HNNL April 2005 page 4
The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
April 2005 Series 30 No 2

Sports


HOOK NORTON SPORTS PROJECT
Hook Norton's sporting facilities continue to improve – the latest project is the construction of a Sports Wall which will provide opportunities for cricket, tennis, football, netball and general ball skills. There will be a tarmac area in front of the wall so it can be used in all weathers – completion is expected at the end of April.
The Tennis Club's original courts have now been converted to an Astroturf Multi Use Games Area with floodlighting. This MUGA has been fully operational since Christmas and is valuable asset for Junior Football Training after School or when the pitches are too wet for play. Netball and Cricket will be commencing in April.
It is heartening to see so many youngsters keeping active and committed to their sport. The Junior Football on a Saturday morning is an incredible hive of activity - Hook Norton is surely a leader in the current anti-obesity campaign!!
The final phase of the Sports Project will be the construction of a new Pavilion.
It is hoped that further funding will be available from the Football Foundation who are meeting shortly.
A new Management Committee has been set up under the leadership of Mike Barlow to enable smooth running of all the new facilities.
Several sub-committees have also been formed eg; Ground Maintenance; Building Maintenance; Future Development; Secretarial; Finance; Social Events. All the Sports Clubs and the Social Club will be represented on these committees. Anyone with an interest in the operation of the Sports and Social Club and essential upkeep of the great new amenities would be very welcome to join!
CONTACTS
To book the MUGA: Nancy Hawkins
Tennis Club Membership: Richard Blencowe
Junior Cricket Club: Steve Belcher
Cricket: Colin Scarrett
Football: Geoff James
Hook Norton Harriers: Dee Hailey


HOOK NORTON HARRIERS
The Harriers continue to meet every Tuesday evenings at the Sports and Social Club at 7pm. About 12-18 runners meet and divide into three or four groups and set off at various speeds and distances around the village. At about the time you are reading this the clocks will have gone forward and we can leave our dark journeys behind for another six months or so and venture out into the country side both on roads and along the footpaths.
We have had several new faces over the last couple of months and are always happy to see more: just turn up. Many members are recreational runners who do it for fun and are not at all competitive. Some of our members are a bit more serious.
By the time you read this we will have just hosted the Oxfordshire Road Relays on the 20th March: one of the two events we run each year. The route for each leg was the Sports and Social club/Peartree/Queen street/Gate hangs high / Firs loop of about 3 miles: the fastest will have been about 17 minutes. We should have had a men's and ladies team competing although it is unlikely we would have finished in the first three.
The club also competes in a winter cross country league which ended on the 6th March: despite injuries which deprived them of several runners for parts of the season the men's team finished a creditable 7th (out of 26) and the ladies, 17th.


HOOK NORTON CRICKET CLUB
The 2005 season starts on May 4th and to date we have 64 fixtures for the seniors. The 1st XI plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Premier League Division 1and the 2 Xl in Division 8. There are 17 mid week fixtures (played on Wednesday evenings) and 12 Sunday games for those who like an occasional game which is never too serious and often quite amusing..
Simon Richards captains the 1st XI, Barry Souch aided by Jim Williams, the 2nd XI, Jonathan Leader the Mid Week and Paul White the Sunday team.
To say our junior cricket is thriving is a bit of an understatement. Last year we had 104 boys and 40 girls aged from 5 to 17 playing matches down to the under 8's.
We are at present half way through indoor coaching at the Warriner and the outdoor season starts on Monday 2nd May.
All registered junior members will soon be receiving our annual 'Newsletter' which will contain all the relevant information for the coming season.
Parents whose children are not already members and who wish to join please telephone Jackie White.
Colin Scarrett


HOOK NORTON TENNIS CLUB
Whether you are a budding Tim Henman or just enjoy hitting a tennis ball around, come and play tennis at Hook Norton!
We are a friendly club aiming to promote enjoyable tennis for all ages and abilities.
The courts are open for play at all times throughout the year. Match nights are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; club nights are on Tuesdays and Fridays, club play on Sunday mornings. Coaching is available throughout the year.
Members may book courts at all other times.
A range of teams of differing abilities compete in the Banbury Town and Oxford leagues throughout the year. The 1st team have been the Banbury Town League Summer Champions for the past two years and a good result from the final match of the Winter season would see them become Banbury Town Floodlit League Champions as well.
Friendly matches against other clubs are also arranged.
Social events are organised throughout the year, including: mixed doubles Tournament, Barbecue, Annual Dinner, Children's Tournament, LTA Play Tennis and activities arranged jointly with other sections of the Hook Norton Sports and Social Club.
Junior coach Gareth Jones provides coaching and events to give every child the opportunity to participate at a level suited to their ability – but above all – its fun!
There is a member's only annual draw for our allocation of tickets for the Wimbledon fortnight.
During the coming months a full programme of coaching and activities for Junior players will be taking place at the new courts.
The aim is to provide a structured and progressive coaching environment, based on the LTA Mini Tennis Programme, which will enable children of mixed ability to develop the skills needed to play the game of Tennis, in a friendly and caring environment.

Easter Holiday Courses
5th, 6th 7th April - Beginners and Improvers
Age Groups – Red 5 to 7 yrs, Orange 8 to 10 years, Green 11+ years

12th, 13th 14th April – Improvers and Advanced
Age Groups – 8 to 10 years Green, 11 to 15 years Junior

The Summer programme will be 2 blocks of sessions, 6 sessions commencing 19th April, and 7 sessions commencing 6th June until 23rd July 2005, after school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings.
Players may join during the course, and the fee charged is pro rata.

