This Newsletter is ONLY sent by email .  If needed, could you therefore share the newsletter with the rest of the family for whom we may not have individual email addresses!
P.S.  Printing out this Newsletter: background colours won’t print - to save on ink...

Welcome to SPRING TENNIS!

A time to reflect, and a time to look ahead. Cold and ice didn’t stop play over the winter – and we made good use of our floodlights in the sharper days.

It’s been a really good year for our competitive tennis against other clubs  – with many of our teams gaining promotion last year. Looking ahead, this coming year we’ll have more teams than ever – with 4 Ladies teams, 4 Men’s teams, 2 mixed teams – as well as the new Men’s and women’s mid week teams starting up. This is a fantastic achievement for a club of our size.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the volunteers that help the club continue to be such a happy, thriving and welcoming place - Captains, Committee members, Volunteers. The Social Committee deserves special praise as they have put on (and have planned) more events than ever before. Please do feel free to come and support these events if you can make it!

The Junior Program is going from strength to strength, with the addition of Mark Thomas working alongside Matt Williams to deliver a fantastic Junior Development Coaching (JDC) Program. Some of you will know that Mark is having to take enforced time out for medical reasons.  We wish him a speedy recovery!

Again, we have a ‘New Season Social’ ( Saturday 22^nd April) based on the success of last year’s event. Please do come and join us for a drink, meet fellow players in a social setting, and sign up for more tennis! You’ll be able to sign up for teams, Club Championships and coaching. As ever, we’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas for the future of the Club.

Looking forward to seeing you on court!

Mark

DATES COMING UP:

• Sat 22 April – 4-6pm New Season Social – cricket pavilion
• Mon 24 Apr - Start of Summer JDC Programme
• Wed 26 Apr - Start of Mens Performance Coaching
• May – Sep – Club Tournament Championships
• Mon 1 May - start of new subscription year
• Tue 9 May – 6.30-8.30pm – Tennis + Wimbledon Draw
• Tue 6 June - committee meeting
• Tue 13 June – 6.30-8.30pm – Pimms & +Prizes
• Tue 11 July – 6.30-8.30pm – Summer Slam Social
• Tue 5 sep - committee meeting
• Sat 9 Sep – 1pm – Club Championships Final
• Fri 22nd Sep - AGM & Quiz!
• Sun 29 Oct – 10.30-12.30 – Monster Smash, Halloween

Chairman: Mark Mobey
Treasurer: Steve Perry
Secretary: Susanna Hunt

Committee Members:
Alan Elbourn,  Juliane Spiers, Kate Haysman, Steve Pugh,  Matt Williams, Sjoerd Vogt, Sam Bannister

Winter / Summer Match Secretary:

                          Anne Sawyer (01367) 870285

For contact details of all Summer and Winter League captains, see HERE

Other Responsibilities Maintenance Alan Elbourn Sjoerd Vogt Wimbledon tickets Alan Elbourn Social Activities Susanna Hunt Juliane Spiers Website & membership Sjoerd Vogt Clubmark Contact Mark Mobey Consumables restocking Anne Sawyer Welfare Officer Sanjay Trivedi Press Officer Adrian Noke Competitions Organiser Steve Pugh Juniors Alan Elbourn Susanna Hunt Mark Mobey

WHY TENNIS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE ….

My mentor in tennis--a saint--
Had a system that had not a taint.
"You won't lose at all
If you hit every ball
At a spot where the other guy ain't.

A recent feature article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed more than 80,000 people over an average period of nine years, to find out if certain sports protected them against early death....

CLICK HERE TO READ ON!

NEW SEASON SOCIAL

Sat 22nd April

at the Cricket Pavilion

4-6 pm

MEET your members and SIGN UP for EVENTS and TEAMS and TOURNAMENTS and COACHING and WIMBLEDON DRAW

Cream Teas & Bubbly

NOT TO BE MISSED!

FTC AGM HELD 23rd SEPT 2016

Reporting on the new record membership of more than 250 members, the very successful Club tournament ( with more than 60 members taking part), and the seven teams now taking part in Winter league, this was very positive AGM, taking place almost exactly two years after the relocation to Folly Sports Park, and was made all the more enjoyable by one of Alan’s inimitable Quizzes.  

