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LETTER FROM THE NEW CHAIRMAN March 2007.
Dear Kemsing Tennis Club Member,
As many of you will by now be aware, Nick Cuthbertson stood down and I was elected the new Chairman at the recent AGM. My first task is therefore to thank Nick for all his tremendous hard work and efforts over the last two years. Ian Fraser, himself a former Chairman, gave a short speech of thanks at the meeting, and presented Nick with a tankard as a small token of appreciation on behalf of the Club, but I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate those thanks. I attach a short edited statement from Nick presented to the AGM summarising the 2006/07 year. For those interested, the full minutes of the meeting will be available from the Club Secretary, Alison Wickham, upon her return from sunning herself in Australia.
Sue Glass has also decided to step down from the Committee. I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our thanks to Sue for all her tireless work in so many aspects of the Club, not only as Treasurer but also, for example, in her tenacious dealings with the builders of the Clubhouse; we shall greatly miss her, too. Fortunately, however, Sue has agreed to continue for the time being in a “holding” capacity until a replacement Treasurer can be found, so cheques for subscriptions and financial queries should still be addressed to her.
Also as an attachment to this letter is a note of the subscriptions for the coming year. I have always wondered who falls into the “junior/senior” category, and I have now been informed that it is a young person good enough to play “adult” tennis – someone a bit like me then! Please fill in the application form to renew your membership, and note that the figures in brackets are the reduced amounts payable only if you re-new your membership before the 1 April 2007. I would urge you to take advantage of this, and get your cheques off to Sue as soon as possible. The ballot for Wimbledon tickets will also be taking place soon, and as an added incentive for swift payment this year, only those who have renewed their subscriptions by the 1 April 2007 will be considered eligible for the ballot for those tickets!
Please also fill in the Club Tournament details attached, and Finals Day this year is Saturday, 22 September. Steve Herbert has kindly agreed to organise and police the tournament, and I do hope that as many of you as possible will enter. I would ask you please to return the form as soon as possible, either with your subscription cheque to Sue, or perhaps e-mail it direct to Steve.
I am looking forward immensely to the coming year at the Club. As the new Chairman, and with the backing of the Committee and members, I hope to gradually alter and improve some aspects of the Club. I know, for example, that team selection (or lack of selection!) is a bug bear for some. I hope that together we can engender a more competitive atmosphere, particularly on Monday nights, with pairs challenging team players in match situations, and with team Captains taking note. I predict some excellent tennis, and maybe some surprising results!
I also wish to foster stronger links with our coaches, and would like to see more coaching at the Club – I’m sure we’d all agree that a little coaching would improve our game! Anyone wishing to book a private lesson should contact the Tennis Academy direct on 01959 523377.
I would also love to see greater integration between the various different elements of the Club: the juniors, intermediates, full members, coaches, etc., and hope to build on our strengths and make our Club a friendlier and even more welcoming environment – to the mutual benefit of all.
Forthcoming events for your diary include a new tournament – “The Generation Game” – being, for example, a parent with a child, which is to take place on Sunday, 13 May. (If any one wants to borrow a child, I’ve got a few spare…!)
Open Day is on Sunday, 10 June, and I hope as many members of all levels will attend this year; and there is to be an Open Tournament on Saturday, 14 July.
Finals Day is 22 September as mentioned, and the Club Dinner will be the 6 October, and will again include the presentation of trophies to the winner of the Club Tournament.
Further social events will be organised in due course, so please do look at the Notice Board, future e-mails, and the website. The website is in the process of being revamped and will be back up and running soon, but more of that in due course… In the meantime, this letter is being sent to you by e-mail, and only those people for whom the club does not hold valid e-mail addresses will receive it by post. This will save on costs and mean that we can afford at least two extra tins of new balls through the year! However, please do talk to your fellow members, and check that they have received this e-mail… and that they have responded!
In closing, I feel privileged to be a part of this tennis Club, situated as it is in a beautiful setting with four excellent floodlit courts and a new Clubhouse. I am sure that more people would also love to belong to the Club, and that we can attract more members with our generally friendly and welcoming approach. I would remind you that the “Member Get a Member” scheme is being continued this year, and any member introducing an adult who joins will get a £10 rebate from their own subscription, so the Committee are even prepared to bribe you to be welcoming! Please pass all such enquiries to the Membership Secretary, Carole Thompson, or directly to me, and if you have any queries or problems whatsoever, please do give me a call.
It just remains for me to wish you a great year of tennis!
Howard Cloke
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