Please call Club Coach, Gareth Jones to join the Summer Sessions and for further details.

The Hook Norton Juniors entered two teams for the first time in the OLTA Indoor Tournaments at Abingdon. The competition is based on Tennis Orange, a three quarter court, and Tennis Green, a full court, with 3 players in each team, 2 boys and 1 girl, aged between 9 and 11 years. Twenty Clubs from Oxfordshire took part with a final in March for the winning Clubs in each division.
In Tennis Green we played Abingdon, Benson and Oxford Sports - the leading performance club in Oxfordshire! Playing Singles and Doubles the Hooky players competed strongly against some very good opposition and the final scores were very close - Oxford Sports 186 points, Benson 185 and HNTC 181. Oxford Sports are tipped as overall winners. Well done to team members Ella Hancock, Francis Britten, Edward Smith and Hester Watts who all showed determination and skill, were calm under pressure and enjoyed the competitive atmosphere.
In Tennis Orange HNTC played North Oxford, Kingston Bagpuize and the White Horse Tennis Centre - the only group with indoor facilities! Once again good tennis from the Hooky squad of Robert Gore, Max Boother and Fern Scrivener, and Claire Gardner who played in the second round. Final scores were White Horse 239 points, Hook Norton 176 points and North Oxford 112.
So, no place in the final but congratulations to all our players, who were all competing for the very first time. The experience will enable HNTC to build for the future, and this summer there will be more opportunities for players to gain Match experience and take part in inter Club team competition.
Chairman - Rick Wilkinson
Membership secretary – Richard Blencowe
Coach - Gareth Jones


HOOK NORTON SENIOR FOOTBALL SECTION
As most of you know, even at the ripe old age of nearly 63 years, I'm 'sport mad' and I now particularly love watching football and cricket. That's how I got 'roped in' about 4 years ago to assist 'behind the scenes' when Hooky were promoted to the Hellenic League and, as often happens in these circumstances, my involvement has rapidly increased, even though I didn't seek it. But, in truth, I love every minute of it and I only wish I could roll back the years and play again myself; however, of course, that is not possible, as the body would soon object! Instead, I get immense satisfaction from encouraging the youngsters of Hooky and around to become involved with our teams in this healthy activity which, among other things, teaches them self respect and respect for others, responsibility and self discipline. As a former public servant of over 40 years' standing, I rate these qualities of the highest importance in character forming and creating a platform for good citizenship.
So, it's against this background that I am truly excited to inform you that, as I pen these notes in the early part of March, the Senior Football Section is poised to submit a planning application for floodlights and modest spectator accommodation (for a maximum of 200 people) on the old pitch at The Bourne, which is inside the village envelope. You will remember that our two previous failed applications and the failed appeal to the Secretary of State against the second of these applications were in respect of the new pitch. As you may recall, these applications and the appeal were rejected primarily because of the planners' concerns, as supported by some residents, of environmental obtrusion to that area of land because of its location outside the village envelope. Whilst disappointed by these decisions, particularly in the wake of similar permitted development in the same area, the Senior Football Section has had to re-shape its plans, in association with the Sports and Social Club to which it is affiliated, to meet planning requirements whilst, at the same time, seeking to conform to new FA regulations that require that all Hellenic League clubs shall have floodlights and spectator accommodation in place by the commencement of Season 2006/07, or else face demotion by probably two steps down the non league ladder! Such an eventuality would be a massive disincentive for all that has been achieved for both senior and junior football over recent years whilst, additionally, with the demise of Hellenic League football, it would, almost certainly, cease to make the whole Sports and Social Club complex a viable proposition.
The Senior Football Section, since it decided to pursue this proposal, has liaised with both the District Council and the Parish Council and has consulted closely with the Cricket Club, with a view to obtaining a meeting of minds. In addition, I personally have spoken to a number of local residents to assure them that, if we get the necessary planning approval and these facilities are eventually provided, the Senior Football Section will be ever mindful of its responsibility to be a good neighbour to those people living nearby. Be assured, that if such permission is given by the Local Authority, it is almost certainly to be conditional on there being a strict limit as to when the finely tuned floodlights may or may not be used, in order to satisfy residential concerns. I do hope that you will see your way clear to be supportive of our application which I genuinely feel is in both the short and long term interests of our community. By the way, both senior teams are still doing OK!
Geoff 'Jesse' James, Club Secretary


ANGLING TUITION
You may be aware of the media coverage given to angling. It has become a topic of interest with some schools in the UK; one school in Shropshire already has angling on its Curriculum and a letter sent to the Daily Telegraph states that, in 1970, Hook Norton Secondary Modern School taught angling as part of its leisure activities.
I am currently studying for a Certificate in Level 2 Angling Coaching at Pershore College and by mid April I will be recognised by angling professional bodies in the UK. It is my intention to start angling theory and practical tuition in basic angling skills free of charge to children and adults.
Although my time is given freely there are some minimal expenses. The angler will need a NRA Rod Licence which can be obtained through the Post Office or online.
Annual Licences are £23.50 for adults, £5.25 for children and run from 1st April.
Peg fees for water side tuition average £2 - £5 per day.
If you or your child has any interest in angling tuition or require further information please email anglingtuition@aol.com
HOOK NORTON SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB


a new sport...

...on the floodlit astroturf MUGA...

...netball...

...for ages 15+...all standards...all
welcome...come and try it!

...from wednesday 20th april...8.00-
9.00pm...£3 per session...

...for further information contact... ...rebecca watts...
...andrea rolls...