HNNL April 2004 page 4
The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
April 2004 Series 29 No 2

Sports and Social


MAJOR BOOST FOR SPORTS PROJECT.
A tremendous start to 2004 has seen confirmation from Sport England of a grant award of £410,809. With the overall Sports Project costing £808,000, we only have a few thousand pounds more to raise. Sport England has approved the pavilion design and discussions are now taking place with a shortlist of contractors in preparation for a start on site this Spring.
In addition, the long awaited 'switch on' for the new tennis court floodlights took place in February. The three new courts are fantastic and the floodlights now mean that the club can develop more opportunities for tennis development for the local area. Anyone interested in joining the Tennis Club should contact Richard Blencowe on 01608 684007.The official launch with a celebrity sports personality is planned for May.
The new football pitch is also continuing to develop a healthy cover of grass in preparation for receiving Hooky First team back for the start of the 2004/5 season. Junior football will also have better facilities with the new and existing pitches accommodating more junior matches. The final works to the new pitch will take place in coming weeks involving 'sand slitting' which will complete the drainage infrastructure for the pitch. The design for the Multi Use Games Area has now been approved by Sport England and this will start later in the Spring. This will provide long overdue facilities in the village for a range of new activities including Basketball, Netball, Hockey, Five a Side Football and will be available to hire for childrens' party activities.

More social events are being planned, but to give a big boost towards the remaining funds required. A SPONSORED SKYDIVE is planned for one weekend during the summer. VOLUNTEERS to jump are required! You need to be over 18 and physically fit. Depending on those that wish to jump, it will either be:RAPS (Ram-Air Progression System) which is 2 day static line parachute course involving ground training on the first day and, weather permitting, a jump on the second day using an advanced ram air square parachute from 3,500 feet. Alternatively, a TANDEM jump involves a short ground briefing, after which, you will be attached to an instructor and exit the aircraft at 10,000 - 12,000 feet, reaching speeds of approx. 120 miles per hour. Your freefall ends at 5,000 feet when the instructor deploys the main parachute. The cost for these jumps are RAPS £200 and TANDEM £225, which will be payable by the 'Jumper'. HNS&SC has been registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club, under Inland Revenue Regulations, which allows the Club to claim repayment of tax under GIFT AID. These means each sponsorship donation will attract a further 28% GIFT AID!
For further information about SKY DIVING have a look at www.ukskydiving.co.uk . To register your interest in being a 'JUMPER' please email rebecca@thewattsfamily.fsnet.co.uk
Hook Norton Sports and Social Club


HOOK NORTON FOOTBALL CLUB
Sometimes in life, there is a need to take a step backwards in order to take two or three steps forward. If you agree with this observation then, like me I'm sure, you will acknowledge that Hooky First Team's compulsory return next season to Division 1 (West) of the Hellenic League, due to the absence of floodlights and covered spectator accommodation at The Bourne, will be by no means a bad thing. Indeed, I have to say, I view this impending occurrence as a wonderful opportunity for sport in general, and football in particular, to be revitalised in Hooky. Efforts made by all concerned to achieve an improved structure which should see the establishment of a long-overdue association between senior and junior football will undoubtedly be of immense benefit to both clubs. Already both organisations are liaising closely to work towards this end. One of the first stepping stones will be a presentation at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 7th April at Hook Norton Sports and Social Club of what can be achieved and how to achieve it, by Stuart Page, Chairman of Badshot Lea Football Club. Their First Team plays in Division 1 (East) of the Hellenic League. Stuart is an ex-professional footballer who played with Gary Lineker at Leicester City and afterwards at Watford and he has managed, in something just over 5 years, to build the Surrey based Village Club from very basic origins into a slick organisation. The Club encourages and nurtures several youth teams, comprising children of varying ages and of both sexes and seeks to establish a clearly defined link between those teams and the Club's two senior teams. I have no doubt that this will be a most interesting evening and I'm sure that we will be able to learn a great deal from Stuart on the direction that a re-vamped Hooky Club can take to create a sound footballing structure and establish an integral part of an exciting new sport and recreational facility for the entire community. We are obviously expecting quite a few players and others connected with both senior and junior football to be present, but I would like to emphasise that anyone who is interested in seeing this type of venture work in Hooky will be more than welcome. Accordingly we look forward to seeing you when admittance is free and the bar will be open!
As far as the football itself is concerned, it is true to say that the going for both the First and Second Teams has been tough for, on and off, field reasons in each case. That said, we're both hanging in there and will definitely do so until the end of the season. No trophies will be won but I think I can confidently say that both teams will finish up well clear of their respective 'drop zones' which, in the circumstances, is quite an achievement in itself. Finally, as I hurriedly pen these notes to beat the print deadline, I would like to bring your attention to our usual End of Season 'Dinner' and Presentations. This year we've decided to go for informality, not least because that's what many of our younger members want. I'm currently working on staging the function at Hooky Sports and Social Club at 7.30 pm on Friday 14th May, when it's likely to take the form of a BBQ/Pig Roast which will be followed of course, by music to 'boogie' to, after the presentations have been made.
Geoff 'Jesse' James, Club Secretary.