All officers and committee members kindly agreed to continue in their current roles.

See HERE for full reports and AGM minutes

Do remember that all members are very welcome to come to any committee meeting. Meeting dates going forward are posted HERE, where you will also find minutes from previous meetings.

Next Committee Meeting is Tuesday 6th June - and Committee Meetings start at 7pm.  Remember - it’s your club and your views that matter!

ADULT CLUB TENNIS
 

Social Sundays

Tennis Tuesdays

Friendly Fridays

All sessions are open to all full adult members, students, and juniors with passports.

FRIDAY evenings are ROOKIE NIGHTS ; mainly for beginners and intermediates who feel they first need to build up a bit of confidence - but ALL are welcome! Rookie Nights start at 6.30pm

SUNDAY sessions are from 10.30am-12.30 , and TUESDAY sessions run from 6pm-8pm. .

Simply turn up. Balls provided.  See HERE for more details.

WIMBLEDON TICKETS 2017

We’ve just received our allocation of sixteen pairs of tickets ( two more than in 2016) from the LTA . As happened in previous years, the selection form will be emailed so that members can tick their preferences for dates.  Members DO need to have a BTM (British Tennis Membership) number and to have registered for the Draw to qualify. 

The DRAW will take place on Tuesday 9th May , at 8pm in the Clubhouse.  WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER DETAILS!

RENEWING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION FOR 2017-2018

 See HERE for more details.  Subscriptions have again been frozen at last year’s rates; ensuring that your subscription offers even better value for money than ever before! You will shortly be emailed the  renewal form for all the individuals living at your address. There are MASSIVE discounts if you renew before 1st May, and there’s even BIGGER discounts if you take out FAMILY membership! The Subscription Year runs from 1st May 2017 through to 30th April 2018. 

There’s also two categories of membership for those who want to support their children or enjoy the social side - but aren’t necessarily players themselves.  ONCOURT PARENT allows the parent accompanying their child or children to play with them. And NON-PLAYING SOCIAL MEMBER speaks for itself!

IN THE PRESS!

MANY thanks to our Press Officer Adrian Noke, who does sterling work in ensuring that the Faringdon community gets to hear about our tennis-related exploits on a regular basis. And it’s always fun to look through the old press cuttings!

ROOKIE NIGHTS!

Friday evenings ( 6.30-8.00pm) are the SPECIAL SESSIONS for those beginners and intermediates who feel that they first need to build up their confidence before coming to the Sunday or Tuesday Club Sessions!

Open to all full adult members and students

JUNIOR EVENTS COMING UP!

OUR COACHES ARE AGAIN PUTTING TOGETHER A SERIES OF EVENTS AND MINI-TOURNAMENTS FOR JUNIORS.   DETAILS TO FOLLOW!    Here’s a good explanation of the Mini Tennis Ratings system.

And - following the very successful JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT COACHING (JDC) winter programme, there will be an amazing TEN different JDC courses over the summer  - starting 24th April.

Adult SUMMER LEAGUE Match Tennis (playing other Clubs)

We had seven teams battling valiantly throughout the winter, and two will be promoted - an excellent result.  The first match of the Wilson Summer League 2017 is on the 22nd April - and we again have an incredible SEVEN  teams taking part. Matches are on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, usually starting at 1.30pm. Each team  plays seven matches spread from April to September, and the format is 2 couples per team. This means that you are usually home by 5.30pm at the latest. If you are interested in playing for a team please contact the appropriate Summer League Captain:

• Mens A Adrian Noke    07960726606   adechrisnoke@gmail.com
• Mens B Mark Kiff  07966 387034   markkiff@mac.com
• Womens A   Susanna Hunt  01367 241452   asmi.hunt@talktalk.net 
• Womens B   Carol Hand  07785 583215  carolhand7@yahoo.co.uk
• Womens C Paula Bray  01367 244167 07703 020 995   paulalouisebray@gmail.com
• Mixed A  Juliane Spiers  01367 241432   jspiers@kaacademy.org
     Or if JS n/a Steve Pugh  01367 244582 07921023094 steve.023@hotmail.co.uk  
• Mixed B Chris Noke  01367 241909   adechrisnoke@gmail.com  

