding their feet whilst the N side, also promoted, of Timmy Cooper and Solomon Hayes have suffered through postponements and have played only twice. 11 year old Timmy is the first club player of his age to play at such a high standard.
In A our J side of David Herbert and Roald Myers are bottom of the table, despite being very competitive but will be strengthened by the return from injury of Niall Herbert for the rest of the campaign.
Finally, I should like to record the success of our young 3rd team whom we entered in the Under 15 National Cadet League. Callum Guest, Ben King, Andrew McIlvaney and Charlie Snelson finished bottom in the first two rounds but by the 3rd round managed to improve so much that they stood 3rd . in their division, an achievement noted and commented on by the League’s organisers.
Phil
