An article has appeared in the EFA Annual Report for the past couple of years, which has focused on the setting up and progress of the 'Goddington Fives Club'. There is no longer any particular need to continue with this attention, since that club is now well established and flourishing. Indeed, there are now so many regular members that all expenses are met by membership fees, so that the EFA are no longer required to help pay for coaching or court hire.

Unfortunately (for fortunately!!) a situation was reached last season when there were too many people wanting to take part on Wednesday evenings - the Goddington club night. As a result, it was clear that the time had come to set up another club in its own right, that, in time, would hold its own fixture list and yet join in with the activities of St. Olave's School, the Old Olavians, and the Goddington Club. This new club has already been set up, and met every week during the summer term. Eight dads, and a mother have joined. together with their sons, who are at St. Olave's School. The Club evening is Mondays, 7,30 - 9.30 pm and was run last term by Howard Wiseman and Stuart Greenwood. The summer term is in many ways the best time to start a club such as this, since new players are less likely to suffer bruised hands in the warmer weather. There were no fees charged during the'introductory' term. Next term the Club will run in the same way as the Goddington Club, with the EFA transferring funding from Goddington to the new club until it too becomes self-financing. Stuart Greenwood will be the coach and organiser.

The developments at Orpington seem to have highlighted on several points which, to my mind, must be used in the future, in order to produce more Fives players and successfully organised clubs. There is no doubt that the 'evening class' feeling is a very appealing way of starting a club. There is a huge commitment felt by both the coach, who is being paid, and the new Fives players. who want to receive what they have paid for!! Furthermore, as both the Goddingtsn and latest club at Orpington have shown, considerable progress can be made by beginners if they are well instructed on a regular basis. The lack of instruction would often result in most people giving the game up within a few months, since little progress is unrewarding and frustrating.

Stuart Greenwood, it was known from the start, would become the sole coach for this new club. By running the club together for a term, Stuart was able to learn from Howard Wiseman, who is already very experienced in this situation. Thus Stuart gained the confidence and experience to do an excellent job by himself from the following term onwards.

Another excellent discovery has been how to get hold of new recruits. Whilst advertising in the local press is always an option - it has never been necessary in Orpington. It would seem that the best way of approaching recruitment is to send a letter out with the new first year boys at the beginning of their first term, inviting their parents to take part. Not only would it seem that parents are often desperately keen to take part in an event with their young sons, but the sons are often very keen to drag mum or dad along! ! What's more, even if only four or five parents express an interest, plus their sons, this provides a good number on which to build. A club started with a small number does enable the participants to develop particularly quickly, and before long, friends, colleagues and other relatives, etc, become interested. After all, it is only one year before the next year's new entry to the school, from which another group of parents can be recruited. The prospect for parents to play in matches and perhaps in the fathers and sons, or mixed championships, can be a big pull. This parental interest certainly goes a long way towards cementing their sons' long-term interest in the sport during their school career, and beyond!!

Should anybody be interested in setting up clubs such as these, anywhere in the country, whether to build on existing Fives activity, or indeed to bring Fives courts back to life with activity from both the school, and from local adults, then please feel free to contact Howard Wiseman at: 7 Genoa Road, Anerlev, London SE20 8ES. Tel: 0181 778 0752.

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