Elliswick LTC Newsletter – June 2023
Dear Members
With the sun that has been generously shining our way, we hope that you have been enjoying your tennis on our very well-maintained courts as well as admiring the very beautiful flowers in our well-tended garden. Thank you very much to Dave Watkinson who has been working very hard to create a very beautiful garden for all members and visitors alike to enjoy.
A quick plea for assistance – we need an accountant to help us prepare the club’s annual accounts in early October. Please contact our Chairman Eric Rovick ([email protected]) if you can help out with this important task.
A quick reminder: If anyone has an accident on court, please inform Andree Haxton (welfare officer) and fill in the accident report form.
Club Tournament – Finals Day
We were very lucky with the weather. the Finals Day ran very smoothly and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the brilliant tennis and the great atmosphere. Thank you to those who helped to make the day a great success.
Congratulations to the Club Tournament winners and well done to the Runners-up.
Ladies Doubles : Emma Hall & Maki Watanabe-Genoud, Runners up : Jenny Sheridan & Gaby Thornton
Mens Singles : Dan Watkinson, Runner up : Cameron Burnett
Ladies Singles : Maki Watanabe-Genoud, Runner up : Emma Hall
Mens Doubles : Rupert Tillbrooke and Oliver Tresman, Runners up : Andy Bonnington & Cameron Burnett
Mixed Doubles : Kate Curson & Sam Harrison, Runners up: Andy Barker & Maki Watanabe-Genoud
Lost Property Boxes
Please look through the lost property boxes (clothing, racquets, water bottles) in the clubhouse as the boxes will be emptied at the end of this week.
Clubhouse Keeping
May we remind you not to leave any left-over match food in the clubhouse and please help out by taking your rubbish home if possible as the bins in the clubhouse are getting congested.
SOCIALS
June was a very busy month down at the club. We started with the WINE TASTING – Many thanks to Alison and Barrie for once again hosting a fantastic evening. The wines were exceptional and the clubhouse was buzzing. A jolly night was had by all!
SUPPER NIGHT – A delicious Italian supper was cooked by Jenny Stevenson and enjoyed by members in temperatures to rival the Italian riviera.
What a treat was the RADIO GA-GA rollicking performance down at Harpenden’s Eric Morecambe Theatre where over 20 members went to see the Queen extravaganza – a night they will never forget!!
And things are hotting up with more socials in July:
This Sunday – 2nd July, Summer Family Walk inc. lunch at Pub. Meeting at 10.30 am at St Paul’s Church, Chipperfield. Mark Quinn will lead us on a 4 mile country walk (approx. 1.5 hours). Drinks and/ or lunch to follow in the Two Brewers Pub. Children and dogs welcome. Please call Sally (07966 890992) if you want to join the walk.
8th July – Tim Sutton’s acclaimed Magic & Music Night – there are still a few spaces left. Please sign up here: https://forms.gle/A5HosJdTLPW6L2nx7
15th July – Wimbledon Ladies Final day screening at club – Aiming to recreate the atmosphere of Wimbledon in the clubhouse! Strawberries and Pimms/champagne/prosecco/tea in the clubhouse. Please let us know if you are hoping to join us so we can ensure enough strawberries are available! https://forms.gle/KytP29u4Xy2Hq4cP7
Monday 18th September 19:30 – Hamilton Theatre Trip
We have secured 12 Band A tickets for Hamilton. Victoria Palace Theatre London. £75 each (normally £100). Email Sally to reserve your ticket at [email protected]
For more information regarding our social events, please contact our Social Secretary, Jane Bisseker at [email protected]
Ladies Tennis
Ladies matches are a couple of months into the season and our current team standings are:
Hot rackets
1st team 3rd in premiership division with 2 matches to play
2nd team 5th in division 1 with 1 match to play
3rd team 2nd in division 5 with 2 matches to play
4th team 7th in division 5 with 4 matches to play
Herts league
1st team and 2nd team each played 1 match so early days in the season
Ladies mornings (every Tuesdays from 9am) are proving popular and there’s a great turn out each week. Ladies of all abilities are welcome.
Ladies nights (every Wednesdays from 6pm) are also proving popular. If you wish to join in the ladies nights, please email Victoria ([email protected]).
For any new members who would like to play competitive tennis or join in the friendly matches, please email our Ladies Captain, Kate Curson [email protected]
Team Practice
We are looking to introduce some team practice on Sunday afternoons. Our ladies captain and men’s captain are currently working through frequency/dates and details, so more information to come. This will provide the teams with practice in match scenarios, trying different tactics in both ladies, mens and mixed formats.
Mens Teams
The men’s teams have started competing in their respective leagues. We are in the process of organising some team practice sessions which will be held on Sunday afternoons. Both ladies and mens teams will play together to enhance both doubles and mixed doubles play.
