Three awards for Cippenham

Cippenham Table Tennis Club members picked up another three awards when the English Table Tennis Association held its Annual Volunteer and Coaching Awards at Lilleshall National Sports Centre on Saturday.

For each of the recipients it was also the second time, all having awards in previous years. Two of the awards came in the field of coaching. Sue Hayes, a Level 4 Senior coach, the highest level attainable, picked up the Female Coach of the Year award for the second time having also been rewarded in 2001. Sue, mother of Irish international player David Hayes, has been at the forefront of coaching at Cippenham Table Tennis Club since moving to the area in 1997. Currently, she conducts the Club’s Wednesday evening elite session, takes one-to-one coaching with aspiring juniors and also with adults under a scheme she has helped devise. Furthermore, Sue is much more than just a coach, being Cippenham’s Deputy Chairman and a qualified tournament organizer.

The other coaching award went to Stephanie Mitchell. At the age of just 16 Steph is one of the youngest people in the country to have acquired the UK Certificate of Coaching badge level 1. She uses the training she has received to assist at the weekly Thursday early evening beginners’ classes out of which most of the Club’s successful protégés have emerged. Having won the ETTA Young Volunteer of the Year award last year Steph is an all-round contributor to the Club and this has earned her the responsibility of being the Duty Officer at the Cippenham’s busy Tuesday and Thursday evening practice sessions.

Graham Trimming made up the trio of honoured members. To cap a remarkable year of honours bestowed upon the Cippenham founder, Chairman and General Secretary, Trimming gained the award for Press Officer of the Year. This was in recognition of the work that he has done over many years writing press reports, editing the Club’s monthly newsletter and maintaining what is probably to most updated table tennis club website in the country. Last year the ETTA honoured him with PremierClub Volunteer of the Year and then at their Annual General Meeting in June awarded him a Vice-Presidency. For good measure, Cippenham Table Tennis Club last year honoured Trimming as its first and so far only Life Member.

World Cadet Challenge (30.10-2.11.08)

Two World golds for Evans

Gavin Evans, a Cippenham Table Tennis Club protégé in his early days, won two more international gold medals over the weekend. The current European Cadet Boys’ Singles champion was representing Europe in the World Cadet Challenge in Sweden. Evans led his England team to victory in the boys’ team event, remaining unbeaten throughout, a performance that was capped with a 3-0 demolition of Asia in the final.

In the individual singles Evans did not fare so well, falling early, but did claim a second gold medal in the boys’ doubles when paired with Simon Gauzy of France.