News of Events at the Centre

Zonal Group of the Wilmott Cup

The English League Cup Competition for Men

This competition was played at the newly refurbished St Neots Table Tennis Centre on the 7th November 2009.

Cambridge, represented by brothers Martin and Kevin Gray, came up against strong opposition from North Middlesex and Ipswich, the latter team also represented by a pair of brothers, Ryan and Jake Collins.  In the first match against Cambridge, the North Middlesex team who included Jimmy Walsh, No.9 in the English Veterans Ranking List, raced into a winning 3-0 lead before Martin Gray recorded a straight sets victory over the North Middlesex No. 2, Steve Dobbins.  Kevin Gray then lost to Jimmy Walsh which resulted in North Middlesex winning the match 4-1. 

On arriving at St Neots for the day's play, Ipswich's Ryan Collins discovered he had left his bat at home, so he and Jake, rushed back to Ipswich to retrieve it, involving an extra round trip of 140 miles.   It nearly paid off when Ipswich's match against North Middlesex stood at 2-2 before the top two, Ryan Collins played Jimmy Walsh in the deciding game.   A tense struggle ensued with Collins coming back from 2 sets down and with the likely victors of the group coming from this match, both players attacked bravely.   The score went to deuce, until the experience of Jimmy Walsh finally brought his team home winning 14-12 in the fifth set.  

Cambridge took on Ipswich in the final match of the day and despite Martin Gray winning the first match against Jake Collins, and Kevin Gray taking the higher ranked Ryan Collins to five sets, Ipswich came out winners 4-1.  North Middlesex will now go through to the National Finals to be held in Derbyshire next May.  

All the players, the umpire Bob Pettit and spectators, recognised that the hard work of the St Neots Club's members in raising money for their newly enhanced facilities had resulted in a top class table-tennis venue that the Eastern Region should be proud of.

Brian Parkes

 

Official Opening of the St Neots Table Tennis Centre

The Champagne corks were flying on the 6th Feb-10 when 100 members and guests attended the official re-opening of St Neots Table Tennis Club. The event was to mark the completion of a major refurbishment programme which saw the club premises updated with a new build social and clubroom area, showers and toilets, and last but not least a completely refurbished Table Tennis hall. £390000.00 was spent in total on the project which commenced in January-09 although there had been considerable work before then to pull it all together. Club Chairman Roger Howard welcomed the Rt Hon Jonathan Djanogly MP who conducted the official opening. Roger on behalf of the club thanked Sport England & English Table Tennis Ass.  for the grant £350000.00 also Huntingdon District Council & Cambs County Council for their support & grant of £25000.00. He gave special thanks to Lesley Rate who had persuaded the committee to undertake the work, Colin Luscombe  who used his professional knowledge to project manage the developement for the club & David Naylor who canvassed local business for funding support & with the help of the club's committee raised over £10000.00.  

Following the official part of the day an exhibition match between Mick Harper and Keith Richardson with St Neots Club Support & Coaching Officer Mark Mitchell acting as Compere and match Official. Following this people were given the opportunity to pick up a bat and have a go themselves and there was also a robot in action to give guests a taste of what the club has to offer.

The is now looking forward to the next 30 years at their rejuvenated venue. A recent venture is their partnership with the ETTA and Hunts School Sports Partnership to fund a part time Club Support & Coaching Officer. Mark Mitchell was appointed to that post in Dec-09 with his role to work in local schools as well as St Neots club. It is planned that the school partnership will lead to an influx of young players keen to take to up the sport. Mark has already made an impact in his Monday evening sessions at the club and with his experience both as a player and coach the club have high hopes.

Please feel free to add amend as you see fit. I'm keen to try and get a report plus photos onto the ETTA web site asap and also include something my next newsletter. Sue Ager will also publish on the school web site.

Regards,

John Andrews
East Region Development Manager
English Table Tennis Association
Mob:   07803 606780
Email:   john.andrews@etta.co.uk
Web:   www.etta.co.uk