HNNL June 2005 page 4

HNNL June 2005 page 4 The Hook Norton Village Newsletter

August 2005

Series 30 No 4

Sports

It has been fairly quiet events wise, but the Cricket Club, junior and senior sections, have kept the bar rather busy of late! It's such a pity that the cricket season is so short! Oh well, it'll be football's turn to shine soon.
On 7^th August, Harriers will be hosting their Hooky 6 and the Tennis Club are holding a tournament, so if you fancy popping down to the club to have look what's going on, we would be delighted to see you.
After their fantastic performance at Music @ Crossroads, I am very pleased to say that the Tomcats will be returning to perform at the club in October, watch this space…..
Finally, if you would like to hire the MUGA or the clubhouse, just email me nancy.hawkins@hookie.fslife.co.uk

HOOK NORTON SENIOR FOOTBALL SECTION Although the first ball is still to be bowled in the eagerly awaited Ashes Series, the fact nevertheless remains that, as I pen these notes in mid July, already pre-season training is now into its second week and the 'friendlies' are beckoning. And what tasty 'friendlies' they are! Newcomers to the Hellenic Premier, Abingdon Town, are first on the agenda, quickly followed by encounters with Letcombe, Didcot Town (FA Vase winners), Winslow United and Highworth Town (Premier Division Champions).
If this sort of opposition doesn't prepare us sufficiently for the new season, then surely nothing will! Naturally, because of cricket at The Bourne, all these fixtures are away from home, excepting that against Highworth Town which, with the Cricket Club's kind agreement, is being staged at The Bourne on Friday 12^th August, Kick Off at 6.30 pm, followed by a BBQ and, of course, with the Clubhouse bar being open. Please do try and make it; you'll be most welcome and I'm sure you'll be greatly entertained.
Already nearly 30 players, most of them familiar and close to home, have signed forms and committed themselves to our cause. Like the rest of us, they are excited by the prospects and the potential at the Club, not least because it is a vitally integral part of the Sports and Social Club Complex which also would appear to have such an exciting future ahead of it. We are also pleased to acknowledge the managerial continuity provided by Ben Spiero, once again, being 'The Boss' of the First Team, ably assisted by Adrian White, and by Phil Jacobs' appointment as Second Team Manager. As a local secondary school teacher and a qualified referee, Phil has much to offer the Club and our community and we warmly welcome him into the fold.
Finally, I would like to make only a passing reference to our recent 3rd time lucky application to the Local Authority for planning permission for floodlights and spectator accommodation at The Bourne. Whilst, as most of you know, the Club would have preferred for this permission to have been given in respect of the new pitch, for many reasons, not least being its further distance away from dwellings, the fact remains that the planners would have none of it! In all the circumstances, short of total capitulation and an acceptance that senior football in Hooky would almost certainly cease to exist (if you don't understand why, please talk to me about it sometime), we were left with no alternative but to go for the existing (old) pitch option, in the knowledge that, from a planning perspective, this would be more acceptable (as, indeed, subsequent events have proved). It is true that we are, quite naturally, delighted with the recent outcome but we nevertheless do acknowledge that there are others in the village who are not so delighted! To those people, many of whom are friends, I would simply say that the Senior Football Section fully accepts its obligation not to abuse the grant of these facilities (the installation of which is, at least, 12 months away, depending upon the availability of necessary finance) and I, for one, will do my utmost to ensure that any such abuse does not happen to the detriment of the quality of life of those who could (by their proximity to the site) be most affected. It is my sincere opinion that life is all about trying to achieve a fair balance between the views of those at opposite ends of the spectrum and I honestly believe (having regard to the very stringent usage conditions that have been quite properly imposed and with which we will willingly comply) that the Local Authority has struck that balance on this occasion. To those of you who, at the moment, do not agree, I simply ask that you will give us a chance; we will try earnestly not to let you down. Kind regards to you all.

Geoff 'Jesse' James

TENNIS CLUB

Hook Norton Juniors 'A' Team emerged as winners in the first of a new series of Team Tournaments for Club Juniors in North Oxfordshire. Teams from Banbury, Deddington and Hook Norton Tennis Clubs played a round robin competition, singles and doubles, with every player completing six Tie Break Set matches. The singles round saw Hook Norton 'A' with a total of 77 points, Banbury with 58, Hook Norton 'B' with 54 and Deddington with 44. The Doubles round was very closely fought with many matches decided by a single point. Banbury fought hard and scored well in the doubles with 37 points, but could not catch the overall Hook Norton total.
The tournament gave many of the players their first experience of competitive Tennis. The series continued with a round for players 7 to 9 years old at Deddington on July 16^th and a Junior Team Tournament at Banbury West End on July 9th for players 10 to 15 years old.
The Club Team series will continue in the Autumn, giving Juniors in North Oxfordshire more opportunities to compete and learn Matchplay skills, with the ultimate aim to establish an inter - Club Junior League for North Oxfordshire Clubs in 2006.

SUMMER HOLIDAY SWIM IN CHIPPY

The Lido in Chippy keeps going with local support. The swim times have changed for the summer holidays, with public swimming all afternoon. Adult only times have been kept in place. See http://www.chippylido.co.uk for information.