“70 YEARS CELEBRATED”
Over 60 players, former players and guests this week celebrated 70
years of the Clacton and District Table Tennis League with a special
Anniversary Dinner at Giorgio’s, Holland-on-Sea.
Guest of honour was Doreen Stannard, one of only sixteen life
members of the English Table Tennis Association and the only woman
to be so honoured.
Doreen said that she had a long association with the Clacton
League, an association that had begun many years ago when she had
coached and mentored four young Clacton umpires, Tony Hooper, Brian
Rowlen, Gordon Smith and Graham Parkes.
A strong League was all about players and she congratulated
Clacton on their continued success, especially at a time when many
Leagues had either folded or been forced to amalgamate.
Doreen said that the Clacton League was also fortunate to have an
excellent group of officers, led by Chairman Brian Rowlen who had
recently received a richly-deserved award from Tendring District
Council for his outstanding contribution to sport in the District.
And with able young officers, like new Secretary Annabelle
Rodriguez, coming to the fore, Doreen was certain that the League’s
future was in safe hands.
In reply, Chairman Brian Rowlen said that the League, which had
been formed in 1938 with only one Division and no Closed
Championships, had evolved over the years, reaching its heyday in the
late 1970s and 1980s.
And although numbers had declined since then, the Clacton League
was still in a healthy state, open to new ideas and ready to
incorporate change, and provided new people were prepared to take
responsibility, he looked to the future with confidence.
During the evening special awards were made to the League’s two
longest serving players, Brian Baines and Barry Howe. Brian had
started playing in the Clacton League in 1947/48, whilst Barry Howe
joined just a year or two later.
In making the awards, Brian Rowlen said that both Brian and Barry,
who both continue to play, had shown great loyalty and were ideal role
models for any aspiring young table tennis player. They were a credit
to the League.
Other guests present were Essex County Chairman and recently-
appointed Eastern Regional Development Officer John Andrews, County
Secretary Steve Kerns, and from the League, Honorary Life President,
Marion Denton, President Sheila Howe, and Vice-Presidents Ken Gladwell
and Shirley Rowlen.
* The first of the League’s “Come and Try” sessions, for anyone
who would like to take up competitive table tennis, takes place on
Thursday 5th June at 7.30 pm at the URC Hall, Carnarvon Road,
Clacton-on-Sea.
The sessions are free and run each Thursday evening during June.
Contact the League’s Development Officer, Ferdy Rodriguez, on 01255
221259 for more information.
* The Annual General Meeting of the League takes place at the
Brotherhood Hall, Clacton-on-Sea on Tuesday 3rd June at 7.45 pm. All
registered players are entitled to attend. Divisional trophies will be
presented during the course of the evening.
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Clacton
and District Table Tennis League