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TOURNAMENT REPORT
The club held its third Junior Graded Tournament incorporating 9 separate events/grades on Saturday 19th, Saturday 26th and Sunday, 27th November 2005, sponsored by ASHAWAY.
Of the 110 children who entered, 103 took part on the day with a few dropping out due to last-minute illness/injury.
There were 28 entrants from Ebbisham and the rest were from other Clubs such as Amida, Ashtead, Cannons West Byfleet, Cheam/RAC, City of London Freemans, Dorking, Esporta Croydon, Horsham, Lakeside, Limpsfield, Oxted, Preston Cross, Purley, Reigate, St. Georges Hill, Storrington (Sussex), Sundridge Park, Surbiton, Sutton,Teddington, Varsity, & Wimbledon RFC.
- MINI SQUASH PRO & IMPROVER GRADES - 19th November 2005:
31 children (17 boys and 14 girls) aged between 6-11 years old
- JUNIOR GRADED, GRADES C, D1 & D2 - 26th November 2005:
23 children (20 boys and 3 girls) aged between 11 - 15 years old
- JUNIOR GRADED, GRADES E1, E2, F1, F2 - 27th November 2005:
49 children (37 boys and 10 girls) aged between 9 - 15 years old
Everyone had several games (American scoring or PAR point per rally) with the highest overall points scorers going through to the Semi-Finals and then the Finals (best of 3) in each Grade, followed immediately by Presentation of Trophies and Ashaway squash bags to all finalists.
It was particularly interesting to note that the number of girls taking part had increased again this year - to 28%! Of those, 6 girls got through to the Semi-Finals and 3 to the Finals - an encouraging trend!!
The standard of squash throughout the tournament was amazingly high and the children's positive attitude, exemplary behaviour and smiles (even in defeat!) were infectious. So hopefully even those who didn't get through to the final rounds had an enjoyable day and will come back again next year!
This Ebbisham Junior Graded Tournament has grown from a one-day event in 2003 with 58 entrants, then a two-day event in 2004 with 104 entries, to a three-day event in 2005 with 110 entries and entry numbers would have been higher had it not clashed (thankfully!) with the Essex Junior Open which attracted quite a few of last year's entrants from Canterbury and Maidstone!
For 2006 we will stick with the 3 day/9 event format but we will have to limit the number of entries to a maximum of 12-14 per grade as 40 children on 3 courts in one day is quite enough to organise!!
Finally, just a few words of thanks:-
- to ASHAWAY (i.e. NICK GOODE OF GOODE SPORT) who donated some of the fantastic kitbag prizes for Winners & Runners-up and who also donated a racquet grip for each of the 103 entrants.
- to CHALLENGE TROPHIES OF NORTH CHEAM who supplied the engraved trophies for Winners and Runners-up.
- to Club Bar staff and particularly Joyce & Sean Mooney of HOSPITALITY PLUS CATERERS for their tasty meals.
- and, last but by no means least, to the SUPPORTIVE PARENTS, ENTHUSIASTIC VOLUNTEER HELPERS AND THE PATIENT AND WELL-BEHAVED CHILDREN themselves who helped to make the event run so smoothly!
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