NEWSLETTER - December 2018

Welcome to the latest newsletter from Newton Abbot Table Tennis Club and a particular welcome to the many new faces who have recently joined us. 

Christmas closure

Our last session before Christmas will be on Friday 21st Dec, there is NO session on Saturday morning 22nd Dec. Then we have a break between Christmas & the New Year before returning on Friday 4th Jan & Saturday 5th Jan 2019.  Enjoy your Christmas & New Year!

 

South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League 

Excellent performances have come from all 12 of our teams playing in the local League. We are now just about a third of the way through the season with the first round of fixtures completed for most teams.

Division One – With 3 teams in the top flight this year, and there only being 7 teams in the Division, we are hoping to put up a good show. However, with Torbay Academy 1 even stronger this time out with the emergence of young Jakub Piwowar, we could be battling each other for the runners-up spot. Both the Batmen and Buzzards are going well at the moment, with the Buzzards top and the Batmen second, the Condors are now picking up after a delayed start.  Herbie Sage 80% and Dennis Gibbs 78% are 2nd and 3rd in the averages 

 

NA Buzzards – Kevin Nicholls, Herbie Sage, Jon Cheung, NA Batmen – Shaun Gibbs, Dennis Gibbs, Mike Kiff

Division Two – Just like last season, this Division is going to be very competitive. Our Eagles, led by Andy Tyrrell, are currently sitting at the top of the table and Jeremy Broad’s Falcons are not far behind, despite being hampered by Fred Burdett’s move to Devon falling through. Jim McIvor 87%, Ed Crawford 81% and Chris Baron 75% are 2nd, 4th and 5th in the averages

Division Three – This Division looks very strong this year, but our Hawks with Doug Morgan at the helm, have started well and are competing at the top.  Dale Fabian’s Kestrels are also going well, with new signing Mitch Bellham at the top of the averages. The Hawks’ Ben Swettenham 75% is 3rd in the averages.

 

NA Hawks – David Doxsey, Matt Cyron, Pete Sercombe, Doug Morgan, Ben Swettenham

Division Four – With a large influx of new teams to the League, an extra Division was formed, which meant pushing our Kites and Owls out of the bottom Division for the first time.  The Bayliss’s Owls have started well but are being hampered by an injury to Dylan.  The Kites, led by Lewis Short started poorly but have picked up really well in recent weeks. Rowan Bayliss is our best-placed player in the averages with 71%.

Division Five – We have three teams of mainly youngsters and newcomers to the League and all are faring very well. Rob Ferguson’s Ospreys started really well and have games in hand, they currently sit in 3rd place. Just a point behind them in fourth, are Andy Guy’s Vultures who have had some fine wins and should also be competing near the top in the weeks ahead.  The Merlins, our Saturday morning veterans, led by David Olver, have started really well, despite having only won one game they have picked up lots of points with draws and in defeats and currently lie just one point behind the Vultures in 5th.  Andy Guy and Benj Pead lie 2nd & 3rd in the averages

 

South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League – Early Season Tournament, 4th Nov, Torbay Leisure Centre

There was a really good contingent of Newton Abbot players taking part in the South Devon & Torbay Table Tennis League’s Early Season Tournament at the Torbay Leisure Centre on Sunday 4th Nov. Out of the 33 entrants 19 play for the club, with several of the others regular attendees at our club sessions.

Three events take place during the day, the main event is the Handicap Singles for the Collins Cup, there is a Handicap Doubles, and the Excell hard bat Challenge rounds off the day.

Despite some hefty handicaps on the better players in the Collins Cup, they generally progressed through the rounds. Newton Abbot players who won through the first group stage were: the current holder of the cup, Kevin Nicholls, Jon Cheung, Lauren Loosemore, Andy Tyrrell, Dan Webster-Hall, Pete Sercombe and Curtis Sage. With only one player from each group progressing to the semi-finals, just Andy Tyrrell and Lauren Loosemore made it through and they were pitched against each other, Lauren winning through. Nicholas Shipley won the battle of the twins in the other semi-final. Congratulations to NA Condors’ Lauren Loosemore as she comfortably won the final 11-8, 11-7, 11-2.

Newton Abbot TTC were well represented at the latter stages of the plate competition as N A Eagles’ Jim McIvor beat NA Kestrels’ Dale Fabian in a really close final 11-8, 11-9, 9-11,6-11, 11-9.

