One promotion, one relegation, a couple of nail-biting last matches and lots of new talent coming through: the Ladies teams represented Teddington proudly this season in some very competitive Middlesex leagues.
First team
The Ladies 1st team once again competed in the Premier Division, facing the top clubs in the county. Despite great commitment, play and effort they didn't quite score enough to stay in the league and were relegated.
Sarah Jackson said: ‘We hope to regroup, train over the winter and bounce straight back up next year.’
Second team
The 2nd team had a solid season and finished 3rd in Division 1. Despite having what looked like a large squad, there were usually only four team members able to play, so great thanks go to players in the 3rds and 4ths who turned out to help.
Congratulations must go to first pair Anne Peters and Fenella Sams who were the stars and only dropped three sets all season.
Third team
After losing a number of key players, it was a difficult start to the season for the newly promoted 3rd team. The first few matches against tough opposition put them way down the table and after a crushing defeat by Queens, relegation loomed.
Things began to turn when Julia McEvoy returned from her travels and the pairing of Yuko Ishihara & Alice White proved a force to be reckoned with.
It all came down to the last match, and on a rainy Monday evening a fantastic 16-8 win ensured 5th place and a chance to fight again in Division 2 next year.
Fourth team
The 4th team had great success, following up their promotion to Division 3 last year with another promotion to Division 2.
After three solid wins, two draws and one close loss it was a nail-biting end to the season. In the final match against a strong Hurlingham side, the team fought the weather and secured the 10 points needed before rain stopped play.
Lesley Marr said: ‘Special mention to new member Carolyn Edwards who played in every match and won the most sets, closely followed by Sheila Bailey. Although we lost some players who played up for the thirds, Yuko Akagi and Sarah Calderwood stepped up and proved to be the crucial sting in our tail.’
Fifth team
The Ladies 5ths were promoted last season to Division 5 and managed to remain in this league, finishing in 5th position. Every point was well fought for to consolidate their position in a tough division.
Captain Brigitte Richmond reserved special praise for Milana Simler, who delivered some fine performances at just 13 years old.
Sixth team
After two promotions in a row, the 6th team knew life would be tougher in Division 7.
They arrested these fears with a stunning 22-2 win over local rivals Whitton in the first match. In a league where the top three teams all gained over 130 points, Teddington finished in a very respectable 4th place with 88 points.
Retiring captain Sue Neale was the star of the show, while new players Tess Flood, Anna Ferris-Simpson and Heather Yates all performed admirably.