Forrester Park Tennis Members
FEBRUARY NEWS UPDATE, 16TH FEBRUARY 2012
Dear All,
Welcome to the first newsletter of the year where I will try and give you as much info as possible about the year ahead.
First of all, a big welcome to all the new members who sould have received an email and letter from me!!
Although the winter was going well, weatherwise, it certainly hit us with 8” of snow over Saturday night, 4th February!!! Thanks to Libby, club staff and club members, courts 3 and 4 were cleared of snow to allow for club play, as shown in the photo.
As a result of the snow, we have had to cancel numerous league matches and have had to re-arrange these, often at short notice. This has meant us having to schedule some matches on a Sunday at 11.00am which should be over by 1.30pm. Please accept my apologies in advance if some of the matches over run a bit.
EVENTS 2012
Over the last 2-3 weeks, the summer fixtures have been set for the three mixed teams, ladies first team and the two junior teams. These have been put onto the noticeboard in the club for your information. We are waiting for the Ladies 2 fixtures to become available and then the complete set will be done. Having done the bulk of the fixtures, it has also
allowed us to set dates for the various tournaments and finals for 2012 which are given
below.
The times may be subject to slight variation but please put these dates in your diary. At our AGM, it was agreed that each tournament would be organised by an individual and we already have ‘volunteers’ for many of the dates. If you would like to organise one of the tournaments, then please let me know – help will be given!!
TOURNAMENT: Saturday 07/04/2012, 10:30
TOURNAMENT: Sunday 13/05/2012, 14:00
TOURNAMENT: Monday 04/06/2012, 10:00
ANNIVERSARY PLATE: Saturday 23/06/2012, 13:00
LADIES DOUBLES DAY: Sunday 08/07/2012, 10:30
FINALS DAY: Sunday 15/07/2012, 11:00
TOURNAMENT: Saturday 28/07/2012, 10:30
TOURNAMENT: Sunday 02/09/2012, 14:00
TEAMS 2012
For summer 2012, we are running the following teams in the Chelmsford and Halsted leagues, with the Team Captains shown.
Ladies 1 Div 1 Carole Morley
Ladies 2 Div 2 Leonie Marks (Halsted League)
Mixed 1 Div 2 Martin Duke
Mixed 2 Div 3 Keith Hollingsworth
Mixed 3 Div 4 Dave Powell
Junior Boys (Halsted League)
Junior Girls (Halsted League)
Many thanks to Leonie for agreeing to captain the Ladies 2 team again.
You will see that Mixed 1 and 2 are in different divisions this year which is where they should be after last years hiccups by the Chelmsford League, the details of which are too long for this news letter.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012
Keith Hollingsworth has agreed to organise the club championship this year and the list for entries will go up by 1 March and will be taken down on 31 March. Please sign up so that the draws etc can be made and details circulated.
WEBSITE
The Forrester Park website is being expanded to include more information about the tennis section this year. They have already put the home fixtures on the site (see below) and we hope to feed the results in so you know how the various teams are doing. We will endeavour to put as much info on here as possible, thanks to Annie. If you have anything to go on the site, then please contact Annie at the club or via annie@forresterparkltd.com.
CLUB SURVEY
Earlier this year, the Forrester Park club had a survey aimed at members. Initially this was focussed on the golf members and also included questions about the clubhouse as well. This has now been modified to take account of the tennis section and is available at the bar for you to fill in. It has also been emailed to members by the club, but if, for any reason, you have not had the email or want a copy to fill in, again, let Libby or me know and we will see what we can do to get you a copy.
It goes without saying that we need to meet members needs and wishes as far as we can from the tennis point of view as well as having input to the clubhouse facilities and how its run.
COMMITTEE
For your clarification, here is the current membership of the tennis committee;
Chairman Martin Duke
Vice Chairman Muriel Loveridge
Secretary Tim Eacott
Treasurer John Williams
Club Coach Libby Eden
Fixtures Secretary Martin Duke
Mixed 1 Captain Martin Duke
Mixed 2 Captain Keith Hollingsworth
Mixed 3 Captain David Powell
Ladies 1 Captain Carole Morley
Ladies 2 Captain Leonie Marks
Committee member Michael Hull
COACHING 2012
Last year we ran a very successful series of subsidised coaching evening with Libby on a Wednesday. We plan to repeat this again this year but would like your feedback on what day / time is most convenient for you as we are aware that not everyone can make Wednesday evenings. This will also depend upon Libby’s availability, so please let me know your thoughts on this.