MATCH PRACTICE SESSIONS take place for LADIES ON WEDNESDAYS (from 7pm-8.30pm)  and MEN ON MONDAYS (7pm-8.30pm) .  If you’re a full adult member of the Club (or Student member, or Junior-with-passport)  and are interested in playing in matches, then you’re very welcome. Simply turn up to the Men’s Wednesday Session;  for the ladies please phone the relevant captain first. 

NEW : STARTING IN MAY -  MENS/LADIES OLTA MIDWEEK LEAGUE

Interested in a bit of competitive tennis during the week? Matches are usually on a Wednesday, starting 10am - home and away.  There will be a match approximately every three weeks. The format is similar to the normal summer/winter leagues - with two pairs competing against each other.  DO contact the relevant captain below if you’re interested!

• Ladies Midweek Captain:     Anne Sawyer   01367-870285 asawyer-buckland@waitrose.com
• Mens Midweek Captain :      Steve Perry     07585-602436  steveperry414@gmail.com    

Coaching at Faringdon Tennis Club

We are very fortunate to have four Licensed LTA Coaches:

• Alan Elbourn (01367) 243872
• Susanna Hunt (01367) 241452
• Matt Williams (07749-249555)
• Mark Thomas (01793 782542)

• All sessions take place up at Folly Sports Park unless otherwise specified.
• “JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT COACHING” (JDC) programmes are all booked through ClubSpark. Click on relevant link above .  JDC Participants who are at present non-members can join the club at their first session, at the special Introductory Winter Rate of £5. This will cover their membership up to end April 2017.
• The JDC programmes are run jointly by Mark & Matt:
• For questions re Mark’s sessions (Mon/Tues) please email  mark@markthomastennis.co.uk or tel:  07795 517553
• For questions re Matt’s sessions (Weds/Thurs)  please email matt@acedpsychology.co,uk or tel: 07749 249 555
• Each of the ten JDC programmes takes place over 13 weeks (Spring school term) - with a break for half term ( week beginning 13th Feb) = 12 sessions total.
• Alan’s contact details for mid week squads are: info@heasmanandsadler.co.uk  Tel: 01367-243872
• For details of Susanna’s sessions please email asmi.hunt@talktalk.net or tel: 01367 241 452
• Susanna’s sessions run during term time only and details of course dates and costs will be forwarded each term. 
• Alan’s Saturday sessions are pay and play sessions which run all year, including school holidays.  
• In general all group coaching sessions work out approximately £5 per hour.
• All children who wish to attend coaching need to become members of the club (£20 for the year) and fill out an Emergency Contact Form
• Any adults who wish to attend only the coaching sessions and are not yet club members need to pay £20 for the year to cover insurance.  They then automatically become “coaching only” members

THE FARINGDON CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017!

Over the course of the summer we will again be running Adult tournaments for Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles – culminating in a Glorious Finals Day on Saturday 9th September to rival the SW19 event!

SIGN UP AT THE NEW SEASON SOCIAL EVENT ON THE 22ND APRIL

Faringdon Tennis Club also has a page on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/tennis4all ) - but it’s not used much! It’s completely open. Anyone can post to it. If you’re into FB - why not LIKE it; post photos, match results, anything else worth sharing?  (And if you’re into twitter:  Follow @10is4all  hashtag  #10is4all )

p.s.   please don’t worry in the slightest if you’re NOT into facebook or twitter or snapchat or instagram or ...  you can also survive very happily without - as long as you’ve got your tennis!

TENNIS BALLS: Are provided during official Club sessions. Tubes of high quality branded balls can be purchased at the Club house from Alan Elbourn 

Remember: To get into the Members’ Area of the website (you’re in the Members’ Area at the moment!) go to the homepage ( www.faringdontennis.org.uk )  - or any other page for that matter - and click on the cloud just to the right of the Folly Tower (top left of page) .