In the Hot Rackets we have several older juniors/intermediates representing the club which is great to see, some are playing in the Herts league fixtures too.
Mixed Teams
Summer Datchworth is now over half way through. The 1st Team run by Amy Martin is currently top of division 2 with the top two being promoted. The 2nd Team run by Neil Craig is currently mid-table in division 2 with the bottom three being relegated. The 3rd and 4th Teams are run by Stuart Owen and the former is unfortunately bottom of division 3A and the latter top of division 8B. It was always going to be a struggle for the 3rd Team as it was promoted last year but has lost three of its strongest players to the 2nd Team. Latest leagues position per the attached link. http://www.datchworth.net/images/Summary.htm.
Mixed friendlies we have played 4 out of 5 matches, having won 1 and lost the others. We have used a mix of players in this league, some juniors and some more experienced players. We are currently mid-table in the league after Redbourne and St. Albans who have much stronger players.
Social Mix-In on Thursday 6pm is going well with a good range of playing standards all being organised into competitive fours by one of our Coaches.
Mixed Do was held on Thursday 8th June with 21 players from the Winter Mixed attending the meal and a couple more for post dinner drinks at the Old Cock Inn, Harpenden.
Anyone interested in playing for one of our mixed teams please contact Tony Ward via [email protected].
JUNIORS
The 2023 Junior Tournament – Sunday 17th September 2023
With a reserve date of Sunday 24rd September in case of bad weather. A provisional sign-up list has been put up on the Junior bulletin board. Please sign up before the deadline of 27th August as we need time to organise the event and matches. Please contact our Club Administrator & Welfare Officer, Andree Haxton at [email protected] if you have any queries.
Volunteers – We are looking for willing volunteers to help with the catering and scoring as there are so many games played throughout the day. Please contact Andree Haxton if you could help out. Thanks in advance
Of course the bar will be open and bbq lunch will be available too.
JUNIOR NIGHTS
The Young Juniors session is structured play with the coaches (4:30 to 6pm), while the later (6pm to 8pm) offers older Juniors (11+) the chance to play some matches or just to socialise and have fun with friends. We have a few more weeks of the Summer Term with the last session on Friday 21st July (re-commencing in September). All junior members are welcome. The bar and snack shop are open offering hot dogs and sweet snacks.
LTA National League 2022-23 Winner
We are pleased to announce that our U16 Boys team has won their division in the LTA National League 2022-23 winter season. Thank you to Melissa Sweeney who captained this team and congratulations to the players (Alex Sweeney, Oliver Hunt, Harry Boon and Jack Howie).
Coaching
Summer holidays are nearly here and there is lots on offer through the holidays for juniors. Please visit our club’s website for more details and to book www.elliswickltc.co.uk/holidaycamps/
For autumn term coaching if you are wanting to start but not currently booked on this summer term please email Ben for information. [email protected]
Thank you to all the support in the dawn to dusk 5am-9pm challenge. So far it has raised over £11,500 which is amazing. If you still wish to donate the link to the just giving page is here with the money being raised for “mind” https://www.justgiving.com/page/mind-target50000/
Grounds and Clubhouse
- The screws in the hinges for the kitchen cupboard doors are too short and some have pulled out. We are considering replacing them with longer screws – in the meantime please take care when opening the cupboard doors.
- The gents toilet often becomes blocked, requiring a costly Draincare callout. A plunger is now located next to the bowl (instructions are on the handle) – please use at the first sign of any blockage. The annual drain cleaning visit by Draincare will take place on Thursday 3 August.
- The Velux roof blinds are now working – there are separate controllers for opening the windows and for blind operation (all located on the nearby wall).
- Several quotes have now been received for a Solar PV and battery storage system. They are currently being reviewed and a recommendation will be made to the Elliswick committee shortly.
National LTA Awards ceremony
We are very excited that next Tuesday (4th July) is the National LTA Awards ceremony at the National Tennis Centre and very proud to have two of the nominees coming from Hertfordshire – HACRO (Hertfordshire Association for the Care & Rehabilitation of Offenders) who are in the final three nominations for a national award in the Connecting Communities category and Simon Spalter from the Tennis Volunteer Community is also in the running for a President’s award. It would be great to give them a lot of Herts Tennis family support so anyone from ELTC can join the celebrations online.
You can watch the ceremony on zoom by registering on the following link:
|
You need to register in advance and will then receive the link.
Norfolk Holiday Pass
If you are visiting North Norfolk on your holiday this year, Norfolk LTC have 5 racquet sports to try and some of the best grass tennis courts in the UK. Please see attached for more details.
Kind Regards
Elliswick LTC Committee
PS, Don’t forget to keep up to date with events at our website http://www.elliswickltc.co.uk and follow our Facebook page as well.