Dateline

Monday
19 July 2004

You can go directly from here to the following pages

HOME

CLUB INFO

CONTACTS

LINKS

MAGAZINE

NEWS FEATURES

RESULTS

WHAT'S HAPPENING

All the latest news and features can be found from the
NEWS FEATURES
 page

Don't forget to visit

C&DTTL

 of which the Club is a member

SUMMER SCHOOL ATTRACTS CROWD

For the third successive year the Club has hosted, organised and taken part in a highly successful ten week Adult Coaching Course. And this was the most successful yet with 17 adults of all playing standards signing up for the course running from May - July and this despite the attractions of Euro 2004, Henmania at Wimbledon and so on! That people attended and in such numbers is a testament to both the desire of those attending to improve and the commitment of the coaches. That they should keep coming and that some were returning having been last year is surely also a tribute to the quality of the course, led by League Coaching Officer Hil Dowsett ably assisted by head Club Coach Neil Gooday, both ETTA level 3 Coaches, and also Level 2 coaches Ryan Pitt and Adrian Pitt. With guest appearances from Chelmsford ladies Champion Julie Vansertima and her brother, former first division star Terry Dowsett, this was a formidable array of teaching talent adding to the attractiveness of the course.  

What was particularly good about this year, apart from the numbers, was the mix of players and standards. Players came from the third division of the league down, including three new or trying to return players, and were made up of 12 men and 5 women. With only around 8% of the League's registered players being women to have nearly a third of the delegates as women was a tremendous achievement. 

Feedback from all attendees was great, with many commenting that they had learnt new strokes, and the need to move! Clearly the challenge is now to start playing these strokes in competitive matches – always easier said than done!

commenting on the event Club Secretary Adrian Pitt said: "from my perspective, I would like to thank all participants – it really was great to see everyone working hard and having fun – it makes the coaches’ job easier. Special thanks, to Hil for providing the direction/exercises for the coaching and to Neil, Ryan, Julie and Terry for helping to put it in to practice". And yes it is hoped that the course will run again next year! So, if you are interested, let Adrian know now - book early to avoid disappointment!

 

Kath Austin has started playing table tennis as a result of 3 of her children attending coaching at Melbourne. Now she is keen to break into league play and saw the adult coaching course as a stepping stone to achieving that goal. The real improvement in her play is really starting to show.

 

Eleni Manolitsaki - on the left in the foreground - is another lady who has taken great strides in improving her table tennis. She played in the league for the first time last season for Excalibur in Division 6 and is aiming to improve on her performance this coming season.

 

Andrew Lager, on the right, is another new recruit. Having been out of table tennis for a while he saw the course advertised on the Internet and decided to give it a try. And has been coming to table tennis ever since! Seen here with Mike Pitt, returning to the adult coaching course for the second year. Last season was also Mike's first in the League - trying to keep up with sons Ryan and Adam!