Weekly Update!!
Open Day success!
What a fantastic open day the club had on Saturday! We must have had over 150 people visit the Club in what was without doubt our most successful ever Open Day. It was great to see so many youngsters giving tennis a go, enjoying the mini tournament, trying out the serve machine and watching the terrific exhibition match. We’ve had several new members join, a number of children who are beginning our coaching groups this week plus a few who will be trying out social tennis during the week, so an excellent start to the summer!
Well done to everyone who helped organise the day and a huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported the club to make it such a great success!
Match Reports
Last week’s match reports
Ladies D V Blofield
Our first match was on grass at Blofield, and it was against a team who had played in a higher division last year.
It was a very cold evening and we only just managed to complete our games before it became too dark. There were many juice games which unfortunately we struggled to win. Final result was 16-48 in favour of Blofield. Both pairs, Shirley and Kathy, Margaret and Julie had similar scores.
We enjoyed the challenge and look forward to our next match at home on Wednesday 10th May.
Ladies A v Cromer A
The ladies A team of Ann, Sara, Shelley and Andi had a great start to the season beating Cromer A 47-17.
Ladies C team vs East Anglia E, Sunday 7th March
Sunday matches are not popular!! I struggled to get a 4 for this game but fortune was on our side as Liz Lake stepped up to the challenge. Liz and Lan won both their games, 14-2 and 10-6 - however, they did spend a disproportionate amount of time looking for tennis balls as at one point they were down to 1 ball. The antics of Lan climbing on a plastic chair brandishing a long pole and attacking the neighbours hedge slightly affected the concentration of Beverley and Julia - who at 6-6 then lost 4 games! They managed to pull themselves together with a 9-7 win over the second pair. Some very nervy tennis at the start eventually calmed down - Beverley did an amazing defensive job returning many lobs to the rear line while Julia managed to hang around the net long enough to get the odd ball within reach. Liz and Lan played good, strong tennis and managed to overcome the wily ways of Division 4 City League tennis. Absolutely awful weather - cold, blustery and a bit damp - roll on some decent weather.
Acle E v EAT&SC C
First match of the season for the Acle E team, playing at home to EAT&SC C Team, players David Bland & James Stacey partnered, whilst Luke Diane & Ed Levett was the second pairing. First impression’s, Lime Tree brought along a strong young pairing, mixed with a more experienced pairing. David and James had a slow start against the older pairing, but scraped the first round 9-7, Luke and Ed starting well taking an initial lead against the younger pairing, but ended in a 8 all draw. Going into the second half turnaround, Acle were 2 games up. Luke and Ed won comfortably beating the older awkward pairing 13-3. David & James starting quickly taking a 8 -2 lead against the younger pairing but again ended in a 8 all draw after they fought back, one game taking 9 deuces! End result, Acle E 38 – EAT&SC C 2.
This week’s match reports
Cringleford B v Acle C
The quote of the week came from a C teamer, I am not coaching you, but I am supporting you! After our debut match away at Oakfield’s Road in Crigleford on a blustery Bank Holiday Monday, some of the C team clearly required more support than others.
One Cringleford player, kept eyeing me up and gave me that, I know you look, I knew his face and it turned out he had indeed given me a warning in the past, but I could not place him or remember the warning.
We had no excuses, except Stephen Nirmal pulled his ham string, Al wined on relentlessly about his back, Paul’s dodgy disc came out of place, a result of a ski jumping accident in his youth in the Dolomites. However physically we may have been challenged, mentally we were strong thanks’ to Sean ‘s en route team talk, he led us to believe we were going to leave Cringleford in the same condition as Laurence of Arabia left Aqaba.
Although this did not quite materialise and the Recreational Facilities, adjacent houses, Cringleford tennis team and indeed their picturesque little club house were still in one piece and not given the Bedouin tribal treatment. We were a trifle annoyed.
However this is a step up in class this year for the C Team and it appears we will be playing many of the opposition tennis clubs first teams. We did manage a respectable 22 games between us and could have indeed grabbed 10 more games if the opposition did not hang around the net so much.
As New Labour use to say we will learn from this, move forward and make sure lessons are learned so we can improve and put things right for the future.
As for the first team report last week a great effort, the reference regarding the C Team match reports, well it was indeed no cigar but certainly if the A Team Captain continues his creative writing it will be worth a small amount of Old Virginia for him.
My mentor in tennis, maintenance, and most other topics you care to mention Ray G is currently the Captain that has got the cream, after a great win against an Easton side on Wednesday. Dare I say the team bared no resemblance to the one that beat us last year? Someone was heard to say I thought the open day was Saturday for people wanting to try tennis for the first time as they watched the opposition warm up. The supporters who turned up to watch confessed they came to see the Dallas au pair and not the style and stamina physique that are Ray’s D team. (She is definitely from Dallas not Canada!)
The Cringleford player who was giving me the eye at the start turned out to be my sons former Head Master, an excellent tennis player and a Gentlemen who asked after my son by name having left his School 8 years ago. The warning came back to me in an instant when he spoke, do not take your son out of school in term time missing two days of school and saving yourself a small fortune off your holiday will have repercussions, little did I know that it came by way of a beating on the tennis court.
Sean Dunthorne Al Simmons Stephen Nirmal and Paul Chase were the C team.
Club Tournament Matches
Just a reminder that players should be contacting their opponents to arrange first round matches as soon as possible as the deadline will be fast approaching.
Social Tennis!
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10.00am to 12 noon
Do you have some spare time on these days? Want a bit of exercise and fresh air? Fancy meeting new friends?
Come along and join in our Social Tennis which is played on 3 mornings, every week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10-12!
The chatter is friendly and lively too and players often end up in the Social Club afterwards, even if only for a coffee.
There is no need to book; just turn up and introduce yourself. You can be sure of a warm welcome!
Club Kit!
With City League starting up again shortly, there has been some queries raised about the purchasing of club kit. Simply follow this link to view our range of club kit...
http://www.4sportskitshop.co.uk/category-s/1974.htm
Regular Weekly Timetable:
Adult Social Tennis
Monday
10am - Midday - Social Tennis
7pm Club Night
Tuesday
6pm-7pm - Cardio Tennis!
Wednesday
10am - Midday - Social Tennis
Friday
10am - Midday - Social Tennis
All sessions open to all ages and abilities. No need to book a place just turn up, pay and play. These are friendly relaxed groups, offering the chance to have fun while getting fit at the same time. We would love to see more members playing on a regular basis. Sessions often end with a well- earned drink in the social club.
Group Coaching
Tuesday
7.30pm-8.30pm Intermediate
For any information on the above, or to arrange an individual lesson please contact Ann Nicholls.
Other Bits & Bobs
▪Don't forget that you can buy new balls from the club. Please call Mike Lake on 01493750337 or see Ann Nicholls down at the courts.
▪Money in the safe: could all members please put a note with any money put into the safe detailing who the money is from and what it is for. Please also make sure the club room door locks properly when you leave.
▪Members with a guest: Reminder for members who attend the courts with a guest to kindly put the names on the form pinned to the Club Room wall and put a note with the payment before depositing it in the safe. There are pens, paper and bags provided.
Feedback & Suggestions
If you have any feedback or suggestions about the weekly update or the club itself please feel free to contact either Holly Hornagold at hornagoldh@gmail.com or Andrew Sherwood at Andrew.sherwood@talktalk.net.