HOOK NORTON CRICKET CLUB
Cricket doesn't stop for Hook Norton Cricket Club when the sun stops shining! In fact, it can be nearly as busy through the winter months as well.
The Hook Norton team had an excellent season in the Banbury Winter Indoor Cricket League this year. We were represented by 2 or 3 of our U16's and & U18's players in each of our matches. Given that indoor cricket involves only 6 players a high proportion! They played so well, particularly with very effective bowling from Dan White, Gary Wilson and Chris Belcher and wicket keeping from Nick Leader that we were looking like we might win the league at one point and go in to the ultra-serious top division with the likes of Banbury. Luckily the 'old hands', Tim Lunel, Dickie Knight and Simon Richards helped to snatch a couple of defeats from the jaws of victory with some 'expansive' batting which meant that we finished in the top half of the second division. A great warm up for what we hope to be a successful summer season in 2004 and a great example of how the juniors are integrated, encouraged and developed by the senior members. We are very fortunate to have people of this standing associated with our club.
Junior player assessments for the Oxfordshire County Squads took place before Christmas and we were delighted and very proud that 14 of our members including several girls were invited to join the County squads for winter development coaching. Last season 6 members had this privilege, so we have more than doubled that number for this season, too many to mention by name here, but we congratulate them all. We also congratulate the coaches who must take some of the credit for their success.
Indoor nets having been taking place at Chipping Norton Leisure Centre for the senior section and the older members of the junior section of the club since February and regularly have had over 30 members in attendance. The Junior section's indoor nets are now taking place at Warriner School, Bloxham for 66 members (not all at once, 3 sessions of differing age groups!) in readiness for what we hope will be a hugely enjoyable and very successful season for our enthusiastic young players.
This season which starts on May 1st looks as if it will be a busy one. The 1st X1 led by Simon Richards, 2nd X1 by Keith Pashley have 36 Saturday games between them whilst the Sunday Friendly team led by Paul White have 21 matches. In the Wednesday Mid-Week League organised by Jonathan Leader there will be 16 games – a total of at least 73 games.
At the time of going to press, the junior fixtures had not arrived, but 5 teams were entered into the Oxfordshire Youth Cricket leagues. U10-11's friendlies, U11's league, U13's league, U15's league, and U17's league. For the 1st time, we are delighted that we will be entering a Girls team into Oxfordshire division of a National Competition. The season for the 108 members juniors starts on Monday 26th April.
We have a very happy atmosphere within our club and would welcome new players, supporters, umpires and scorers to join us and enjoy it with us.
Please contact our club secretaries Colin Scarrett or Jackie White if you require further information.
Jackie White


HOOK NORTON TENNIS CLUB
Hook Norton Tennis Club is pleased to announce that it now has three new floodlit Astroturf tennis courts ready for the coming Summer season. The Club is located at the Hook Norton Playing Fields and has been in existence for over twenty years, during which time it has become noteworthy for its friendly atmosphere, aiming to promote the enjoyment of tennis for all ages and ability.
We have Club Nights on Tuesdays, Fridays and on Sunday there is a Club Morning.
We field 4 teams in the local Banbury Town Leagues with matches in the evening both winter and summer and weekends during the winter as well. We also play in Oxfordshire leagues and the 4 Shires Ladies League. Our 1st team are the current Banbury Town Summer League champions.
There is a full programme of coaching for adults and juniors of all ages and this will be enlarged with our expanded facilities.
Social events and tournaments are also part of the programme and of course, members can use the courts whenever they wish outside the Club sessions.
For further details, please contact Richard Blencowe on 01608 684007


HOOK NORTON TENNIS CLUB
JUNIOR TENNIS COACHING COURSES EASTER 2004



PLACE: Hook Norton Tennis Club
DATES: Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th & Friday 16th April

COURSES: 9.30 – 10.30 a.m. 5 to 7 year olds
  10.45 – 11.45 a.m. 8 – 10 year olds
  12.00 – 1.00 p.m. 11 – 14 year olds
COST: All courses £10 for 3 days, non-members £13
COACH: Ella Ealles, ECA, DCA, US PTL

Come and play on our 3 new astro turf courts!
  • Coaching, fun games and competitions
  • Rackets available for use if required
  • Please bring a drink and snack for the break
  • Junior membership - up to 12 years £10, 12 – 18 years £22

For further information contact: Rebecca Watts rebecca@thewattsfamily.fsnet.co.uk
Application forms: right click the link and save target MS Word format or as a Text File





Hook Norton Tennis Club

require a part time

LTA Qualified Tennis Coach

Responsibilities to include: Junior after school and holiday coaching programme; Youth coaching programme; Junior development programme implementation

For further details contact Rebecca Watts or
send your C.V. to 8 Old School End, Hook Norton, OX15 5QU,
Email rebecca@thewattsfamily.fsnet.co.uk

Closing date for applications 31 March 2004