The Handicap Doubles threw up some interesting pairings. Kevin Nicholls and Katie Thain went well, but lost in the 5th to the eventual winners. Three of the four finalists were Newton Abbot players. The Newton Abbot pairing of Pete Sercombe and Louis Wilshire fought their way to the final, but could not overcome Andrew Connor and Lauren Loosemore who took the title, winning 13-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8.

Turning the clock back to the days of hard bats and scoring up to 21, the final event was the Excell hard bat Challenge.  This one is not handicapped except for the fact that those players that generally rely on spin to win, could struggle.  Or maybe not! as the Buzzard’s Kevin Nicholls, disappointed at not retaining his Collins Cup, proved he had a lot more to his game than spin (I knew that anyway!).  Again, Newton Abbot were well represented as the competition slowly developed. Some terrific competitive matches took place, none more so than Martin Dilkes’ effort against eventual winner Kevin Nicholls in one semi-final. The other semi-final featured Newton Abbot pair Dan Webster-Hall and Andy Tyrrell, with Dan just edging that one. In a terrific final, Kevin’s consistency proved too much for Dan as Kevin took the title 21-16, 21-14.  NA Hawks’ Doug Morgan won the Hard bat Plate competition.

An excellent day’s Table Tennis and some really good experience for all our players, particularly those that  don’t get the chance to play competitively against the top players very often. Everyone who entered all 3 events had a minimum of 8 matches, most had at least 10. 

Thanks to all the helpers who assisted in making the day run smoothly.

 

Collins Cup Winner NA Condors’ Lauren Loosemore with League Chairman George Breyley and Sponsor Sonja Ryland

 

Excell hard bat Winner NA Buzzards’ Kevin Nicholls with Sponsor Sonja Ryland

 

New Table Tennis England Coach – Rob Bayliss has recently joined our coaching team. Rob passed his Table Tennis England Level One coaching course held in St Austell this month.  Rob has already impressed many of our beginners who have had sessions with him, so have a chat with him and see how he can help you. Congratulations Rob, great to have you on board.

 

Rob Bayliss coaching Eve James, Marc Winstanley & Katie Thain

Club Sessions – These remain extremely popular, particularly on Friday nights, and together with the League matches being played in the Dance Studio we regularly have over 40 players enjoying their table tennis at Teign School on Fridays.  Saturdays are a bit quieter, but with a good recent influx of newcomers this session is now getting very popular again.

New practice session – We now hire the Dance studio at Teign School on a Monday night from 18:00–19:00 for practice.  This is not like a normal session!  The room is available from 17:45-19:15 for anyone who would like to have a decent hour’s table tennis practice. You have to set up your own table and bring along someone to practice with. There is limited space so you need to contact Tony if you would like to make use of this extra session.

Give it a go, for free – Come and join us, we are particularly keen to encourage beginners, ladies and those just wishing to get more active, at our Saturday morning sessions from 9.00 – 12.00.  See who you can bring along!   Remember your first trial session is free.

Table Tennis Bats– we have found a good supplier of quality rubbers and blades from China, making new bats and replacement rubbers far more affordable, ie blades from £10 each and rubbers from £5 each.  Have a chat with Tony and maybe have a go with some of the bats he has made up.

Hoodies, Match Shirts, T Shirts – make great Christmas presents!  These can still be ordered and personalised in time for Christmas; Hoodies £17, Match Shirts £12 and T Shirts £8.50, or all 3 for £35.  Our supplier from Torquay, Clothing Your Way, have a quick turnaround, but get your order in soon.  All garments are good quality and available to all our members / players.

Facebook – Check out our Facebook page for weekly updates on how our teams are progressing in the League.  Please feel free to contribute items and photos.

Non-League Players  -  Whilst a great deal of this newsletter is focused on the League season and players, I would like to assure all those not playing in the League this 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 sessions for those not in the League, please let us know.

And Finally – The Buzzards have been on tour again, this time across the water to the Duchy of Cornwall.  A luxury lodge in the middle of nowhere in West Cornwall was the base for expeditions to Healey’s Cider Farm, Newquay Zoo, St Michael’s Mount, St Ives, Geevor Mine, Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Mousehole and Goonhilly.  Team bonding, fitness, dietary improvements and general all-round conditioning were the targets set by the skipper for the mid-week break. However, these were all blown away before we even reached our lodge, as certain members of the team got wrecked at Healeys, during the cider / wine / whiskey tasting. Day by day accounts of the Buzzards in Cornwall can be found on the Buzzards’ Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

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

Link to South Devon & Torbay Website for all fixtures and results in the local League:  www.tabletennis365.com/southdevonandtorbay 

 

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