The subsidy will come from our own club funds which are generated from the payment of ball money at the mix in sessions. Contrary to some people’s beliefs, we get NO money from Forrester Park itself to meet our running costs of balls, trophies, prizes etc – hence why we make a £1 charge for the mix in sessions.
CHELMSFORD LEAGUE AGM
I attended the Chelmsford League AGM a week ago in my capacity as Chairman and fixtures secretary. A few things to update you on....
There was a proposal to have only one team promoted from the mens div2 to mens div1 rather than the usual two. This was rejected as it was felt it could be ‘the thin edge of the wedge’ for other leagues. (I voted against this). There was then a proposal that if a team won promotion that they could ask NOT to be
promoted as they would have a weaker team. This was thrown out as well – it also raised the point that could a team ask not to be relegated!! I voted against this.
Finally, there was discussion about the mens league. Currently, you require three mens pairs in a team to enter the league whilst all the other leagues (Mixed and Ladies) are made up of two pairs per team. Last year, there was a large increase in the number of men’s teams fielding only 2 pairs and giving a walkover for the third pair. Thus, there is a proposal to reduce the number of pairs in the mens league to two pairs. This had a lot of support from the smaller clubs and those with ‘only’ four courts. I voted for this change, which will be discussed and voted on at an EGM in October.
I would like to hear from the gentlemen (and those ladies thinking of having a gender re-orientation operation) about their interest in playing a mens team under such circumstances next year. We would also require a gentleman to act as captain, so its really a double ask – do you want a mens team and if so, would you be prepared to act as captain?
SUMMER BBQ
It is really strange talking about all is summer stuff in February!!
We propose to hold the summer BBQ on 23 or 30 June this year and are looking for someone to host it. If you would like to offer you humble abode for this – please let me know.
AND FINALLY...................
We are always happy to offer members an opportunity to get involved on the committee or to organise an event in order to help spread the load. If you feel such an inclination then please let Libby or me know.
Well, I think that’s it for now
Regards
Martin
Tel 07802 389025
email: martin.duke@which.net
SUMMER HOME FIXTURES 2012
Please click for the full list of home and away fixtures.
| S Hanningfield | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 14th April |
| Marconi 4 Mixed | Mixed 3 | Home | Saturday | 14th April |
| Wickham Bishops C | Junior Girls | Home | Saturday | 28th April |
| Stock | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 28th April |
| OCs 2 Mixed | Mixed 3 | Home | Saturday | 5th May |
| Sudbury | Junior Girls | Home | Saturday | 12th May |
| Felsted | Junior Girls | Home | Saturday | 19th May |
| OCs Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Saturday | 19th May |
| Dunmow | Junior Boys | Home | Saturday | 26th May |
| S Hanningfield | Ladies 1 | Home | Saturday | 26th May |
| Basildon | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 2nd June |
| Southminster 2 Mixed | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 9th June |
| Gt Baddow 1 Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Monday | 11th June |
| Danbury 2 Mixed | Mixed 3 | Home | Friday | 15th June |
| Old Cs | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 16th June |
| Danbury 1 Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Monday | 18th June |
| Grove 4 Mixed | Mixed 3 | Home | Tuesday | 19th June |
| Sudbury | Junior Boys | Home | Saturday | 23rd June |
| Grove 2 Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Monday | 25th June |
| Southminster 1 Mixed | Mixed 1 | Home | Friday | 29th June |
| Braintree D |
Junior Boys |
Home | Saturday | 30th June |
| Writtle | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 30th June |
| Grove 3 Mixed | Mixed 2 | Home | Friday | 6th July |
| Thaxted | Junior Boys | Home | Saturday | 7th July |
| Marconi 1 Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Saturday | 14th July |
| Gt Baddow 3 Mixed | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 21st July |
| Ingatestone Mixed | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 11th August |
| Mountnessing 2 Mixed | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 18th August |
| Grove 1 Ladies | Ladies 1 | Home | Saturday | 25th August |
| Wickford 2 | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 1st September |
| Marconi 1 Mixed | Mixed 1 | Home | Saturday | 8th September |
| Marconi 2 Mixed | Mixed 2 | Home | Saturday | 15th September |
| Southminster 3 Mixed | Mixed 3 | Home | Saturday | 22nd September |
|
Marconi 3 Mixed |
Mixed 3 | Home | Saturday | 29th September |
DISCOUNT AT YOURS IN SPORT
Forrester Park tennis members get a 10% discount off tennis items purchased at Yours in Sport in Maldon. With spring just around the corner, now is a great time to check out your kit!
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