DaveR
11-26-2007, 01:20 PM
Article by ....By Geoff Ware
http://www.sportfocus.com/newsimage/J%20Evans%20and%20R%20Campbell.jpg
For several years now, tournaments held at Cirencester, Chesham and Cippenham have been providing excellent events for our young up and coming stars of the future. Organised with tireless work from the likes of Ken Bridle (Cirencester), Mike Atkinson (Chesham) and Ken Phillips (Cippenham), they offer aspiring talent opportunities in table tennis. These very well run competitions supply a great deal of table time, plenty of matches, an enjoyable social gathering and the opportunity to meet new friends in the sport.
Take your kids Angling for the first time and if you’re clever, find a lake where they will catch plenty of fish! Instantly, the enjoyment is there and they are “hooked for life”. So to, with Table Tennis. Get them playing lots of games, keep the interest going throughout the day and this is a recipe for long term entertainment and fun.
So many of the top juniors early in their career, have plied their trade in these competitions including Gavin Evans, Patrick Thomas from Wales, and latterly a certain talented young lady, Tin Tin Ho.
The winning formula was evident this weekend at the Cirencester 1 star open tournament. Staged as a progressive group competition, each player received constant challenging matches, which kept everyone active and involved throughout the event. Here, everyone is a winner, all players play to the end and with a final presentation witnessed by all, having meaning and celebration to all that fought they’re hardest on the day. This principle must surely replace the system of groups, then the instant knock out, the lowering of self-esteem, hardly anyone there to witness the presentation of prizes and for the majority, the long journey home!
The Cirencester tournament got under way on Sunday morning with the under 13’s boys and girls opening groups. There was an excellent turnout of 73 players, with a strong Welsh contingent of eighteen competitors. Rivalry was intense, as each player battled hard to reach the top positions of their group. The final progressive grouping of the under 13’s girls was a tense affair that eventually went to a countback, with all three girls tied on equal matches won. After deliberation, the title went to Wales in the shape of 11 year old Charlotte Carey. This dynamic left handed all out attacking player, narrowly took the gold from Tressa Armitage, another young lady with a bright future, who had recently been crowned Hampshire’s under 13’s and under 15’s girls champion. The rapidly improving, London Progress starlet, Charleigh Kirby (who last week won the Cippenham junior girls open title) coming in a close 3rd place.
In contrast the boy’s under 13’s tournament was a relative stroll in the park for the explosive talents of welsh wizard, Lewis Williams. He took the boys title from Matthew Outhwaite from Warwickshire, with Surrey’s Lewis Bray taking bronze.
The main event of the day was the under 15’s boys and girls competitions, which completed the days play. Seeded at two in the tournament, Jonathan Evans from Hampshire went one better to lift the Boys title with some excellent all round play, to outgun Ramone Campbell from London Progress, who had earlier beaten top seed, Daniel O’Connell in the previous groups.
Ryan Maynard also from London Progress took the 3rd spot, in the final groupings.
The girls under 15’s final trio of players, maybe made history, in as much as all three girls came from that excellent club Blaenavon in Wales. Top seed, Chloe Thomas the hard hitting all out attacking wonder, came through comfortably to win the girls title with brave efforts from the under 13’s champion, Charlotte Carey, with Taylor Williams taking 3rd place.
http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=12699
It was a real pleasure to see so many young talented players at the Gloucestershire venue. Congratulations to the great work of Ken Bridle and his team, at the helm, who kept the players busy throughout the days play.
Jonathan Evans of Hampshire, winner of boys under 15's (pictured left), together with runner up Ramone Campbell from Middlesex (right).
Girls under 15's winner Chloe Thomas from Wales (right), together with runner up Charlotte Carey also from Wales, (left).
http://www.sportfocus.com/newsimage/J%20Evans%20and%20R%20Campbell.jpg
For several years now, tournaments held at Cirencester, Chesham and Cippenham have been providing excellent events for our young up and coming stars of the future. Organised with tireless work from the likes of Ken Bridle (Cirencester), Mike Atkinson (Chesham) and Ken Phillips (Cippenham), they offer aspiring talent opportunities in table tennis. These very well run competitions supply a great deal of table time, plenty of matches, an enjoyable social gathering and the opportunity to meet new friends in the sport.
Take your kids Angling for the first time and if you’re clever, find a lake where they will catch plenty of fish! Instantly, the enjoyment is there and they are “hooked for life”. So to, with Table Tennis. Get them playing lots of games, keep the interest going throughout the day and this is a recipe for long term entertainment and fun.
So many of the top juniors early in their career, have plied their trade in these competitions including Gavin Evans, Patrick Thomas from Wales, and latterly a certain talented young lady, Tin Tin Ho.
The winning formula was evident this weekend at the Cirencester 1 star open tournament. Staged as a progressive group competition, each player received constant challenging matches, which kept everyone active and involved throughout the event. Here, everyone is a winner, all players play to the end and with a final presentation witnessed by all, having meaning and celebration to all that fought they’re hardest on the day. This principle must surely replace the system of groups, then the instant knock out, the lowering of self-esteem, hardly anyone there to witness the presentation of prizes and for the majority, the long journey home!
The Cirencester tournament got under way on Sunday morning with the under 13’s boys and girls opening groups. There was an excellent turnout of 73 players, with a strong Welsh contingent of eighteen competitors. Rivalry was intense, as each player battled hard to reach the top positions of their group. The final progressive grouping of the under 13’s girls was a tense affair that eventually went to a countback, with all three girls tied on equal matches won. After deliberation, the title went to Wales in the shape of 11 year old Charlotte Carey. This dynamic left handed all out attacking player, narrowly took the gold from Tressa Armitage, another young lady with a bright future, who had recently been crowned Hampshire’s under 13’s and under 15’s girls champion. The rapidly improving, London Progress starlet, Charleigh Kirby (who last week won the Cippenham junior girls open title) coming in a close 3rd place.
In contrast the boy’s under 13’s tournament was a relative stroll in the park for the explosive talents of welsh wizard, Lewis Williams. He took the boys title from Matthew Outhwaite from Warwickshire, with Surrey’s Lewis Bray taking bronze.
The main event of the day was the under 15’s boys and girls competitions, which completed the days play. Seeded at two in the tournament, Jonathan Evans from Hampshire went one better to lift the Boys title with some excellent all round play, to outgun Ramone Campbell from London Progress, who had earlier beaten top seed, Daniel O’Connell in the previous groups.
Ryan Maynard also from London Progress took the 3rd spot, in the final groupings.
The girls under 15’s final trio of players, maybe made history, in as much as all three girls came from that excellent club Blaenavon in Wales. Top seed, Chloe Thomas the hard hitting all out attacking wonder, came through comfortably to win the girls title with brave efforts from the under 13’s champion, Charlotte Carey, with Taylor Williams taking 3rd place.
http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=12699
It was a real pleasure to see so many young talented players at the Gloucestershire venue. Congratulations to the great work of Ken Bridle and his team, at the helm, who kept the players busy throughout the days play.
Jonathan Evans of Hampshire, winner of boys under 15's (pictured left), together with runner up Ramone Campbell from Middlesex (right).
Girls under 15's winner Chloe Thomas from Wales (right), together with runner up Charlotte Carey also from Wales, (left).