FLOODLIGHTING – URGENT!
Despite Wadhurst Parish Council’s close vote
against the Club installing low-profile floodlights on 2 courts, Wealden
District Council can still give the go ahead. So please support the enhancement
of our tennis facility for the benefit of the local people, young and old, so
play can continue during the dark early winter evenings after school, by
writing to the Planning Department now. Ask friends/non-members to do the same.
Letters must reach the council by April 24th. The reference to quote
is WD/2008/0765/F and the address: Planning Dept, Wealden District Council,
Council Offices, Pine Grove, Crowborough TN6 1DH. Any queries, phone Ralph
Miller on 782272.
MEMBERSHIP
RENEWALS
Don’t forget to renew your membership if you
haven’t already done so. Please send your subscription to the Membership
Secretary Oli Miller, Wyck Stable, Woods Green, Wadhurst TN5 6QS, tel: 782272,
otherwise your swipe card will be de-activated. Subscription rates remain the
same as last year. To download a form and check the rates go to www.wadhurst.tennis.info. You will
only be able to enter the Wimbledon draw and Club tournaments once you have
renewed your membership.
WIMBLEDON DRAW
Sign up now for a chance
to obtain tickets for Wimbledon 2008. The draw will be held at the club at 1pm
on Bank Holiday Monday, May 5th, before the start of the American
Tournament. The championships run from June 23rd to July 6th. All fully paid-up
adult members are entitled to put their names down, so don’t forget to renew your subscription first. The sheet is up on
the club notice board, or email Oli Miller at olimiller2000@yahoo.co.uk. You
must be present at the draw, or have a representative, with payment.
AMERICAN TOURNAMENT
The American Tournament will
follow the draw on May 5th at 1.30pm. There are two sections: Family
(for parents and children playing together) & Adult (which includes juniors
of reasonable ability). Please sign up as a mixed pair (parent & child, or
man & lady) or as a single and we will try to pair you up. You can sign up
in advance with Oli Miller at olimiller2000@yahoo.co.uk – or turn up on the day, first come, first
served. Again you must be a paid-up club
member to take part.
CLUB TOURNAMENTS
The lists are now up in the Club Room. Matches
must be played by the dates given, otherwise the Club Captain, Ray Kemp, will
have to decide the result with a toss of a coin. Finals day is September 14th.
JUNIOR NEWS
l Friday tennis There are plenty of spaces for more juniors aged 11 –
14 to join the 5–6pm training session. This could lead to playing friendly
matches against other local clubs. Contact Stuart Clark (782067), Shirley
Jeffery (785797) or Oli (782272).
l Saturday coaching
All ages have a slot in the morning. Bookings are for a 6-week period at £35
for non-members & £30 for members, arranged through Jackie Grayson (0795
7254059).
l Squad training Monday
at 4 to 5pm for under 13s and 14 and over the same time on Tuesday. They cost
£5 per session – pay on the day.
l Wimbledon Draw This will take place at 5pm on May 9th at
the Club.
Cardio tennis
Get the heart rate going and keep fit on the
tennis courts with Cardio Tennis. Head coach Jackie Grayson is offering two
sessions – 12 noon and 7pm – every Tuesday starting from April 22nd at £5 a
session for members, £6 for non-members. For more info, contact Jackie on 07957
254059. No skills necessary!
LEAGUE news
Horam
The start of the 2008 Horam League is April 21st ending with a KO final on
August 11th. Oli Miller (782272) and Shirley Jeffery (785797) are running the
teams with training on Monday evenings 6.30–8.30pm. Both of our teams are in
Division 2 (out of three divisions) but Wadhurst 1 are looking to get promoted
this year after losing out to the weather last season – the title decider
against Groombridge was rained off and the points were shared..
Sussex
Wadhurst Ladies’ have
come first in their division – congratulations! The Men’s team came third. If you’re interested in playing in the
Sussex League, contact Jim Skellern on 785116 (james.skellern@btinternet.com)
or Katrina Turner on 782896. The matches are on Sundays. To keep up to date
with the results of the Sussex leagues go to http://sussex.totaltennis.net.
Wealden
Wadhurst 1 came 4th in Division 3 and Wadhurst 2
finished in 5th position in Division 4. Contact Stuart Clark (782067) or Judy
Skellern (785116) if you are interested in playing. Matches are played on
Sundays.
CLUB TENNIS
Club Tennis on Wednesday evenings kicked off with
a great turn-out on April 15th. This will be running from 6pm
throughout the summer – turn up when you can. Retired men are joining the
ladies’ mornings on Wednesdays from 9am with great success and Sunday mornings’
club play is open to men and women from 9am. There’s no sex discrimination at
this club – oh no!
BACK TO TENNIS
For those who feel a little rusty and would like
to get back into tennis, or have never played the Club’s Back-To-Tennis
evenings on Tuesdays have proved a great success. From 6.30pm, it is free for
members but costs £3 for non-members, which will be reimbursed if the
non-member joins before the end of April. Coaching help is on hand. Contact
Stuart Clark (782067) for more info, or just turn up.
TROPHY PRESENTATION EVENING
On March 15th last year’s Tournament
Winners received their trophies at a party held at the Club, organised by Party
Planner Madeleine Matthews. It was a great success and lots of fun. Plus there
was a surprise Alternative Awards presentation, these went to: Antony Michell
for Most Gentlemanly on Court; Rosie Hotham – Least Dressed in Coldest Weather;
Anne Bannerman – Changing from Right-handed to Left-Handed Player; Ailsa Taylor
– Best Cake Maker; Oli Miller – C’mon Cup; Ralph Miller – Most Obsessed
With Tennis Balls; Jim Skellern – Most Balls Hit
Out of Court; Ray Kemp – Bjorn Borg Lookalike!
Did
you know that… Lawn Tennis was invented in about 1873, as
a game to be played on a marked-out surface without side or end walls (unlike
Real Tennis) by Major Walter Clipton Wingfield. He originally called it
‘Sphairistike’, the name of an ancient Greek ball game! This was sometimes
abbreviated to ‘sticky’, although it was not the name that stuck! The term Lawn
Tennis was probably coined by Arthur Balfour, a British Statesman and very
early player of Sphairistike, though Major T.H. Gem also laid claim to having
created the term. Major Gem had previously invented an outdoor version of Real
Tennis, adapted for play on grass, with J.B. Perara, in 1858, and had called it
Pelota, after the Spanish game! From Wimbledon
Facts, Figures & Fun by Cameron Brown.
l
Available from your own independent bookseller Barnetts of
Wadhurst, tel: 783566
CRS